A sour brown ale aged 2 years in oak casks. Wild, oaky aromas emanate from this brown ale from the Bavik brewery. The sourness is not as strong as in some other sour brown ales that I tried, such as Duchesse de Bourgonne. The mouthfeel is fairly smooth with fairly light carbonation. Fairly light in body and in alcoholic strength. Petrus is full of juicy sourness and sugary flavors laced with bits of caramel, but lacks the beefiness of other beers of this style. Oakiness becomes more prominent as the beer warms up. Probably a good choice as an introduction to this style of beer. Fairly quaffable for a sour ale. Sour beers are an acquired taste. Most beer drinkers would find sourness in their beers distasteful, but sour beers can be refreshing, and flavorful.

Tasted on tap at the Map Room. A light golden ale that produces quite a bit foam on draft that settles to a puffy layer of bubbles that help produce a creamy mouthfeel. Poperings Hommel Bier gives off a honeyish, almost citrus aroma with a dash of floral hops that lead to honeyish malt flavors laced with leafy tasting hops. The finish is quite dry and quenching. A hoppy beer, but not one completely overpowered with hops. The hoppiness is more delicate than American beers, but certainly powerful by Belgian standards, with the hops tasting earthier and more rustic. Fairly strong at 7.5 percent alcohol by volume, but still an easy drinking ale with a unique hoppiness.

A very strong and delicious blonde ale from the town of Ingelmunster. This brewery has links to a castle (chateau) thus this beer has its name -- Kasteel Bier -- or "castle beer." I could've detected the origins of this beer with my eyes closed. As soon as I twisted off the cage and popped the cork on 750-ml dark green bottle I couldn't help noticing the champagne-like aroma tinged with the mustiness of a cellar. Poured into a tulip-shaped stemmed glass, this hazy, straw-colored brew displayed a light fluffy tower of foam. It's effervesecence, that was noticeable in the glass and on the palate, seemed to mask the body and strength of this potent brew. By the second or third sip I began to notice a slightly nutty aroma, perhaps of almonds, combined with bits of pineapple. The very soft malt flavors and nutty esters balanced with the dryness of a well-attenuated fermention and just the right amount of spicy hops made this beer very delightful. Just a few sips more and the haze in the glass seemed to duplicate itself in my head as this beer really started to exhibit its strength. At 11 percent alcohol this Kasteel Bier is not for the timid. For those brave enough, this sturdy ale will transport you to Belgium and back, with your pocketbook only modestly affected. Found for $5.99 a 750-ml bottle at Sal's Beverage World in Villa Park, Ill. and worth the hunt.

This is a very strong abbey-style beer, that based on its original gravity and strength, could be classified as a "quadruple" being one notch heavier and stronger than a "triple." I was lucky enough to try this on tap at the Map Room recently. Poured into a stemmed wide-mouthed glass, I noticed an aroma of green apples and a hint of caramel candy sugar. The color of this beer was a dark brown. It was well-poured with a voluminous, creamy head, that made the first sip very smooth and creamy. The strength of the beer (10 percent alc. by vol.) was not as apparent as I had expected it to be. The best thing about this beer is the aroma and the smooth, caramel candy sugar-laced sweetness, balanced by just the right amount of hops. There's a bit of fruitiness, too, perhaps of figs. This beer was not as complex as I had hoped, which I'm blaming on the lack of bottle conditioning, as it was served on tap. It was enjoyable, but did not match the complexity of the similar brews that I've tried from Westvleteren and Rochefort.

Gunsmoke! That's the first thing that I notice about this beer when I pop the cork on the 750ml brown bottle. As the "smoke" clears I let the bottle sit for a couple moments and then gently pour it into a thistle shaped glass. Lots of "Belgian" lace and frothy white head. Saxo is a slightly pale beer with a peppery aroma and flavor. I also found it to be very dry and thusly very well attenuated, meaning that nearly all of the sugars had been fermented out of the beer. It is also a beer with a very lively carbonation. After some time I began to notice some vanilla notes in the flavor. Finishes very dry with just a hint of rusticity. I believe the name Saxo refers to the saxophone. A lively beer named after a lively instrument!

Moinette
Brasserie DuPont

This beer is brewed in the Saison style by Brasserie DuPont which is noted for its Saison DuPont. This beer is a bit fuller bodied and not quite as dry as the signature ale, but I still like it. A bright white head forms and leaves lots of Beglian lace. Pours a hazy gold, almost amber color. There's a bit of freshly mowed lawn, especially one mowed after a rain, in the aroma. This is only detectable after some of the intensely spicy and floral hop aromas fade. Compared to to the flagship Saison DuPont this beer shows off its hops in the aroma. You think you're going get this hugely hoppy beer, but you actually get a rather balanced beer with a fairly full body with some herbaceous flavors. Tends to be a bit sweet but the peppery and light phenolic yeast flavors keep things interesting.

Affligem Blonde
Brouwerij De Smedt

I spotted this six-pack the other day for $9.99 and thought it was a bit expensive for a six-pack of beer, and then I reminded myself that it was Belgian ale. Affligem Blonde is a Belgian ale of uncompromising quality. Essentially a weaker version of the brewery's Triple, the Blonde has an acidic bite of high carbonation, that is offset by a firm malt character. The predominant aroma is that of malt, tinged with a bit of honey. There's not much hops in the nose or on the tongue, but it does finish dry. A peculiar vanilla character also is present and there is a slight bit of a citrus character. A satisfying, well-made beer, but I think this bottle tastes a little old and could be a bit better. Affligem Blonde has roughly 7.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Brigand
Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck

This golden colored strong ale, doesn't fit into any particular style of Belgian beer. There are flavors that remind one of a Trappist triple and others that are reminiscent of strong golden beers such as Duvel or Hapkin. The most unusual character of this bubbly beer is the nutty character impareted by the yeast. This is not noticed until the finish. Brigand starts out with an aroma of malt, hops and fruit, in particular baked apples. The strength of the beer (8 percent alcohol measured by volume) is immediately noticed with notes of alcohol among the flavors of nuts and fruit imparted by the yeast. Hops are in balance with malt with firm dryness in the finish. The body is medium and not too thick. A very enjoyable beer and one of my old favorites.

Vuuve
Brouwerij de Regenboog

This beer has tits. Literally. They're on the bottle as part of the artwork. What's inside is a good version of a Belgian Wit Bier (white beer, brewed with wheat) which in this case is made with 60 percent barley malt and 40 percent wheat. Carol liked this ratio as she prefers the barley malt flavors over that of the wheat. A bit heavier in body than other famous Wit biers like Hoegarden. The yeast in this beer offers something different than the typical Belgian Wit flavors. Less citric and more herbal. Coriander is detected and mingles well with a rustic yeast. Distributed by B. United International.

Maredsous 10 (Triple)
Brouwerij Moortgat;

This is a strong golden ale made at the same brewery that is famous for a different strong golden ale called Duvel. The Maredsous line of beers are in the Abbey style. The abbey style of beer are unlike the Trappist ales in that monks do not make this beer, but rather the abbey or monastery has leased or sold the recipe. Maredsous triple-style ale is very tasty. It's most obvious components are its yeast and sugar. A very fruity example of this style, Maredsous, also has some vinous notes do its strength. These fruity flavors and notes of sugary sweetness are balanced nicely by flowery, spicy hops. Maredsous Triple-style ale is the strongest version of Moortgat's abbey-style beers at almost 10 percent alcohol by volume.

Scaldis (Bush) Noel
Brasserie Dubuisson

The label on this beer says that it's "hopped three times" during the brewing process. It is safe to assume that the brewers aren't hopping on top of the beer, but rather adding hops at three different times. I suspect that one of these times the beer is dry-hopped because the hop (spicy) character is definitely present. As this is a "holiday" version of the beer, a lot of the spiciness is from actual spices, and not hops. I don't which spices these are, but they taste good. This holiday version of a Belgium beer called Scaldis is quite strong -- especially when decanting from a 1.5-litre corked bottle! At somewhere between 10.5 and 11.5 percent alcohol by volume, the alcoholic strength of this beer shows through in the finish. It is an otherwise very balanced beer -- that is to say that the hops and malt have an equal representation -- you both taste a strong malt and hops. However, it is the alcoholic kick that leaves the biggest impression. I actually prefer the hoppier "regular" version of the beer that appears year round in smaller bottles. Oh, and by the way, thanks Ryan -- without you this tasting would not have been possible -- or at least as pleasing! Scaldis is imported by Vanberg & DeWulf (see link below) of upstate New York.

Gouden Carolus
(Carolus D'Or)Brouwerij Het Anker

A Flemish Brown ale? No, not quite...but something close. An aroma of figs and toffee are immediately detected. The first taste is malty, a bit fizzy and acidic. A low hoppping rate allows the flavors of toffee to come through. There's a slight bit of acidity mixed with fruity esters from the yeast that give this beer its unique taste. Don't let the thin body deceive you -- this beer is strong -- and becomes more flavorful as it warms up. Serve cool at 55 degrees F., or warmer for the best taste. Let the beer sit awhile and you will soon notice an aroma of port wine. This beer defies any category and is quite tasty. A favorite.

Cantillon Gueze
Brasserie Cantillon

This is a beer style for those fond of Granny Smith apples and sour candy such as a 'sweet tart' or a 'warhead.' Gueze, a style closely associated with Lambic, is the featured beer for September. As fall approaches there is nothing like an acidic, tart beer to help one cope with the change in seasons from summer to fall. As the temperature slightly drops into the '70s or the '60s, the tart and acidic flavor of Cantillon Gueze refreshes, while at the same time causing you to pause and reflect, as the sourness of this ale prohibits quaffing. I grew up not too far from cider mills and my family used to make a trip on a weekend for fresh, sweet, yet tart cider. I'm reminded of this experience while drinking Gueze at the Hopleaf bar on the north side of Chicago. The primary difference, of course, between Gueze and cider is that there is no fruit in Gueze. The tartness is brought about by mixing an older Lambic (sour ale) fermented in part with wild yeast strains and a younger Lambic that is less wild. It is this wonderful marriage that makes you simply pucker and say, "what a wonderful refreshing (yet, very odd) beer." For more information on Lambic and Gueze beer, check out this article by Greg Smith from the Real Beer Page.

Hapkin (golden ale)
Brourwerj Louwaege

This is a wonderful golden ale that pours with a dense head that can be shaped like soft serve ice cream. There's a wonderful dryness, that can only possibly be matched by Duvel, the most commonly referred to golden ale in Belgium. I'm attacked by a burst of carbon dioxide, dry, peppery hops and alcohol upon my first sniff of this beer. As the soft body of the beer touches my lips I sense the carbonation, followed by the smoothness of the pilsner malt, which leads to spicy yeasty flavors that meld with similarly spicy hops. At the finish the beer is long dry with the spiciness of the hops and yeast lingering on the palate. Excellent beer. Limited availability in the United States. The bottle I sampled was purchased at Sam's Wine Warehouse in Chicago.

La Chouffe
Brasserie D'Achouffe

This beer is described by the brewery (brasserie) as a Belgian-style strong pale ale. There's a nice silk screened image of what looks like a gnome on the green 25-ounce bottle of this ale. This beer pours hazy, with a light amber color. There's a banana-like aroma and carbonic bite on the palate. It is malty sweet with a slight bitterness. Very crisp with esters from the yeast mingling with slight caramalized candy sugar flavors that lead to a lasting dryness. According to the label, Saaz and Goldings hops are used in the bittering and flavoring of this beer. I believe it! Found it for $7.59 a 25-ounce bottle.

Chimay Grand Reserve
Abbaye de Notre Dame

The Chimay Grand Reserve (pronounced "she-may"), which is also referred to as Chimay "blue cap", is the most robust all the three Chimay beers. It is stronger than both the Premiere (or red cap) and Cinq Cents (white cap.) It is a beer that is pretty much in its own class. Stronger than a triple and double, but dark enough to be called a double, Chimay Grande Reserve can be a beguiling brew. The complex malt flavors in the beer can be described as being close to port wine, especially if aged properly, but the most dectectable flavors consist of currants, raisins and a slight bit of dark rum. Because of its strength, this beer can be laid down and left to mature for several years, following the same guidelines as for cellaring wine. The cooler the location,(say 50 to 60 degrees F.) the finer the maturation will be, and the longer the beer will remain in good condition. Warmer temperatures, especially those above 70 degrees F., should be avoided when "cellaring" beers. Also, it is important to remember to "lay down" corked bottles, but to keep bottled beers upright. This is important to remember if you decide to keep your Chimay, because it is available in both 25-ounce corked bottles, and small 11-ounce capped bottles.

Bruegel (Amber)
Brouwerij Van Steenberge

Pours deep golden. An aroma of fresh bread and yeast. Cookie-like malt flavor, a slight bit of apricot towards the middle, a bit of minerals in the finish, but otherwise sweet, and not very dry. Full bodied, but very drinkable, and not that strong. The bottle states 5.2 percent alcohol, which I believe, and is a bit low for most Belgian beers. Not as complex as many other Belgian beers, but more complex than many other American "amber ales." A good every day sort of Belgian beer if there is such a thing.

Corsendonk Pale Ale
Brasserie Du Bocq

This beer is actually contract-brewed for Corsendonk, a marketing company, which claims to be using a recipe from an old abbey in Belgium. I supposed that would make this brew an abbey-style beer. It is a pale-straw color. A whiff of the aroma suggests marzipan and a bit of an odd creamed corn smell. The beer is very fizzy, but seems to settle down after awhile. The taste is somewhat malt, with a hint of blanched almonds. It is fairly dry, but not very bitter. Finishes dry.

Perhaps the perfect beer for Valentine's Day next to the brewery's Kriek bier. The Kriek is just a tad more intense, this Framboise is a bit delicate and not as tart. In some respects the beer world's answer to champagne. The fruit flavor of the raspberry dominates the palate, but that's what should be expected. One of the great sour beers of Belgium, if not the world.

This is an amber colored, wonderfully comlex beer. The initial aroma is of berries. The taste is sweet at first with some berry flavors, and then some spices, and finally a dry finish. Spices detected may be coriander or cardamom, perhaps some bitter orange peel? This is a medium-bodied beer, but it seems strong. Definitely a very complex, well-built beer. Tasted at the Hopleaf in Chicago. Served in a 11-ounce bottle. Eclectic artwork on the label is a signature of the beers from this brewery and the contents are no less appealing and eccentric in nature.

Corsendonk Christmas Ale
Brewery Van Steenberge for Brewery Corsendonk Ltd.

Okay, so I got a little confused last month and listed October's beer as November's, but this time I think I got it right. It's December. This month it's Christmas. So, it's time for a Christmas beer, and I'm in the giving spirit. Instead of just one Belgium Beer of the Month, there is going to be two beers reviewed, just because there are so many great holiday beers.
The first beer we'll look at is Corsendonk Christmas Ale. As far as I can tell this is new beer that I have not seen before. So I'm trying this one for the first time. On the bottle of this corked 750ml bottle is the brief description 'dark ale.' Well, I guess that's a start! Upon pouring into my tulip-shaped glass this beer shows its deep brown color. The aroma seems slightly musty. After awhile I begin to notice a slightly raisin-like aroma coupled with a bit of a toffee aroma. The beer is very, very smooth and has an excellent mouthfeel -- it's not too carbonic like some Belgian beers -- and has a velvety malt texture. The most immediately defined flavors are that of Brazil nuts, caramel and slightly roasted malts and a bit of bitterness towards the finish. A slight raisin-like taste and some of the usual phenolic character that many Belgian yeasts contribute to beer flavor show up later. I don't really detect any very bright spices, except for the nutty character, but I'm sure they're hidden somewhere in the beer. I would say this beer most closely resembles a Trappist Double or other brown abbey beer. Very, very nice!!

Affligem Nöel
Abbaye de Affligem

This Christmas beer from Belgium comes in a brown corked 750ml bottle. The brewery is an old favorite of mine. I could not find this beer last year, but it seems to have returned to our shores. The beer can be described as having elements of a Trappist-style double or triple. It is probably somewhere in between the two styles. The usual holiday beer flavors of spices are present, but there is also that trademark nutty character that can be found in all Affligem beers. I'm sure this character comes from the yeast. There is also a wonderful yeasty aroma of "French basement." I seem to remember this beer being stronger, but I still liked it. Definitely worth seeking out if you like the darker Belgian beers -- doubles and the like -- or prefer sweeter brews.

Delirium Nöel
Huyghe Brewery

This is a beer from the makers of Delirium Tremens, a very tasty, high-strength blonde beer. This craft brewer likes to brew strong beers -- Delirium Tremens is 10 percent alcohol -- and so is the Christmas version. The Nöel is darker than the Delirium Tremens, almost as dark as Trappist-style double, but much stronger than the beers of that particular style. Spiced flavors are present that help emphasize this beer's dry character. I almost prefer this beer over the Affligem Nöel (previous tasting), but it could just be the strength of the brew that influences my opinion. Both of these beer can be found at more discriminating liquor stores and wine merchants.

HelleKetelbier
Brouwerij de Bie

This is the beer that should have been the October Belgian Beer of the Month (instead of Chimay, which more appropriately fits November) solely because the label depicts a witch standing before a cauldron, but what the heck -- I'm still feeling a little spooky...
This is a beer reviewed by Ryan who was with us at the Hopleaf on October 6, 2001. The color of the beer can be described as an orange-apricot hue. HelleKetelbier came across with a full body and cloudy appearance. This is a very complex, very unique beer that defies classification. As an unfiltered Belgian ale, this beer has a fruity nose (aroma), with possibly a hint of apricot. The taste is of heavy spices and perhaps biscuit malt. Not a great deal of hops. As it warms up, the beer lets loose a very good sugary alcoholic quality. Ryan gives this beer four pints!

Chimay Cinq Cents
Abbaye DeScourmont

Yesterday I had one of my favorite Belgian Trappist Triple-style beers, Chimay Cinq Cents is also the first Tripel I ever had. I can't quite recall the first time I had one -- I guess I've had too many since -- but I picked up a bottle the other day. This was actually I special bottle of Cinq Cents because when I checked the bottling date on the the cork it said September 1995. I was a bit worried what the beer would be like at six years old, but I trusted the monks at Abbaye Scourmont and their powerful yeast strain. I have to say that I was rewarded as this particular bottle of Chimay was one of the most complex I've tasted. My Chimay goblet broke(!) a while ago, so I poured the beer into a Scaldis (Bush) beer glass. It wasn't quite the same, but that was okay, because the beer was still quite interesting. The beer poured into the glass with plenty of carbonation. The color was a muddy and hazy deep amber. I remembered this beer being a bit lighter, but who knows what can happen after six years. The taste of the beer was of apricots and golden raisins with a strong bitterness. A husky malt flavor also was apparent and detracted a bit from the overall taste of the beer. This beer tasted much different than I remember, but stil decent, although it would have been much better with some Chimay cheese! I'm always trying to find "vintage" beers. If the concept is new to you check out this article from All About Beer magazine.

Bornem Triple
Brouwerij Van Steenburge

This is an excellent tripel that is quite strong (9 percent alcohol), but also quite thirst quenching. It is a light golden color and offers a wonderfully flowery aroma. The beer starts sweet with a good dose of sugar and honey-like flavors and ends dry. A fruitiness also lingers. It can be found in 11 oz. capped and 25-oz. corked bottles. According to the Global Beer Network, this beer leaves a "golden shining and soft feeling in the mouth." I think this is a nice way to say that this beer has an alcoholic kick you taste and feel. The GBN also says that "after enjoying one glass, a happy glow is on your face." I would agree with this, but I still think they're trying to cover up the fact that this is a very strong (but very tasty) beer.

Delirium Tremens
Brewery Huyghe in Melle, Belgium

You've got to like a bottle of beer that has pink elephants and crocodiles with sunglasses on the label. What's inside the bottle of this beer, Delirium Tremens, is no less fun. Formerly marketed in USA as Mateen Triple, this beer is very light golden, very carbonated, and packs a punch. It is definitely in the style of strong triple, with sugary sweetness that is gently balanced by just enough hops. A bit an alcohol warmth also is present. Despite the strength of this beer, it is still quite enjoyable and refreshing. Just don't have too many glasses of it if you're out and about, because the police won't be very cooperative when you start talking about the beer you just had with little pink elephants! The label actually created some controversy at first and the packaging was rejected in America. (I guess it is sort of dark humor, seeing that the DT's are what you get after drinking excessively.) Although I shared a bottle of this brew at home for this tasting, I've had the beer on tap at the Hop Leaf bar in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. If you get the chance to have this beer at the Leaf, look for the Delirium Tremens animated sign above the bar. It's pretty cool!

Raftman
Unibroue, Quebec

Okay, so this is not a true Belgian-made beer, but it is considered to be a Belgian-style beer. Raftman is one of a handful of Belgium inspired beer produced by Unibroue in Quebec, Canada. According to the web site Beer Advocate, this brewery was started by André Dion and Serge Racine who "saw the potential in the craft brewing industry and made a move by purchasing outstanding shares of an almost defunked (sic) brewery in 1990." They joined forces with a Belgian brewer a couple of years later and began improving the brewery while producing Belgian-style beer. (See also my review of La Fin du Monde, another Unibroue beer.) The label on this beer says it is " brewed with Whisky Malt." This is indeed evident in the aroma and appears in a subtle way in the taste of the beer. A sort of slightly woody, smoky and biscuit-like malt flavor is dominant in this beer, with very little hops. It is nonetheless a very pleasant beer, albeit a bit fizzy at first. If you find this one, make sure to let it sit awhile to warm up and to disperse some of the bubbles. The subtle character of this beer was not detected when served cold and fizzy out of the fridge. A good beer in the evening or perhaps for breakfast? Why not.

La Trappe Dubbel
Bierbrouwerij ' De Koningshoeven '

This is a beer that to me signifies the beginning of spring, although I'm not entirely sure why. I think it's because the rich maltiness and intense toffee character of La Trappe Dubbel makes this ale a good transition from stronger winter beers to lighter summer beers. However, it's strength is notable, and is good at protecting one from the dampness of early spring. Despite my leaning towards calling this a spring beer, the La Trappe web site describes the Dubbel as "designed to be the stable, year-round beer. The Dubbel is a dark, robin-red Trappist beer with a gentle, aromatic, and above all, refreshing character. It contains 6.5 % alcohol and is available both in bottles as well in kegs of 30 liters and crocks of 75 cl. and 50 cl." So it's a year-round beer, but where can I get my hands on one of those kegs?

Bos Keun
De Dolle Brouwers, Roeselarestraat 12b, 8600 Esen-Diksmuide
tel. 051-512781, Fax 051-510337

This is a beer to celebrate spring! It is made by the De Dolle Brouwers, which translates to "the Mad Brewers" in English. Yikes! Are they really crazy? Well, the beer is a bit unusual, even for Belgium. Meaning "Easter Bunny" this golden-colored ale is quite fruity with a bit of sourness that almost seems sort of musty. It is this damp, dusty character that seems to make me think of early spring. There is quite a bit of yeastiness to this beer, but it is a stange yeastiness. There are some odd sweet and sour flavors that I'm sure are there because of the yeast. There isn't much hop character in this beer, but I can forgive for them that, as the complexity makes up the lack of lupulin. As this beer warms up their is almost sort of mineral flavor to it, as if I were drinking a European wine, sort of sense of terroir or terrain.

Liefman's Kriek
Liefmans's Brewery, West Flanders

If you're looking for a unique treat this Valentine's Day try this wonderful cherry-flavored Belgian Lambic beer. So, what's a Lambic-style beer? Well, it's a beer that is the product of a "wild" or spontaneous fermentation -- that is to say that the beer is fermented using beer yeasts as well as other "wild" yeasts that enter the brew by leaving the fermenting beer exposed to the air. Sound crazy, right? It is by some people's standards, but it makes for a very interesting beer with sour taste. A fruit flavor is often added to these Lambic beers to give them a more lively flavor. The fruit flavor also makes this beer very refreshing. The Liefmans's version is dark red, (almost brown) very well carbonated and has nice body. A light sour pucker with a punch of cherries makes this beer a bit like an alcoholic cherry soda, but with more of a malty beer taste. Thee's also a bit of woodiness that I believe comes from both the oak that the beer is aged in, and the pits of the fruit. A very seductive beer!

Duvel
Moortgat Brewery, Belgium
Breendonk, Belgium

This is a beer that I first had just after returning home from college, where I was just starting to learn about Belgian beer, and that many tasty brews came from the small country. When I first tried this beer was stunned by its strength in comparison to its light golden color and mousse-like head. Nonetheless, I think I finished it rather quickly, and the effecof the alcohol hit rather nicely. I guess you could say the Devil made me do it -- because this beer is named after him. "Duvel" means "Devil" in Flemish. Oh, I should have known better! If you want to try this beer be careful -- it is strong -- but don't let the strength of the brew scare you!! This is an excellent, excellent beer and it is quite tasty. Despite its strength it remain a sort pilsner-like character (it certainly looks like one) and is somewhat dry like a pilsner. The brewery has a website that is also excellent and far better source of information on where to find this beer and what makes it tick.

Scotch Silly
Brasserie de Silly

Beligium is the beer lovers's paradise, and in that paradise the beer lover can find many different kinds of beer, some that are native and some that are borrowed from other beer-producing countries. In this case Scotch Silly is a beer that is in a style native to Scotland. The Belgians have a particular fancy for this beer as an after-dinner drink, and in this case, they brew it with pride! Out of the bottle this beer had a wonderful toffee, sugary and peaty malt aroma. The first taste reveals a smooth carbonation and a pleasant full-bodied (strong) maltiness. The use of the candi sugar is evident, too. A peculier taste of tobacco and smoke comes out as the beer warms up. This beer is very strong at 8 percent alcohol. Serve this beer cool at about 50 F. degrees.

This is a very unique beer in that it has the strength of and looks like it is made in the style of a Belgium Triple, but what is different is the taste of oats. Yes, oats, as in oatmeal cookie. I mention oatmeal cookie because that is what the aroma is like: this beer smells like an oatmeal cookie! It does not necessarily taste like one. Once you get past the aroma, which I actually liked, there is the taste of three different kinds of malts: barley, oats and wheat. The combination of the malts leads to an interesting maltiness that is somewhat grainy, but not overly so. The usual Belgian yeast flavor is the there, too, that sort of bread-like, slight fruitiness. The beer is not terribly hoppy; it can probably be considered to be balanced. It is strong and should be savored. I recommend this beer, but admit that some may find the oatmeal taste a bit strange. For me, I got stuck savoring the aroma, as I just wanted to keep sniffing that wonderful cookie-like aroma! This beer is pretty hard to find, but I found it at Binny's Beverage Depot in Naperville, Illinois.

Abbaye des Rocs
Brasserie De L'Abbaye Des Rocs

Okay, well I guess we kind of forgot about a Belgian Beer of the Month for September. What can I say except that I've been busy? I did get the chance to try an excellent Belgian beer called Abbaye Des Rocs. This is a dark red/brown beer that comes in an equally dark brown corked bottle. I found at Miska's Select Wine & Liquors in Woodridge, Illinois, one of the great spots to find beer in the western suburbs of Chicago. Anyway, I recently drank this beer from one of my favorite Belgian goblets, and it was quite tasty. This beer is fruity as a lot of Belgians can be, with a dark, sort of rum-like flavor to te malt; a sort of sugariness if you will. If you like a sweet, strong brown ale, this is your baby. At 9 percent alcohol it also has a slight warming effect after the first big sip.

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