Belgian beer
Belgian beer is all about yeast: fruity and spicy notes, a dry finish and often a solid alcohol percentage. Tripel, Blond and Dubbel are the best-known styles. Here you'll find the Belgian beers Hoptimaal has in stock, from classic abbey styles to Quadrupel, IPA and Stout.
- In stock now68 beers
- Breweries38
Breweries from Belgium 38
Het AnkerMechelen · 5 in stock
Omer Vander GhinsteKortrijk · 4 in stock
De Achelse KluisHamont-Achel · 4 in stock
Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-DieuAubel · 4 in stock
Ter DolenHouthalen-Helchteren · 3 in stock
Deca BrouwerijIeper · 3 in stock
Brouwerij De BrabandereHarelbeke · 3 in stock
Brasserie LupulusGouvy · 3 in stock
Brasserie des LégendesAth · 3 in stock
BOMBreweryRoeselare · 3 in stock
Bières de ChimayChimay · 3 in stock
WilderenSint-Truiden · 2 in stock
WestmalleMalle · 2 in stock
St. HubertusCopenhagen · 2 in stock
ScheldebrouwerijHoogstraten · 2 in stock
Norm BrewingLiège · 2 in stock
Kasteel Brouwerij VanhonsebrouckIzegem · 2 in stock
Galea Craft BeersAntwerpen · 2 in stock
Delirium - Huyghe BreweryMelle · 2 in stock
Brouwerij Van SteenbergeEvergem · 2 in stock
Brouwerij St.BernardusPoperinge · 2 in stock
Brasserie d'AchouffeHouffalize · 2 in stock
Brasserie CaulierPéruwelz · 2 in stock
StroomGent · 1 in stock
RochefortRochefort · 1 in stock
De MederieCelles · 1 in stock
De KoninckAntwerpen · 1 in stock
Brouwerij LindemansSint-Pieters-Leeuw · 1 in stock
Brouwerij KompelMaasmechelen · 1 in stock
Brouwerij Haacht BrasserieBoortmeerbeek · 1 in stock
Brouwerij De PoesTielt · 1 in stock
Brouwerij De Halve MaanBrugge · 1 in stock
Brouwerij De Dolle BrouwersDiksmuide · 1 in stock
Brouwerij De Dochter van de KorenaarBaarle-Hertog · 1 in stock
Brasserie DupontLeuze-en-Hainaut · 1 in stock
Brasserie du BocqYvoir · 1 in stock
Brasserie d'OrvalFlorenville · 1 in stock
Allagash Brewing CompanyPortland · 1 in stock
All beers in stock 68
How the Belgian beer scene came about
Belgian brewing starts with the medieval monasteries, where monks were the most important brewers for a long time. After the French Revolution, the plundered monasteries reopened their doors and built new breweries.
In the nineteenth century, beer was mostly an everyday drink and often low in alcohol. Excise duty depended on the size of the mash kettle, not on strength or ingredients, and that shaped how brewers worked. Later in that century, beers from Germany and the United Kingdom reached the market, and pilsner became the norm. That is still the case: pilsner is the most brewed style in the country.
After the First World War, a law from 1919 banned the sale of spirits in cafés, a rule that only disappeared in 1984. Brewers made their beers stronger and the Trappists started selling stronger, more complex beers to the public. That is how Belgian beer got the shape we know today.
What Belgium is known for
With Belgian beer, it's all about yeast. Top-fermenting yeast often gives spicy and fruity notes. The beers are usually well attenuated with little residual sugar, which keeps the hop bitterness low. Brewers also use candi sugar to raise the alcohol percentage without making the beer heavy or sweet, and many beers are bottle conditioned.
Well-known styles are Dubbel, Tripel and Quadrupel, the abbey and Trappist beers. A Dubbel is brown and malty, a Tripel golden and surprisingly dry, a Quadrupel dark, rich and strong. The Dubbel from Westmalle dates from 1922, the Tripel from 1934. Then there is Witbier, brewed with unmalted wheat, orange peel and coriander.
Belgium has all three major fermentation types: ale, lager and spontaneous fermentation. The country has more than 400 breweries, and Belgian beer culture has been on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage since 2016.
Belgian beer at Hoptimaal
At Hoptimaal you'll find Belgian beer from, among others, Het Anker, Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu, De Achelse Kluis, Omer Vander Ghinste, Bières de Chimay and Brouwerij St.Bernardus. The range runs from Tripel, Blond and Dubbel to Quadrupel, Witbier, IPA, Bock and Stout.
Highly rated on Untappd are, among others, Van Steenberge De Garre Tripel and Het Anker Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused. Every brewery has its own page with us, so you can see per brewery what is in stock.
Frequently asked questions
What is typical Belgian beer?
Belgian beer is yeast-driven: fruity and spicy, well attenuated and with little hop bitterness. Candi sugar, bottle conditioning and a solid alcohol percentage come up often.
Which Belgian breweries are well known?
Well-known names are the Trappists Westmalle and Chimay, and De Koninck from Antwerp. At Hoptimaal you'll find, among others, Het Anker, Bières de Chimay and Brouwerij St.Bernardus.
How many Trappist breweries does Belgium have?
Belgium has six Trappist breweries. A Trappist beer must be brewed within the monastery walls and meet strict criteria.
Beer from other countries
- Dutch beer 175
- American beer 71
- Canadian beer 54
- German beer 37
- English beer 37
- Spanish beer 21
- Romanian beer 17
- French beer 16
- Swedish beer 15
- Norwegian beer 14
- Estonian beer 17
- Polish beer 11
- Irish beer 8
- Finnish beer 9
- Hungarian beer 8
- Latvian beer 8
- Croatian beer 8
- Danish beer 8
- Portuguese beer 4
- Welsh beer 5
- Scottish beer 4
- Brazilian beer 4
- Ukrainian beer 2
- Greek beer 3
- Slovenian beer 3
- Czech beer 3
