610686 Wed Apr 08 21:42:21 -0700 2009 13 35 Beer 0 4580309 My husband is a Belgian beer lover. His fav is Orval and in second place is Leffe Blonde. Does anyone have any recommendations for any other Belgian (or Dutch/French/German) beers that are somewhat like these two? They don't have to be imported into the States (although that is a plus for the future) as we are in Germany now. We're able to go and find them here now, but just need to know what to go and find. Thanks for any recs! Wed Apr 08 21:42:21 -0700 2009 103183 shelbyeileen 1 4580512 Those are wildly different beers. Sounds to me like he'd be up for most anything Belgian. The only ones I'd avoid would be the lame, insipid ones like Stella Artois, Palm, and Steenbrugge Dubbel (made by Palm). Those three are to the great tradition of Belgian brewing what Beck's or St. Pauli Girl are to German brewing. Some of my personal favorite Belgian breweries: De Dolle, Cantillon (these are sour), Drei Fonteinen (also sour), Chimay, Westvleteren (hard to come by, but worth a trip to the monastery), De Glazen Toren, Fantome, and Rochefort. Thu Apr 09 01:21:12 -0700 2009 4580309 10809 Josh 1 4580558 Anything from Unibroue Thu Apr 09 02:56:19 -0700 2009 4580309 26180 Chinon00 2 4585716 For the record: they're "Belgian style" brews but they're actually from Canada. Fri Apr 10 16:36:10 -0700 2009 4580558 261382 mrgrotto 1 4580684 Orval is hoppy and a bit sour. On the hoppy side, you could try, for example, Houblon Chouffe. Also Stone Cali Belgique. Gouden Carolus makes one, whose name conveniently escapes me. Thu Apr 09 06:06:59 -0700 2009 4580309 10998 Jim Dorsch 1 4580788 For more hoppy golden/blonde belgian ales that are on the dry side have him try: Chimay Cinq cents (white label), Poperings Hommelbier, Augustijn, De Dolle Arabier, De Ranke XX Bitter, or Duvel. Thu Apr 09 07:06:52 -0700 2009 4580309 12014 LStaff 2 4585720 +1 on De Ranke, de Dolle and Hommel. Fri Apr 10 16:37:48 -0700 2009 4580788 261382 mrgrotto 1 4581546 I second the De Ranke XX recommendation. Definitely a good one. And of course any Chimay is always a gimme. And anything by St. Bernardus. And yes if you are relatively local than by all means get yourself some Westvleteren! Fantastic stuff. And while you are at it send a case over this way... Thu Apr 09 10:32:50 -0700 2009 4580309 238787 Insidious Rex 1 4581654 Duvel Bosteels Tripel Maredsous 10 Struiselensis Thu Apr 09 10:57:56 -0700 2009 4580309 72231 DougOLis 1 4581683 Gulden Draak Thu Apr 09 11:05:13 -0700 2009 4580309 67706 WCchopper 1 4585747 Actually from Belgium: For a quad: St. Bernardus Abt. 12 or Rochefort 10 For a tripel: Tripel Karmeliet For a dubbel: Rochefort 6 For a lambic: Cantillon, Boon or Drie Fonteinen For the funk: De Proef or Struiss For the flemish sour: Duchesse de Bourgogne For the saison: DuPont or Blaugies La Moneuse For the everyday: Pawel Kwak, Poperings Hommel, Beersel Lager, De la Senne Taras Boulba, De Ranke Guldenberg or XX Bitter Damn, I'm thirsty... Fri Apr 10 16:46:18 -0700 2009 4580309 261382 mrgrotto 2 4587990 Hmm, is Rochefort 6 a dubbel? I always thought the 8 was. Also, where the heck is Fantome in your saison list? Sat Apr 11 16:25:06 -0700 2009 4585747 10809 Josh 3 4589822 Oh yeah... Fantome... Kinda slipped my mind... Criminal. It's so infrequently available in the MA market. And you are correct about the Rochefort 8 being the dubbel. My mind was already onto the lambics at that point. Sun Apr 12 15:23:33 -0700 2009 4587990 261382 mrgrotto 1 4590641 right now enjoying an '07 winter holiday style N'ice Chouffe, which was brewed with thyme and curacao peel. Had the '08 on tap in Dec, which was a little snappier, but the complexity comes through a bit more in the aged bottle version. Have to return to that deli this winter. Mon Apr 13 00:24:30 -0700 2009 4580309 11012 moto