Beer styles

BELGIUM IS THE BEERPARADISE

Brewing beer in Belgium is a noble tradition.

There is no doubt that Belgium is the country of beer. With its widely varying landscape Belgium offers a unique range of beers having the most contrasting tastes and flavours. Nowhere else in the world you can find a larger choice of regional, authentic and colourful beers.

Only in Belgium beer is brewed according to four different fermentation processes :
  -  bottom fermentation (Pilsner beers or lager) : a world-wide used method;
  -  top fermentation (Belgian special beers, white beers, abbaye and Trappist beers, strong blond, regional beers – some of them are
      already imitated in other countries);
  -  spontaneous fermentation (gueuze, lambic and other fruit beers);
  -  combined fermentation (brown-acid beers South Flemish beers).

Beer has always been deeply rooted in our culture and tradition and is more than just a drink. One has thirst-quenching beers and special beers, with a second fermentation in the bottle or not, light and strong beers, blond, amber-coloured, reddish and brown beers, fruity, bitter and acid beers; in other words beers for everyone and for all occasions.

Belgian brewers are pleased to state that more and more beerlovers abroad discover and appreciate the diversity of the Belgian beers.

The art of serving a good glass of beer is part of the Belgian beer culture : each beer has its proper glass and is served according to the rules of the art. The brewer sees to it that the beer is filled in its appropriate bottle and provides the consumer on the back label with all the necessary information regarding to the conservation and the pouring out of the beer in question.

It is in a Belgian pub that you can notice the importance of the Belgian beers for its community : drinking a glass of beer is healthy, it improves social contacts and stands for human friendliness.

IN SHORT

	Beer types brewed in Belgium	Fermentation methods
International
	Pils Premium Pils Light L.A. & N.A.	Bottom fermentation Bottom fermentation Bottom fermentation Bottom / Top fermentation
	English style	Top fermentation
Belgian specialities
	Amber	Top fermentation
	White	Top fermentation
	Abbey	Top fermentation
	Trappist	Top fermentation
	Gueuze-Lambic	Spontaneous fermentation
	Fruit	Spontaneous and/or  top fermentation
	Strong blond	Top fermentation
	Regional	Top fermentation
	Red-Brown (acid)	Mixte fermentation
	Table	Bottom / Top fermentation