Jackson Free Press

Belgian beers are renowned around the world for their excellent quality, complexity and taste, as well as their rich history and the sheer variety of brands and styles available. While there are two major brewery conglomerates in Belgium, InBev and Alken Maes, there are also 115 independent breweries located throughout the country.

Unfortunately, due to state alcohol regulations that beer cannot contain more than 6 percent alcohol, many of the best Belgian beers are unavailable in Mississippi. However, there are three brands readily available in the Metro Jackson area at locally owned McDade's. Mellow Mushroom and Buffalo Wild Wings offer some of these on tap, and Martin's also offers several in bottles. Please check with each retailer for availability. All are produced by InBev and include: Leffe, Hoegaarden and Stella Artois.

Leffe was first brewed at Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe in 1240. Many monasteries in Europe, particularly in Belgium, brewed beer to help subsidize operating costs, but also because the monks were fond of the fine art of brewmaking. The monastery itself had a tumultuous history, including its devastation by flood in 1460 and abandonment during the French Revolution, in 1794. Luckily, the beer brewing recipes handed down by monks through the generations were saved, and in 1952, production of Leffe resumed via a partnership with Lootvoet brewery.

Leffe Blonde is the most popular variant of Leffe's Abbey ale, pouring a beautiful golden color with a creamy off-white head and nice foam lacing. Before the first sip, one can smell a hint of clove and vanilla. Upon taking the first sip, spiced fruit predominates the palate. It finishes splendidly with nutmeg and honey and retains a creamy body throughout. To fully appreciate the complexity of flavors, squeeze a slice of lemon or orange into the glass before drinking. It goes well with lighter fare such as seafood salad.

Leffe Brune is the darker brethren of Blonde and has a mahogany brown color with a creamy tan head and darker foam lacing. This beer has an aroma that suggests caramel, cocoa, and vanilla, and the taste extends these nuances. I also detected an ephemeral trace of raisins. Although not as refreshing as the Blonde, it is much more smooth in body and mouthfeel. As such, it is ideally paired with heavier foods. Good choices include camembert and fontina cheese and pot roast with new potatoes and wild mushrooms.

The Brouwerij van Hoegaarden was founded in 1966 in the Flanders Province by Pierre Celis, who later moved to Austin, Texas, to start the Celis Brewery. Celis built the brewery to re-establish the Belgian White Beer Witbier brewing style that had flourished in the municipality of Hoegaarden (pronounced Who-Gar-Ten) from 1445 until the last local brewery closed in 1957.

Hoegaarden Original White Ale is truly unique, in that it is infused with coriander and dried Curaçao orange peel. This imparts a light and fruity aroma and taste which is as complex as it is refreshing. Upon pouring, it starts out foamy but dispenses with a cloudy light golden color and white frothy head. The aroma hints of orange along with clove, the taste, citrus with a yeast backbone that is not too overwhelming. As recommended with the Leffe blonde, a slice of lemon or orange completely sets the aromas and flavors of this Witbier on fire. It is tremendously refreshing and goes well with just about any type of food.

The Brouwerij Den Hoorn was originally established in the town of Leuven in 1366. However, in 1717, the name changed to the Brouwerij Artois in honor of the new owner and master brewer, Sebastian Artois, and retained this namesake until 1987. Stella Artois, as the brand has come to be known, was first brewed in 1926 as a Christmas beer and was named for the Latin word "star."

Stella Artois is technically a Euro Pale Lager, the same type as Harp and Heineiken. However, the similarity ends here as this is a robust, complex and nicely flavored lager beer. It pours clear gold with a nice, frothy head and nice lacing throughout the glass. It starts with an aroma of candied walnuts and evolves into an almost oat-like smell. It has a very carbonated body, which accentuates the fruity sweet taste at the beginning and the floral hop presence at the end. Stella goes very well with most shellfish and poultry dishes.

In the chance that Mississippi changes its archaic laws on the ABV of beer, there are a plethora of other Belgians that exceed even those mentioned here. However, these beers are a great primer to the rich world of Belgian beer. For maximum enjoyment, share with a friend and savor the flavors slowly.

Previous Comments

ID

84513

Comment

Eighty-six the 6%!!!!! Great article, Alex.

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-03-29T21:24:12-06:00

ID

84514

Comment

Agreed, excellent beer write up. Lacing was a word used, a lot of people don't even know what it is, and never pay attention to it. These are the same people that pour on the side in order to prevent head. Not a stella fan. I like a lemon instead of an orange in the hoegarden, it gives a nice contrast.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-03-30T14:07:40-06:00

ID

84515

Comment

My wife loves Stella. I, personally, think it's an more flavorful, overpriced BudMillerCoors. But, it's starting to take over America like it has the UK. That 6% limit needs to be gone yesterday. Georgia recently removed their ABV limit, as well as North Carolina. Alabama is trying to get rid of theirs now, as well. I think MS, AL, WV and SC are the only states left with limits this low. If you can go into a liquor store and buy liquid death (100% alcohol Everclear, etc.), you should be able to buy higher gravity beers. Hell, the highest ABV on a beer is like 25% (Sam Adams Utopias), costs like $100 a bottle and supposedly tastes like a brandy... it's not like people are going to be rushing out to buy this stuff.

Author

millhouse

Date

2006-03-30T14:50:55-06:00

ID

84516

Comment

They only made 1000 bottles of it also. Alabama has a group freethehops.com that is trying to push legislation for the revokal of the ABC laws. Crap laws i think.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-03-30T15:46:19-06:00

ID

84517

Comment

REVOKAL...wow thats not even a word. Or has it just been a long day and it just doesn't sound right. Is removal would have been more appropriate. Good job idiot

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-03-30T17:20:39-06:00

ID

84518

Comment

Is removal would have been more appropriate On that note the topic of beer seems like something that needs to materialize. I give up. Stella is like a Pilsner Urquell all those green beers(moosehead,heineken) taste sort of the same. Green bottles, the beer is not green.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-03-30T17:23:18-06:00

ID

84519

Comment

thanks everyone for the comments- sorry i haven't responded earlier- been very busy. cheers, alex

Author

@LEx

Date

2006-04-10T15:36:07-06:00