Why You Should Look Beyond The Draft List When Trying Belgian Beers

Ah, Belgium. That little European country so full of chocolate, waffles, french fries, and, of course, beer. Though it's roughly half the size of West Virginia, the country boasts more than 1,000 varieties of beer, many produced through different fermentation techniques. Though America's craft beer selection is certainly nothing to sneeze at, a visit to the "Crossroads of Europe" might very well blow your beer-loving mind. Belgian beers are also made a little differently than your standard Coors or Miller High Life. They're generally higher in alcohol, as well as yeastier and sweeter than a typical American beer, which is where the difference between bottles and kegs comes in.

You'd be forgiven for thinking draft beers are where it's at. They're generally stored in kegs, protected from light and air. This helps to maintain the beer's freshness and is immediately apparent on drinking as long as the bar is keeping its beer lines clean. Americans also love ice-cold beers, which is something you can easily ensure with a draft system. If you're a nitro beer nerd, you might insist that those carbonated draft lines also give you a creamy mouthfeel that's unlike any bottled beer. But take a moment to consider, just maybe, that those Trappist monks in Belgium know a thing or two about beer. After all, it's literally part of their job and many of them founded old breweries that are still operating today.

Some of the best Belgian beers, such as the Trappist ales, fruity lambics, and sour beers like Flanders Red are brewed specifically to be packaged in a bottle rather than a keg. The reasoning behind this is that it allows the beer to undergo a second fermentation in the bottle, which would be challenging, to say the least, in most kegs. This second fermentation gives the beer time to grow in its complexity and unique carbonation while also increasing its alcohol content. All good things to have in a beer, no?

Just like wine, many of these bottled beers are crafted to age over time. During the aging process, they'll further develop nuanced and sophisticated flavors that you just can't get from draft beer. In case it isn't obvious, Belgians take beer extremely seriously, as serious as the French take their wine. This is shown by their incredible variety, suggested food pairings, and a strict adherence to the right glassware. Each Belgian beer is served in its own distinct glass, whether its stemless, tulip-shaped, wide-mouth, fluted, and beyond. What might further shock the American palate is that Belgian beers can be served cold, cool, or at room temperature — whatever will bring out the best taste of these artisanal ales. So the next time you order an enkel, dubbel, or tripel, make sure you make it a bottle, and demand that special glass as any true Belgian would.