Based on some further research and some very helpful comments, I've found Achel's yeast is also the Westmalle Strain (Wyeast 3787, WLP530, IMperial Triple DOuble) and Orval's strain is WLP510 Bastogne Ale
I’m Belgian and a beer culture aficionado and I learned things in your video - excellently researched and presented, thank you. I had no idea Orval is classified as a tripel (which is bonkers, but still). Interesting on draft vs. bottle conditioned - I’ve always preferred draft when you can find it, and it probably is because it’s less carbonated.
In my opinion one of if not your best video’s. I appreciate history and WW11 history. When you think about what you (we) do in your apartment experiencing the history and origins of brewing beer that is hundreds and even thousands of years old. These small rural farm towns in Europe with their brewing history allows us to brew beer in our homes today. Fascinating! Well done video. Thank you.
I was in The Army stationed in Germany with Belgium on a Nuclear Missile Site. They always took me to places in Belgium and monasteries that were like remote to the main ones. Quite interesting in how they made their beer to in actual breweries. My beer I always make...and I was required to drink there was Duvel...great times. This was back in 1978 till 1988 while I was in US ARMY...then had to go back stateside
My trip through Belgium is what really got me hooked on beers Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel !!! Absolute life changer !!! Edit: Saw the Brugse Zot at the end, delicious. I had a few too many if those too!
In the end of September-October 2019 I spent two weeks bicycling to Trappist breweries with a friend, and we made it to six: Westmalle, Chimay, Orval, La Trappe, Achel, and Westvleteren. Such a fantastic time! The crowds were small, the cycling was fantastic, and the people were wonderful. We stayed at Chimay and were the only ones in the hotel. I'd love to go back again!
Wow, what a great experience that must have been!! Also that is a great way to burn off the calories from all the beer haha! Shoulder season is a great time to visit Europe.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Such a great place and the beers stay in your memory forever. So fresh and tasty. Tripel Karmeliet is probably my favorite. I was very German focused with my brew admiration until I went on that trip. A lifetime of brewing to try and match at the homebrew level! Enjoying your channel.
It really is a very special place. The beers are incredible and served like water, just a very interesting culture as well. I need to get myself to Germany to experience that beer culture sometime as well. Glad you are enjoying the channel!
Well done on a fantastic video. I'm a huge fan of Belgian beer especially the Trappist types and your overview of the country of Belgium makes me want to visit it for it's culture and of course it's beer.
As a beer and history lover living in the Netherlands I would love to go there one day, to visit Waterloo for example and I’d love to visit a belgian brewery.
Nice work. I spent a year studying abroad back in 1997 and fell in love with these beers as a 19 year old at the time. I really hope there’s a resurgence of popularity here in America once the haze craze starts to wane (which I think it is).
They really are something else entirely, I was very happy to have had the opportunity, if only I had more time to stay! I agree with you. I think there is a genuine appreciation for Americanized Belgian beer that is growing.
Awesome video and trip! I was really lucky to live along the France/Belgium border from 2016-2019. It was heaven. This video takes me straight back. Awesome.
Not sure why it took me so long to see this video, but I am SO glad I finally did! I very much appreciated your great commentary, and the video clips that you included were excellent. Definitely one of my favorites from you. I adore Belgium (especially Bruges) and I enjoyed watching this very nostalgic - for me - video. I am patiently waiting to open that bottle of Belgian Strong you so generously gifted to me! Cheers 🍻
Westmalle tripel was probably my favorite of the tripels I had there! Any of the Westvleteren is well worth it, although my favorites are the blonde and the 12
Nice video! I have lived in Belgium for a year and I was excited about the trappist/abbey style when I first got there. Then I fell in love with Lambics and Gueuzes and became a regular visitor at the amazing Cantillon brewery in Brussels, every time I visit the friends I made there. Only a couple years after I left flemish reds and oude bruin styles started to seriously grow on me! ...and I used to think Belgium was a boring place!🤣 I strongly recommend Cantillon brewery to anybody interested in beer coming to Europe: you can have a tour of the small brewery and taste the different steps of aging, if you are there in the right time of the year. It is made with early 20th century equipment and the brewmaster is a real rockstar of the beer world (yeah, you probably know this already...) Well, looking foward to see the video on your next trip to Belgium, and if you are in need tips about places to drink in Brux, just let me know!
While I anxiously look forward to the grain to glass videos I’m in agreement with those that think this is the best yet. I’m a big fan of Abbey/Trappist beers. Being able to see and learn more about them just adds to my interest. You’re giving Rick Steves a run for the money with this one!
the not being able to get beer because its from a monastery and only at certain times reminds me of this one episode of 3 sheets where Zane was in Belgium and the bartender had this bottle he couldn't show on camera because it was so secret to the area.
This was great - thoroughly enjoyed the video. I used to live in Düsseldorf Germany and I often spent my weekends touring around Belgium. Although the Westvleteren beers are very hyped, I believe they entirely live up to their legend. I think the blonde is possibly my favorite beer of all time. Next time you go it is worth it to visit one of the famous bars, such as, Kulminator in Antwerp. They have multiple years of most of the Abbey beers, and others of course, so you can do multi-year vertical tastings if you like.
I really would have loved to go to a place like that. Unfortunately never set foot in Antwerp or Brussels besides the airport, so hopefully next time I can check that sort of thing out. Totally agree on the Westy beers, they are 100% worth the hype!
After homebrewing for just over a year, I had a Flanders red (duchesse de Bourgogne) for the first time and I made it a goal of mine to go on a trip like this in Belgium. I'm happy you were able to do this. Thanks for sharing.
What a pleasent surprise to get this wonderfull documentary from Belgium. I love belgian beer, and have a tripel in the keg waiting to mature. My belgian friend gave me some bottles of Westvleteren 12 for Christmas that he bought at the abbey. Luckily Belgium never had the purity-laws, and could develop exiting beers. I agree, the 12 is great! Should we try a clone? Best from Norway
Excellent!! I'm glad you liked it so much, this was one of my favorite videos to produce in a while and the trip was incredible. I'll be brewing up a Westy 12 inspired Belgian Dark Strong Ale soon!
Nice to see the love for my home country :) Good beer is taken somewhat for granted in Belgium so it took me moving to Canada to fully appreciate the beer culture, both Belgian and North American. Leuven (Louvain) would be my recommendation, a beautiful town with a vibrant university scene. Great video!
I really enjoyed my time there. I suppose the same might be true for me, I take the new england beer culture for granted. It was hard to find a good IPA out there
@@TheApartmentBrewer You can find some (very) good IPAs in Belgium, you just have to search in the right places, especially in smaller breweries. It is both a cultural and an economic thing, younger brewers want to make something different from the tradition and at the same time it is easier to get a foothold in the market. Belgium is really a lovely place and is worth a visit, not only for beer lovers.
Great video, well done! I am glad you got to make the journey. I was fortunate to have worked for a Belgian company for over 10 years and got to make the trip to main office a couple of times a year. Not too far from the sign at the beginning of the town of Roselare. I worked in Meulebeke. The Belgian beer culture is phenomenal and the people are great. As you said every home brewer should try to get there once in their life. Skal!
A great and very inspiring video. I always like to brew a few Belgian beers every year and your video inspired me to refine my techniques and simplify my recipes. Thanks for great content as always!
Hi from the UK! What an amazing trip! Most people I know don't understand why I obsess about Belgian beer so much. I didn't see them in your montage but I hope you got to try Delerium Tremens (one of my absolute faves) and Kwak served in its distinctive bulb shaped glass? Also I saw a bottle of Tynt Meadow in one of the pictures. You're aware that it's actually an English Trappist beer brewed in Leicestershire?
I actually somehow managed not to have any delirium or Kwak while I was there unfortunately. I've had it a few times here in the US though, outstanding beer!
Next time you go to Belgium, you should definitely try the drie fonteinen (3 fonteinen) brewery, they make absolutely delicious gueuze, lambic and kriek. Those beers are among the best ones in Belgium (in that style) and are not that easy to get ! (Special mention for the special Schaerbeek cherry kriek, which is made with the Brussels' cherry cultivar that is only available in people's garden and stuff in Schaerbeek - extra limited beer). Glad you liked Belgium !
Lovely video, as a Belgian I really enjoyed it. Just a minor side note, since COVID, Westvleteren can now be bought online as well. It is still limited and only available when announced on their calendar (you need to remember to check that once in a while). Just wish we had a more prosperous homebrewing and craft brewing scene here, because I am starving for decent IPA's.
My trip to Europe to play 13 different concerts in 15 gays was a blur, but I got to see the hops fields coming up in spring in Germany and see Vienna, Llubjana, Maribor, zillion tiny German towns, and taste awesome beer. I learned to homebrew after tasting real Kolsch, served to us as we came off the stage in our formal tails still holding our instruments in Cologne..what an experience..! Travel when you’re young and energetic ppl, life catches up with you later and it can become quite difficult, so, get out there and experience this big world..there’s lots to see and do..!
@@TheApartmentBrewer yeah! After aboutb4 days, you’d say to a friend “meet in my room later, it’s…” then you’d have to get your key out because you couldn’t remember what your room number was..I think we only had one day off in the middle..me and my section mates got picked up in Germany by the man who manufactured our instruments..he took us to lunch and to his shop where we bought new stuff and saw how our horns were made.
Easily one of the best places to visit in Europe. I hope you had an opportunity to take a brewery tour at De Halve Maan while in Brugge. Next time you go to Belgium, go to Ghent. It is a more lively town than Brugge, but maintains the same historical charm. Loved your beer montage. It had me going through old photos and planning a new trip..:)
@@TheApartmentBrewer If and when you do visit Ghent don't forget to check out the Ghent city brewery that produces several styles of Gruut beer (= beer made without hops)
Love Achouffe, my favorite brewery in the world! Went there a few years ago while visiting Germany. So glad u got to have one. Been making clones of that for a couple years!
Really excellent! The time you spend on background, history, and the technical info is much appreciated when so much of RU-vid is becoming garbage click bate. I was literally looking at the head quality on one of my beers I hadn't had in a while when you mentioned step mashing. So I checked my notes and realize it was the one time I did a step mash! I think I have under appreciated what step mashing can do... Thanks as always for the insights!
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! I really try not to be too click-baity with this channel, it does get very annoying when people do that. Cheers!
Such an interesting story. Thanks for making this video, I found a lot of great and new stuff on this one, especially that they are not serving draft beer in most of the places.
Dude, been to Belgium for 2 weeks myself (mostly in Brugges). Amazing country, amazing beer. Stayed at St. Bernardus but based on your review I'll have to stay at Chimay in the future for sure. The beer there is just unreal. BTW the 2019 Chimay BA beer is literally my #1 all time beer I've ever had, period. I've had also the 2017 and 2018 Chimay BA beers but neither were half as good.
Wow, it looks like you had an incredible trip! Thanks for sharing. Your video came out excellent! It was like an episode of a PBS series. It's so packed with info that I will need to watch it again. Now I want to go back to the Omme Gang Brewery and sample some more beer! Cheers!
Wow, thank you so much!! I put a lot of time and effort into this one. Ommegamg and Boulevard make the most authentic Belgian ales I've had while in the US and they are always worth it!
Great vídeo Man. I'm from Brasil and I read the book How to brew like a monk and a o got intrested about trappists beers. A made the quadruppel recipe from that book and that was amazing beer. I'm waiting some New tips from you. Kkkkk.
You are going to have an amazing time! I highly recommend going to either of the Trappist monasteries I visited, but I guarantee you any place you visit will be fantastic. Be sure to check out the other comments to see other people's recommendations as well!
@@TheApartmentBrewer dude I got the most killer itinerary planned out. We’re staying at Het Anker, St Bernardus, and Chimay. Visiting at least 26 breweries, hitting the best beer bars and restaurants. Visiting many historic places as well. Going to be the trip of a lifetime.
Fun fact: even international craft beer is cheaper in Belgium, by a lot. They have special stores on the BE/NL border that only sell beer, gasoline and tobacco. De Caigny in Essen is one of the biggest, definitely worth a visit if you are around.
Yeah, you pay 7 dollars for a Chimay Blue in the US and we pay a crazy amount of Euro's for a Goose Island BCBS or a Fremont for example... Import prizes are crazy...
Thanks, I'm a west Flanders Flemish. love west-Vleteren. But I live now in Wallonie and I also love Roche Fort 10. TRAPPIST WESTVLETEREN is the best. BUT very difficult to get ! Even for me as a Belgian.
Awesome video. This video must have been a lot of editing. Belgian has a lot to offer besides the beer. Thanks for all of the tips about abbey styles and combining it with history and food. Very well done.🍺
It took a long time to put together, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! I had a phenomenal experience there, and not just with the beer, it was all fantastic!
Hope you had a great time here come visit us again 😁. I can recommend visting brewery het anker in Mechelen. They produce one of the best dark strong ales I ever tasted. It’s called Gouden Carolus Imperial Dark.
Thank you! It took a while to put together, but its one of my favorite videos I've made in a while. I am going to get going on a Westy 12 inspired Belgian Dark Strong Ale, but that probably won't be out for a while. But a blonde similar to Westy 6 is a priority for a quicker video!
Wlp510 Bastogne is supposed to be Orval's base yeast. I brewed with it and Orval dregs trying to emulate the 🐐 before giving up and buying a couple cases. Great video hoping to get to Belgium for a beercation before I die.
I was not aware of that, thanks for the info! It's well worth traveling to Belgium, plus the younger Orval is a little bit different than the more aged stuff we get here in the US!
tripel d'anvers (tripel of antwerp) in Bruges? that's risky ;p the second biggest rivalry (or maybe even the biggest) is between dutch speakers of the two sides of the scheldt river :'D
Probably my favorite episode to date. Kinda reminded me of The Booze Traveler show but a bit more reserved and serious (in a good way).I've little experience with Trappist beers, but what I've had I thoroughly enjoyed. Do you think you'll do a Belgian series like you did pilsners? That would be interesting to see how your versions would compare to what you sampled.
Omg!! That is in my bucket list; to travel to Belgium's Trappist Breweries especially Chimay and Rochefort. If you ever homebrew a Dubbel, use Belgian D2 Candi Syrup👍🏼 Comes in a 2lb blue plastic bag--Perfect! All other Candi's pale in comparison.
It can still fit into your kviek series. You could dry yeast kviek a tripel and condition it in the keg with the dry Belgian yeast you mentioned. Maybe get just as much character from the conditioning?? Who knows
Interesting idea! Although I think I want to stick with a single strain for the tripel for now. That will probably be one of the last one I make since I really want to be sure I get it right. I love tripels
I really enjoyed the video. I am looking forward to your Belgian beer content. It sounds like you should get plenty of opportunities to revisit, just to visit the in-laws of course! The thing that brewing Belgians has taught me is just how important the fermentation process is for these beers. There is no schedule that fits all yeast and you can get quite different beers at 65F vs 75F vs 85F. BTW, how did your Brett Saison age?
Very true!! These beers are absolutely made in the fermentation! The Saison aged very nicely for the first several months when I aged it at room temperature, but I really should have kept it in bottles stored warmer. It was on tap for a few months and hence was stored pretty cold, and I noticed a shift to the more phenolic brett character as it aged cold. Got a bit rubbery at the end unfortunately.
Check out Paul Hollywood’s video where he goes to Belgium, it’s a wonderful look into the breads, pastries, chocolates and even diamonds sold there..if I can remember the video series, I’ll reply..
@@TheApartmentBrewer it will give you some great ideas about recipes. Pseudo related, check out Brian Lagerstrom’s channel, his ciabatta recipe (second batch of two loaves about to come out of my oven) and his Bolognese recipe (oven roasting of ground meats on a tray in oven, and whole sauce in the pot in the oven, I’ll never do long simmered stuff on the stove again, I’ll roast for way better flavor!) are life changing..I’ve tried to get ciabatta to turn out for years, I’m an experienced baker, but his recipe finally did it..it was seeing how the wet dough finally comes together on high speed in a mixer that did it!
Thats a great idea, but I'm not totally confident that they use the same strain for bottle conditioning. I'm also pretty sure the commercially available strains sourced from those breweries should give similar results, as long as they are fermented properly, but we'll see. I'll keep the idea on the table!
My good god damn, thoroughly enjoyed watching this! Just out of curiosity, though, who was that nerdy dork with the glasses that showed up in the video from time to time? He looks old and lame.
