For me, this is one of Belgium’s lesser-known classic beers. I had it on my first trip to Belgium over 20 years ago, and I still love this beer now.
The Van Eecke Brewery in Watou is located near to the French-Belgian border in West Flanders, very near to both the St Bernardus Brewery and the Westvleteren St Sixtus Trappist Monastery.
‘Hommel’ in the local dialect means ‘Hop’, and this beer is a tribute to the area once famous as a major producer of hops. Of course, it features two hops grown locally in Poperinge – Brewers Gold and Hallertau.
This beer was arguably Belgium’s first IPA and has become the official beer of the tri-annual Poperinge Beer and Hop Festival.
Hommelbier is a golden bronze ale. The nose has typical Belgian yeast characters, combined with summer fruits and hints of spice.
The taste follows the aroma, initially sweet then citrus and floral hop flavours giving way to spice and peppery prickles. Orange peel, honey and cumin are common descriptors of the flavour, though none of these are actually added. The finish is dry without being overly bitter.
A second version of this beer, with a dominant display from the Morpheus yeast supported by Cascade and Chinook hops
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Hop bitterness, with dry spicing and just a hint of wild earthy funk
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The 2015 special edition Duvel Tripel Hop features the Equinox hop
The 2016 version of Duvel's Tripel Hop, featuring an experimental hop from the Yakima Valley
This is now the permanent feature in the Duvel range, with the Citra version being voted the favourite of all the Duvel Tripel Hop varieties
The 'other' Duvel Tripel Hop in the range shows of Cashmere hops
The favourite of the Duvel Tripel Hop series is the Citra hop version
Five old-world hops are used in this fresh grassy Belgian IPA
The original Belgian IPA, from one of the three breweries in the 'Brewers Town' of Watou.
A seasonal batch of Hopus brewed in Spring, which is dry-hopped with Citra
by Brasserie d'Achouffe (Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat)
Best described as an extremely hoppy Belgian tripel style
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Another riff of the Troubadour Magma, this one is a more sessionable, last of the summer sun type of beer
The 2016 variation of Troubadour's flagship beer Magma features Maris Otter premium malt
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The 2019 variant of Troubadour's Magma is a beer that has been made more sessional, with the addition of El Dorado and Nelson Sauvin hops
A perfectly balanced Belgian IPA, deceptively drinkable for the 9.5% ABV.
Not really fitting in to a style category - inviting sweet malt backbone with a good dose of hop bitterness.
Ella hops from Australia provide a tropical fruit character to this crisp and refreshing Belgian IPA
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The second incarnation of this beer, featuring Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo and Centennial hops
by
An Anglo-Belgian style IPA, with a big malt body and balanced hop character
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Good malt body, gentle hop bitterness and classic Belgiam yeast aromas make this a great introduction to Belgian beer.
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The original Belgian IPA, from one of the three breweries in the 'Brewers Town' of Watou.
A typical Belgian winter beer with hints of cherries and spices
A traditional Witbier, from the 'Brewer's Town' of Watou; crisp, light and refreshing.
