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Most Popular Beers in Belgium

Belgium is world-renowned for its diverse and complex beer culture. Based on a combination of strong brand recognition, sales figures (including significant […]

October 13, 2025
Beer, News
4 min read

Belgium is world-renowned for its diverse and complex beer culture. Based on a combination of strong brand recognition, sales figures (including significant global exports), and high customer ratings, a few iconic beers consistently stand out.

Here is a look at some of the most popular and highly-regarded Belgian beers, focusing on their unique characteristics, history, ingredients, and taste profiles:

 

1. Duvel

 

Characteristic Details
Style Belgian Strong Golden Ale
ABV 8.5%
Uniqueness An icon of the Strong Golden Ale style. It combines the lightness and effervescence of a pilsner with the strength and complexity of an ale.
History First brewed in 1923 by Duvel Moortgat, it was originally named “Victory Ale” to commemorate the end of WWI. Locals, however, referred to it as “den duvel” (the devil) due to its surprising strength, and the name stuck.
Ingredients/Brewing Brewed with Pilsner malt and two varieties of hops (Saaz and Styrian Goldings). It is known for its slow, two-month maturation process and secondary fermentation in the bottle, which creates its iconic, dramatic, dense white head and high carbonation.
Taste & Reviews Taste: Crisp, dry, and highly carbonated. It features a fruity, slightly spicy aroma from the unique yeast strain, balanced by a subtle bitterness and a light citrusy, hoppy finish.
Reviews: Often praised for its deceptive drinkability despite its high ABV and its perfect balance of bitterness and malt.

 

2. Trappist Beers (e.g., Chimay, Westmalle, Rochefort, Orval)

 

Trappist beers are a unique category, all brewed by Trappist monks under strict rules. They dominate the high-end market due to their heritage and quality.

 

Chimay Blue (Grande Réserve)

 

  • Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale / Quadrupel (often referred to as a Trappist Ale).
  • ABV: 9.0%
  • Uniqueness: Originally a Christmas beer, it’s known for its ability to age for years, evolving in complexity.
  • History: Brewed since 1954 at the Scourmont Abbey. It’s the “darkest and most complex” of the Chimay range.
  • Taste & Reviews:
    • Taste: Very rich and malty with flavors of dark fruit (plum, fig, raisin), caramel, and a warming alcohol presence. It has a slight hint of light floral hops and a velvety mouthfeel.
    • Reviews: Highly rated as a world-class example of the style, especially loved for its depth of flavor and smooth finish.

 

Westmalle Tripel

 

  • Style: Tripel
  • ABV: 9.5%
  • Uniqueness: This beer is considered the original Tripel, setting the benchmark for the style worldwide when it was first brewed in 1934.
  • History: Brewed at the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle.
  • Taste & Reviews:
    • Taste: Golden in color, with a complex, fruity aroma (pear, citrus), a creamy mouthfeel, and a long, dry, and slightly bitter finish. The spicy notes come from the Trappist yeast.
    • Reviews: An extremely popular and highly-rated beer, celebrated for its perfect balance, elegant structure, and dry finish.

 

Orval Trappist Ale

 

  • Style: Belgian Pale Ale (unique character due to yeast)
  • ABV: 6.2%
  • Uniqueness: It is brewed with a distinct, complex process and is one of the few beers to use Brettanomyces (“Brett”) yeast for secondary fermentation, which adds a unique, dry, and funky character that develops over time.
  • History: Brewed at the Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval since the 1930s.
  • Taste & Reviews:
    • Taste: Notes of citrus peel, floral hops, and a distinct “funky,” “barnyard,” or earthy note from the Brett yeast. It is very dry and has a slightly acidic or tart finish. The flavor changes dramatically as it ages.
    • Reviews: Praised by connoisseurs for its complexity, dryness, and unique yeasty funk—it is an acquired taste, but one of the most distinctive Belgian beers.

 

3. Tripel Karmeliet

 

  • Style: Tripel / Abbey Beer
  • ABV: 8.4%
  • Uniqueness: Brewed with three different grains—barley, wheat, and oats—which gives it a unique smoothness and creamy head.
  • History: The recipe is claimed to be a 17th-century one found in a Carmelite convent in Dendermonde, and it is perfected by Brouwerij Bosteels.
  • Ingredients/Brewing: Uses barley, wheat, and oats, leading to its name (“Tripel” for its strength and “Karmeliet” for the Carmelite order).
  • Taste & Reviews:
    • Taste: Rich malty flavor with fruity (banana, vanilla) and light herbal/spicy notes. The oats contribute to a beautiful, creamy head and mouthfeel.
    • Reviews: Extremely popular for its smoothness and complex, well-integrated flavors. It is a more accessible and often a favorite Tripel for many.

 

4. Hoegaarden (Witbier)

 

  • Style: Witbier (Belgian White Beer)
  • ABV: 4.9%
  • Uniqueness: The modern benchmark for the Witbier style, it’s a refreshing wheat beer spiced with coriander and orange peel.
  • History: The original Witbier was first brewed in the village of Hoegaarden in 1445. The style nearly died out, but it was resurrected in the 1960s by Pierre Celis, a milkman from the village.
  • Ingredients/Brewing: Brewed with unmalted wheat, barley malt, and spiced with coriander and dried Curaçao orange peel. It is unfiltered, giving it a characteristic cloudy appearance.
  • Taste & Reviews:
    • Taste: Light, zesty, and refreshing with distinct flavors of citrus and spice (coriander). It has a low bitterness and a crisp, slightly tart finish.
    • Reviews: Widely recognized and popular globally as the ultimate summer or thirst-quenching beer.

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