What I am Drinking Now: Beer From Belgium

Posted on September 2nd, 2010 11:06am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Bars, beer

Drink this now.

I’m still on the learning curve when it comes to the wide world of beer but nobody can accuse me of not doing my homework. For the moment(s) I have forsaken wine and given my palate over to beer, particularly those from Belgium. When I am out, I will try anything, but when I am at home I tend to have Duvel in my fridge. I also love the wheaty and yeasty Blanche du Bruxelles with a slice of orange, but I haven’t found it available retail.

Anywhoo, for those of you old enough (in SideDish years) to remember, I visited the Duvel Moortgat Brewery outside of Brussels and shot How to Pour the Perfect Beer.

And you? Have you caught craft beer fever?

15 comments

  1. The glass is a little scary.

    @ 11:21 am on September 2, 2010

  2. Blanche can be found at the Whole Foods on Greenville. But really Nancy, an orange slice? This isn’t Shocktop. A lemon slice for a true Belgian wit please.

    @ 11:25 am on September 2, 2010

  3. Meridian Room serves Blanc de Brussels, as well as Duvel and a real treat, Brugse Zot. These are wonderful summertime beers. Tony the bartender will not steer you wrong on Beers.

    I do like to favor the local guys, Franconia Dunkel or Rahr Kolsch

    @ 11:27 am on September 2, 2010

  4. A thousand times yes to Franconia. I’ve yet to be disappointed with any of their brews. Great tour every Saturday morning up in McKinney too.

    Nancy, have you given a try to any of the Oktoberfest seasonals that have begun to creep into bars/stores?

    @ 11:31 am on September 2, 2010

  5. I’ve seen Blanche du Bruxelles at Sam’s Beer and Wine in Carrollton and Kegs and Barrels in Plano shows it available not only in bottles, but in a half keg as well.

    @ 11:44 am on September 2, 2010

  6. Hillstone is now carrying Estrella Damm Inedit and Breckenridge 471 IPA! I like how they are getting some more interesting beers in for the people who aren’t drinking all the wine!

    @ 11:50 am on September 2, 2010

  7. Thanks to all about retail locations. MMC, getting ready to start the fall seasonals. And ditto on Franconia. Also, FYI MMC I rotate lemon with orange. I am so sick of looking at lemon slices in water.

    @ 12:15 pm on September 2, 2010

  8. Margie, the glass created for the beer is 50 percent of the fun.

    @ 12:16 pm on September 2, 2010

  9. Fair enough Nancy. I didn’t mean to be too snobbish in re: your orange slice. I’m glad you’ve fallen for real wit like Blanche rather than Coors Moon or MichelobTop.

    @ 12:20 pm on September 2, 2010

  10. Big fan of Ommegang and Allagash. I like some sour Flander’s ales too like New Belgium’s La Folie or Duchesse De Bourgogne. Obviously most of these are American breweries but they are good ones available in Texas and they execute the Belgian styles well.

    @ 1:42 pm on September 2, 2010

  11. Blanche du Bruxelles can also be found at Central Market.

    @ 2:16 pm on September 2, 2010

  12. I’m not so big on Franconia but there are definitely some promising beers coming out of the hill country these days. Live Oak does a good Hefe and Pils, excellent brews for the summertime heat. 512 makes a great IPA and porter. People seem to be loving Real Ale’s Fireman’s 4, though it’s a bit lacking for my tastes. Skol!

    @ 4:17 pm on September 2, 2010

  13. Beware the woman with Duvel in her fridge. She may seem like an Angel but ….

    @ 11:00 pm on September 2, 2010

  14. The Fillmore has an excellent assortment of Belgian beers on tap. The Maredsous 8 is the stuff dreams are made of. For those still using beer training wheels, I think they have Stella Artois on tap. (You might as well drink BudMillerCoors.)

    -Mike

    @ 9:01 am on September 6, 2010

  15. There’s a microbrewery in McKinney? Wow, I have been gone awhile. Good to hear of it though.

    @ 3:41 pm on September 8, 2010