Beer Style Guide: Get to Know Belgian Pale Ale
The Belgian pale ale is another unique style for Belgium in that it doesn’t really fit in with other Belgian beers. Belgian pale ales use a different yeast strain and lack similar flavors of other beer styles of the region.
Amber, malt forward beers have been around Belgium for centuries, but the modern Belgian pale ale traces its roots back to the early 20th century. Apparently, the style was created in 1904 as part of a beer competition established to make a Belgian beer that could compete with the popular English bitters. It’s fun to see that most of the 20th century evolution of beer is usually changing something that is already popular and in doing so, creating a wholly unique style (some other Belgian styles we have yet to discuss are created in this similar vein).
The Belgian pale ale is brewed with a variety of pale and caramel malts as it’s usually very deep gold to amber in color and usually no more than 5.5% ABV. It is also one of the few beers in Belgium that doesn’t utilize sugar in its recipe. The beer is usually hopped with English or Continental varieties like other Belgian beers as Belgians love to use Slovenian hop varieties like Styrian Golding. The yeast strain for Belgian pale ales is unique in that the phenols, the clove/pepper note that is so well known in Belgian beers, can be low to even nonexistent.
Tasting Notes
The flavors of Belgian pale ale are fruity with notes of red apple, fig and pear along with a toastiness and toffee flavor that is lovely. The hoppiness can be low to medium with a floral character. There can be a low spiciness from the yeast strain but that is optional.
Pairing
Mac and cheese
Like almost all Belgian beers, Belgian pale ale is a wonderful food beer. Since the Belgian pale ale has lower spice and pleasant fruitiness, this style works with salty foods like macaroni and cheese, BBQ chicken, cheese croquettes, or a turkey meatloaf.
Beers to Try
De Koninck Bolleke
De Koninck Bolleke
The brewery that defined the style. The popular Antwerp, Belgium based brewery serves its amber beer in its signature glass and is ubiquitous throughout the streets of Antwerp.
Palm Special
Brewed in North Central Belgium in the town of Londerzeel, Palm is light amber colored beer that is excellent on draft if you can find it. Its presence in America has diminished slightly but it used to be the most easily accessible Belgian pale ale you could get in the States.
Orval
Orval is kind of its own beer style but if you had to put it in a category, it would be most akin to a Belgian pale ale. The fresh draft version, called “Petite Orval,” is very similar to an English IPA. Orval is bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces wild yeast and thus is highly carbonated. Its flavor changes over time from pineapple in six month old bottles to leather in bottles that are 2-3 years old.