Belgian

Named by the label itself: the container calls the beer an abbey ale. Some also carry the Erkend Belgisch Abdijbier mark of the Union of Belgian Brewers; others use the word alone. Ours run from Leffe Blonde at 6.6% to Brother Thelonious at 9.4% ABV.

French farmhouse keeping-beer.

Belgian-style blonde: light body, fruity yeast and a subtle spice, straw to light amber at 6.3–7.9% ABV and 15–40 IBU. The Pale Ale family keeps its own Blonde Ale for the American kind. Made for mussels, light pasta and chicken.

Belgian brown ale around 7% ABV. Westmalle Dubbel is the benchmark. Dark candi sugar gives raisin, fig, and caramel notes. Yeast-driven, malt-forward, less sweet than it sounds. The monastery staple beer.

Straw to gold, light malt and subtle hops at 4.1–5.1% ABV and 15–25 IBU. The style guide files golden and blonde as one North American ale. Easy company for salads, light fare and mild cheeses.

A brewer's name for Belgian ale at strong-ale strength. The nearest guide styles, Belgian strong blonde and strong dark, run 7.1–11.2% ABV: complex, fruity yeast on the pale side; dark fruit, spice and warmth on the dark.

The strongest Trappist category. 10-12% ABV, deep mahogany, massive malt character with dark fruits, alcohol warmth, and complexity that rewards slow drinking. Westvleteren 12 and Rochefort 10 are the grail.

Farmhouse ale from Wallonia, originally brewed for field workers. Dry, highly attenuated, spicy-peppery from Saison yeast, sometimes with grains like spelt. Dupont is the modern standard. Versatile enough for any meal.

Two sides of Belgian strong ale. Golden like Duvel—pale, deceptively strong, dangerously drinkable. Dark like Gulden Draak—mahogany, rich with dark fruits, warming. Both hit 8-10% ABV while feeling lighter than that.

Named by the container: the label calls the beer Trappist. The Authentic Trappist Product seal of the International Trappist Association is a separate mark, and a label can carry one without the other. Ours: Chimay Première at 7% and Grande Réserve at 9% ABV.

A tripel whose label calls it Trappist. Tripels run 7.1–10.1% ABV, pale to light amber: complex, spicy and fruity, and stronger than they drink. Pair with seafood, Thai food or strong cheeses.

Golden Belgian strong ale at ~9% ABV. Westmalle Tripel set the template in 1956. Pale malt, Belgian candi sugar, spicy yeast esters, surprisingly dry finish for the alcohol level. Deceptive—goes down like a 6%.