Week 23 Summary: Trappist Monks Brew Amazing Beer
This week was a great way to jump right back in to the beer reviews, with a whole bunch of inspiring and delicious beers that are widely considered among the best on the planet.
These Belgian brews hold a special place in my beer consuming heart, as they were among the first big flavoured small batch beers I ever drank. When I was in my early 20s, I had already converted from drinking Alexander Kieth`s to drinking Czech and German pilsners, but my first Chimay Red is what led me to explore the more exotic Belgian beers.
When I discovered, a few years later, how these breweries are run as non-profits that help support the abbey and those that live and work nearby, I was even more impressed. I am staunchly non-religious, but there is great charm in the idea of cloistered monks making beer, and often cheese, that is some of the best in the world, then using the proceeds to do good locally.
Three of the beers that I reviewed this week are among my absolute favorites. The scores obviously reflect this, as one of them now shares top spot on my list.
Rochefort 10 is a masterpiece of a beer. It is ridiculously complex. To this day, after years of Rochefort 10s, I still feel like I am tasting new things every time. It is far from sessionable, and it drinks somewhat like a liqueur, but it is so delicious that I always have trouble stopping after one.
Chimay Red is my go to Belgian ale. It is full of flavour, but also subtle and very drinkable. The beer is crisp, refreshing, fruity, spicy, and mildly sweet, with some soft bitterness and a dry finish. For such an amazing beer, it is pretty great that it is so widely available, and at such a low price.
Orval is one of those beers that is very different. Flavours of black pepper, bananas, nectarines, coriander, hop bitterness, and citrus, combine with an extremely dry finish to create a world class brew. This is another beer that seems to show me a new quality every time I drink it.
Duvel is the only non-trappist beer from this week`s reviews. I included it because it is such an iconic, widely available beer. While I might prefer to cheer for the smaller trappist brewers, Duvel is still a delicious example of a staple Belgian style. Seemingly light and easier to drink, it still has lots of flavour and booze. The 8.5% alcohol is almost dangerous considering how easy it is to down a few of these.
Westmalle`s Dubbel was the lowest scoring beer of the week. It still comes in with a respectable score, as it is definitely a quality beer. My issue is that it is a bit too sweet and syrupy for me. Raisins and licorice are among the few flavours and foods I don`t like, and both featured in this brew. Interesting, and well made, but not my favorite.
This week was one of the highest scoring ever here on The Flagon, as I reviewed a number of brews that are widely acclaimed. It is impossible to go wrong with any of them, really, but that Rochefort 10 is one of the best beers I will ever drink.
Week 3 Summary: Trappist Monks Brew Amazing Beer was originally published on The Flagon