At Farrell Distributing we pride ourselves on supporting iconic and authentic Belgian breweries. During the month of July we’ll be highlighting some of the best Belgian beers that you can buy in the Green Mountain State. We’ll also explore Belgian beer styles and provide resources for you and your staff to aid in furthering their beer education.
We have put together a full Belgian-Style Beer Book which can be found on our website by clicking here.
BELGIAN WHEAT STYLES
Two iconic beer styles were developed in Belgium that both rely on wheat in the mash: SAISON and WITBIER. Here are some of our favorites.
SAISON: “Belgian Farmhouse Ale brewed to refresh seasonal farm workers after a long day’s work in the fields. Special yeasts produce spicy notes of white pepper and lemon, fine carbonation & a dry finish.”
BRASSERIE DUPONT (Tourpes, Belgium) – SAISON DUPONT – 98 on RateBeer.com! The Dupont brewery was established in 1844 in Tourpes, Belgium on land that was formerly part of a Benedictine abbey. The brewery is most well-known for producing Saison Dupont, the benchmark of one of Belgium’s most influential beer styles. It is the most admired and imitated Saison in the world and has been named the “Best Beer in the World.” Full-bodied and malty, Saison Dupont is beloved for its distinct peppery bite and unique flavor derived from Dupont’s signature strain of yeast. 12.7oz/12 (#02156), 750ml/12 (#02150), 5.16 gal. logs (#04124).
FEUILLIEN (Le Roeulx, Belgium) – SAISON – St. Feuillien’s Saison is what the Belgians call a “beer of the terroir”; a traditional farmhouse ale with all the rich flavors of the fertile land of southern Belgium. The region of Hainault, where St. Feuillien is located, is the traditional home for this style of beer. It originated as a beer made by and for farmers. Thirst quenching, not too strong, and great with food. A warm, golden blonde with a beautiful farmhouse character featuring hints of melon and apricot. Full-bodied, fruity and yeasty, Saison has a rugged, charming character with a lot more flavor than it’s 6.5% ABV would suggest. Winner of the Best Saison in the 2009 World Beer Awards, this is a beer with the pedigree and the quality to become a classic in the style. 11.2oz/6/4 CANS (#01726).
WITBIER: “Refreshing beers made with a substantial proportion of un-malted wheat in addition to barley malt, plus dried orange peel and coriander.”
HOEGAARDEN (Hoegaarden, Belgium) – ORIGINAL WITBIER – 2016 World Beer Cup Gold Medal winner! “Perhaps they had too much time on their hands. Or they were sick of the sacramental wine. Maybe it was divine inspiration? We’ll never know for sure. What we do know is that the Hoegaarden monks were the first to discover the unique recipe for wheat beer around 1445. 500 years of hard work went into making this beer that features the aroma of orange peel, coriander and herbs that the merry monks imported from sunny Curacao. Speaking of which: pouring Hoegaarden is just like letting the sun fall into your glass: light yellow and naturally murky. And the soft foam adds a cloudy finish. And then there’s the soft taste, light and slightly sweet and sour and with subtle citrus notes… ah, just go ahead and taste it instead of reading about it!” Available in 11.2oz/4/6 bottles (#32031) and limited draft. If you’re interested in working with Hoegaarden kegs, please email Mark Moore.
BRASSERIE DE BRABANDERE (Bavikhove, Beglium) – WITTEKERKE WILD – Not your typical Witbier – this one has a sour twist and is a beer to blow your mind and refresh your soul. Harvest…….The wild idea to use the microflora derived from the Petrus Oak foeders into another beer has never seen before. Through a new technique at Brewery De Brabandere they are able to harvest those wild yeasts and bacteria that live on the inside of the oak foeders. Unleash…….By unleashing the microflora into Wittekerke, their sessional wit beer, a unique refreshment is created. A wild idea in first fermentation. The refinement and refreshment of Wittekerke Wit united with the harvested and unleashed wild yeast and bacteria, results in a unique balance of wit beer and sour aromas. This ultra-flavoured and refreshing session beer is easily accessible for everyone … and demands for more than one! Wittekerke Wild, The Ultimate Sour Refreshment! 5.0% ABV. Available now in 16.9oz/6/4 cans (#04197) and 7.9 gal. kegs (“A system” coupler, #35921).
NEW FROM DROP-IN DROP-IN (Middlebury, VT) – ORANGE YOU GLAD I DIDN’T SAY BANANA? – How many times did you hear that joke as a parent? Don’t worry – no orange slices here! Although in America a glass of hefeweizen is often served with a slice of orange or lemon, Germans scoff at such a notion. Instead, we used two aromatic hop varieties, Mandarina Bavaria and Lemondrop, to play up the citrus character of the beer. Our hefeweizen is made with 50% wheat and 50% barley malt with the star of the show being the authentic German Hefeweizen yeast. Hefeweizen, or “yeast wheat” in German, is one of the country’s most popular and distinctive beer styles. An unfiltered wheat-based beer, hefeweizen dominated brewing in Bavaria during the 16th – 18th centuries. This beer style was so profitable that the noble ruling families fought over the brewing rights for the hefeweizen monopoly until the style fell out of favor at the end of the 18th century. Light, refreshing, yet complex, this is an excellent summertime beer! 5.5% ABV. Download the sell sheet PDF. Available now in 5.16 gal. logs (#45969) and 13.2 gal. kegs (#45968).
TWO NEW FROM OMMEGANG OMMEGANG (Cooperstown, NY)
The new GAME OF THRONES release is here: BEND THE KNEE – Golden Ale! “Paying homage to the struggle for control of the Seven Kingdoms, Bend the Knee will be available on draft and in a series of three collectible 750ml bottles, all finished in matte black and adorned with one of the three Great House sigils: Stark, Targaryen, or Lannister. “With this next Game of Thrones-inspired release, we wanted a beer and a pack that was fit for a king… or a queen,” said Brewery Ommegang President, Doug Campbell. “Drawing from a rich Belgian brewing tradition, Golden Strong Ales are deceptive due to their unique combination of extreme drinkability and relatively high alcohol content. Bend the Knee walks that line, while also incorporating the delicate flavors of honey into the mix. The subtle noble and floral hop contribution adds to its delicateness, and the beer finishes smooth and dry.” Bend the Knee is brewed with pils malt and flaked oats and hopped with Saaz, Bravo, and Styrian Golding hops. It pours a golden hue with a large, frothy head. Both the aroma and flavor mix maltiness and citrus from the hops, while Ommegang’s signature house yeast produces prominent fruitiness. Wildflower honey added during fermentation provides light sweetness to the beer, which finishes dry and with firm hop bitterness. Fit for any feast table, Bend the Knee’s clean and balanced flavor and effervescent carbonation make it a fine pairing for a variety of foods including seafood and shellfish, roasted or grilled chicken, grilled steaks, and aged Swiss-style cheeses. Download the sell sheet PDF. Available in 750ml/12 bottles (#04372). Very limited 5.16 gal. logs were allocated to Vermont. Email Josh Trombley if you’d like one.
Also just in: BRUNETTA – a 5% ABV traditional Oud Bruin, or sour brown ale, developed by our brewmaster Phil Leinhart, and the master blenders at our sister brewery, Liefmans, in Oudenaarde, Belgium. Liefmans has been perfecting their blending techniques for more than 300 years, and is renowned for their clean and balanced sour beers. The Oud Bruin style is known for its playful flirtation between sweet and sour flavors and Brunetta is no exception. Brunetta pours a deep amber-brown with clarity and a tan head with light retention. Aromas of raisin, prune, and sweet malts are followed by subtle hints of lactic sourness. The balanced sweet and sour flavor leads with caramel malt and finishes with a clean, refreshing sourness. Brunetta is medium bodied and moderately dry with a pleasant nutty flavor in the finish. Brewed with a traditional blend of pilsner, amber, and caramel malts and with minimal hopping, Brunetta’s mixed culture fermentation begins in Liefmans’ open copper vats and continues in stainless tanks for four to eight months. This Oud Bruin’s balanced acidity is a perfect accompaniment to rich dishes like duck confit, chicken liver pâté, all manner of mild cheeses, and NY-style cheese cakes and other mildly sweet desserts. Download the sell sheet PDF. Available in 11.2oz/6/4 bottles (#04355) and 5.16 gal. logs (#04356).
UPCOMING TASTINGS
Belgian Beer Tastings
NOTABLE DATES
Monday, July 10th – Belgian Beer Trade Tasting (North) – details below
Tuesday, July 11th – Belgian Beer Trade Tasting (South) – details below
July 14th-21st – National Belgian Beer Week – Three of our importer partners – Artisanal Imports, Merchant du Vin & Global Beer Network – have teamed up to sponsor a National Belgian Beer Week from July 14-21 and we’re going to celebrate here in Vermont as well! Click here to see the main Facebook event page. Let us know if you’re planning an event or feature and we’ll add it to the schedule!
Tuesday, July 18th – St. Arnoldus Day – Bibe Cervesiam Non Aqua. – “Drink beer, not water.” St. Arnoldus, the Patron Saint of Belgian Beers, centuries ago cured the village plague by encouraging them to drink beer for its healing qualities. Raise a chalice in his honor!
Friday, July 21st – Belgian Independence Day