Beer Styles

Pils is a pale lager style known for its clear golden colour, crisp character and refreshing finish. It is generally lighter in strength than many of Belgium’s better-known ales, with lively carbonation and a noticeable but usually restrained hop bitterness. Originating from the Pilsner tradition of Central Europe, Pils became firmly established in Belgium and today includes some of the country’s most familiar and widely consumed beers, such as Jupiler. Belgian examples range from large national brands to Pils brewed by smaller independent breweries, but the emphasis remains on a clean, accessible and refreshing beer.

Belgian Blond is a pale to golden ale combining an approachable strength with the fruity and lightly spicy character often associated with Belgian fermentation. Typically fuller and stronger than a Pils but less powerful than a Belgian Strong Blond, it usually retains a relatively light, refreshing character. The style is used by both abbey-associated and independent breweries and has become a familiar part of modern Belgian brewing. Leffe Blond is a widely recognised example. Boundaries are not rigid, and breweries may use terms such as Blond or Blonde for beers that vary considerably in strength and character.

Belgian Strong Blond is a golden ale whose pale colour and lively carbonation can disguise considerable strength. These beers are typically dry and highly effervescent, with fruity or spicy fermentation character adding complexity without making them feel heavy. The style developed as a distinctly Belgian approach to strong pale ale and is now produced by breweries across the country. Duvel is the classic example and helped establish the style internationally. Modern versions vary considerably, but the combination of pale colour, significant strength and an unexpectedly light character remains central.

Dubbel is typically a deep amber to dark brown ale, stronger and richer than many everyday Belgian beers but generally less powerful than a Tripel or Quadrupel. Malt character is prominent, often giving the beer dark-fruit, caramel or lightly toasted qualities, balanced by the lively carbonation characteristic of many Belgian ales. The modern style is closely associated with Trappist and abbey brewing, although it is now produced much more widely. Westmalle Dubbel is a particularly important example: Westmalle’s nineteenth-century dark beer helped establish the tradition from which the modern Dubbel developed.

Tripel is typically a golden, strong and highly carbonated ale, considerably more powerful than its pale colour might suggest. Despite its strength, it is generally lighter in colour and body than a Dubbel, with Belgian fermentation often contributing fruity and spicy character. The style is strongly associated with Trappist and abbey brewing but is now produced widely across Belgium and beyond. Tripel Karmeliet is a well-known example. The term does not describe a beer produced by triple fermentation or with three times the ingredients; it is a traditional style name rather than a literal brewing formula.

Quadrupel is typically a deep amber to dark brown ale and among the strongest of the traditional abbey-associated beer styles. Its substantial strength is usually accompanied by a rich malt character, often with dark-fruit, caramel and warming qualities, while Belgian fermentation can add further complexity. Although closely associated with Trappist and abbey brewing, the term itself is relatively modern and is now used more widely for very strong dark Belgian-style ales. Westvleteren 12, brewed at the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus, is an internationally recognised and celebrated Belgian example.

Witbier is a Belgian wheat beer traditionally brewed with a substantial proportion of unmalted wheat, giving it a pale, naturally cloudy appearance and soft texture. It is generally light in strength and highly carbonated, with coriander and orange peel commonly used alongside the grain to add subtle citrus and spicy character. The style has deep roots in Belgian brewing but had almost disappeared before being revived during the twentieth century. Hoegaarden is the best-known example and played a central role in that revival. Modern Witbiers are now brewed widely, but their pale colour, wheat haze and refreshing character remain defining features.

Saison originated in the French-speaking countryside of southern Belgium, particularly Hainaut, where it is associated with beers historically brewed on farms for seasonal consumption. Modern examples vary considerably, but Saisons are generally pale to amber, highly carbonated and relatively dry, often with fruity, spicy or peppery character from fermentation. Strength ranges more widely than the style’s rustic origins might suggest. Saison Dupont is a particularly well-known Belgian example. Today the style is brewed far beyond its Walloon roots, but its dry character and farmhouse associations remain central to its identity.

Lambic is produced through spontaneous fermentation, using wild yeasts and microorganisms from the surrounding environment rather than adding a conventional brewer’s yeast. Traditionally associated with Brussels and the nearby Pajottenland and Senne valley, it is brewed from malted barley and unmalted wheat before being matured, often for an extended period. The resulting beer can be dry, tart and complex, with relatively little carbonation when served as unblended Lambic. Lambic also provides the foundation for related styles including Gueuze, Kriek and other fruit Lambics. Cantillon, based in Brussels, is one of the best-known traditional Lambic producers.

Gueuze is made by blending young and mature Lambics, traditionally of different ages, before bottling them for a second fermentation. This creates the lively carbonation that distinguishes Gueuze from still, unblended Lambic while retaining the dry, tart and complex character of spontaneous fermentation. The style belongs to the Lambic tradition of Brussels, the Pajottenland and the Senne valley, and considerable skill lies in selecting and blending the component beers. Boon Oude Geuze is a well-known Belgian example. The term Oude Geuze is protected in the European Union and identifies beer made according to the traditional method.

Kriek is traditionally made by adding cherries to Lambic, allowing the fruit to ferment with the beer and contributing colour, aroma and flavour. Traditional examples can be dry and tart, retaining much of the complex character of their Lambic base, although modern Krieks vary considerably and some are noticeably sweeter and more fruit-forward. The style belongs to the wider Lambic tradition of Brussels and the Pajottenland but has become one of Belgium’s most recognisable fruit beers. Lindemans Kriek is a widely known Belgian example. Kriek is the Dutch word for a type of sour cherry traditionally associated with the style.

Fruit Lambic extends the Lambic tradition by introducing fruit during fermentation or blending, creating beers whose character can vary considerably according to the fruit and method used. Cherries produce Kriek, which PBBG treats separately because of its particular historical importance, while raspberries, peaches and other fruits are also widely used. Traditional versions may remain dry and tart, while many modern examples are sweeter and place greater emphasis on fresh fruit character. Lindemans Pêcheresse, made with peach, is a familiar Belgian example. The category therefore covers a broad family of beers rather than a single tightly defined style.

Fruit Beer is a broad category covering beers in which fruit makes a defining contribution to the finished drink. Brewers may use whole fruit, juice, purée, concentrate or other fruit ingredients, producing beers that range from light and refreshing to rich, sweet and surprisingly strong. Belgium has a particularly long and varied tradition of brewing with fruit, but not every Belgian fruit beer is a lambic. Fruit Lambic and traditional Kriek have their own distinct brewing traditions and are treated separately in this Museum; this category provides a home for the many other Belgian beers in which fruit is central to the beer's character.

Flanders Red Ale is a speciality of West Flanders, distinguished by its reddish-brown colour and character developed through extended maturation, traditionally including time in large wooden vessels. Mature beer may be blended with younger beer to balance acidity and freshness, producing a complex but highly drinkable result. The style is generally tart and fruity rather than strongly bitter, and its distinctive acidity can make it seem quite unlike more familiar Belgian ales. Rodenbach is the brewery most closely associated with the style and has played a major role in preserving its tradition.

Oud Bruin is a traditional dark ale particularly associated with East Flanders. Typically amber-brown to deep brown in colour, it combines a malty base with fruity character and varying degrees of acidity developed during maturation. Compared with Flanders Red Ale, Oud Bruin is generally darker, maltier and less sharply acidic, although the boundaries between the styles are not precise. Liefmans Goudenband is a well-known Belgian example. The name means old brown, reflecting the style’s colour and its tradition of maturation rather than describing one rigid brewing method.

Scotch Ale occupies an unusual place in Belgian brewing, reflecting the historic popularity of strong Scottish-style ales in Belgium and the versions subsequently developed by Belgian brewers. Typically dark amber to brown, these beers emphasise rich malt character and are generally stronger and fuller than everyday ales, with relatively restrained bitterness. Belgian interpretations developed their own identity and remain part of the country’s brewing tradition even as the style has become less common. Gordon Scotch is a long-established and familiar Belgian example of the style.

Spéciale Belge is an amber, top-fermented beer style that developed in Belgium around the beginning of the twentieth century, partly in response to the growing popularity of pale lager. Typically moderate in strength, it combines a lightly malty character with restrained hop bitterness and an accessible, balanced character. Once produced by numerous Belgian breweries, the style is less prominent today but remains part of the country's brewing tradition. De Koninck Bolleke, closely associated with Antwerp, is a particularly well-known surviving example.

India Pale Ale originated in the British brewing tradition and later became central to the modern international craft beer movement. Its defining feature is the prominent use of hops, bringing noticeable bitterness and often pronounced citrus, floral, resinous or tropical aromas. Belgian brewers have increasingly adopted the style, sometimes combining its hop-led character with the fruity and spicy qualities of Belgian fermentation. Brussels Beer Project’s Delta IPA is a familiar Belgian example. IPA is now an exceptionally broad category, encompassing many interpretations rather than one narrowly defined beer style.

Stout is a dark ale whose colour and characteristic roasted flavour come from heavily roasted malt or grain. The style originated in the British and Irish brewing traditions and covers a particularly broad range, from dry and relatively light beers to much stronger and richer interpretations. Coffee, cocoa and toasted flavours are commonly associated with Stout, although their intensity varies considerably. Belgian brewers have adopted and adapted the style alongside their native beer traditions. Hercule Stout, brewed in Wallonia, is a distinctive Belgian example.

Gruit refers historically to mixtures of herbs and spices used to flavour beer before hops became dominant in European brewing. The ingredients varied by place and period, so it describes a brewing tradition rather than one particular flavour or beer style. Modern Belgian brewers have occasionally revived the idea, producing beers in which herbs and spices replace or supplement hops. Gentse Stadsbrouwerij Gruut in Ghent is a particularly notable modern example, producing several beers without hops and using its own herb mixtures instead. The spellings gruit and gruut are both encountered, with Gruut also forming part of the Ghent brewery’s name.

Alcohol-free beer is defined primarily by its low alcohol content rather than by a particular colour, flavour or brewing tradition. Brewers may limit the production of alcohol during fermentation or remove it afterwards, while aiming to retain the character of the original beer. Once dominated by pale lager alternatives, the category now includes Belgian blond ales, wheat beers, IPAs and other styles. Sportzot, from Brugse Zot brewer De Halve Maan, is a well-known Belgian example. Alcohol-free brewing has developed rapidly, making this an increasingly diverse category rather than a single beer style in the traditional sense.