Belgium Should Forget About Chocolate and Focus on the Beer

Belgium is a beer country. There is no doubt about it. This little nation sandwiched between France, Germany and the Netherlands is one of the world's absolute titans when it comes to producing beer. The Belgians might be more famous for their chocolate but that shouldn't be the case. We should celebrate Belgium's contribution to beer - it's actually surprising how many different kinds of beer they make, and how well they do it.

First let's take a look at the humble lager, and we find that not only does Belgium produce some of the world's most recognisable brands, but that some of the earliest lager recipes originate from Belgium. Stella Artois is hugely popular and for a good reason. The mild flavours blend beautifully with European cuisine, but it has enough depth to be enjoyed on its own. The slightly maltier Jupiler lager is also gaining well-deserved notoriety outside of its home nation.

Belgium also has many of the world's masters in creating perfect blonde beers. Leffe is especially popular for its delicious, slightly sweet flavour and delicate malty undertones. The fruity and fairly strong (8.5%) golden ale Duvel is another beer that has gained popularity purely because of its unique and distinctive flavours. These beers are best served in a round glass, sporting the recognisable 'continental head'.

The mixture of French and Flemish culture in Belgium seems to have created the perfect atmosphere for brewing interesting and different beers. Belgian wheat beer is second-to-none with the delicious fruity overtones of Hoegaarden becoming especially noted for its quality. Wheat beer isn't even close to being as popular as it should be, and if you're going to try some, make sure you start with a Belgian beer - it's a hallmark of quality.

A connoisseur nation in strong beers too, you can find beers with alcohol percentages reaching the teens that are still very palatable. Kasteel Donker is thick and rich, with velvety caramel and chocolate lingering on the palate.

When you hear "Belgium" said aloud, the natural word association might lead you to "chocolate" but that seems a bit of a shame. Belgian chocolate might well be some of the best in the world, but their level of skill in brewing beer is just on another level. There is such a wonderful variety, all brewed to perfection with time-honoured recipes - look for any style of beer and you'll find that Belgium will have a brewery that is on a par with anywhere in the world.

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