Belgian beer comprises the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world. Belgian beer-brewing's origins go back to the Middle-Ages, when monasteries began producing beers. Naturally, Belgians claim that theirs are the best beers in the world. This view is supported by beer experts such as Michael Jackson. Although beer production in Belgium is now dominated by Inbev (the world's largest brewer by volume), there remain 115 breweries in the country, producing about 500 standard beers. When special one-off beer styles are included, the total number of types of Belgian beer exceeds 1000. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Michael Jackson (a. ... InBev (NYSE: ABV) is the largest brewery company in the world by volume, , followed by Anheuser-Busch and Heineken. ...

These days, Belgian beers are sold in brown (or sometimes dark green) tinted glass bottles (to avoid negative effects of light on the beverage) and sealed with a cork, a metal crown cap, or sometimes both. Some beers are refermented (subjected to a final fermentation phase) in the bottle. These are often labeled "bottle-conditioned." Although many major brands of beer are available at most supermarkets, beverage centers located throughout the country generally offer a far wider selection, albeit at somewhat higher prices.

Fortunately, Belgium contains literally hundreds of cafés spread throughout the country that offer a wide selection of beers usually served with care. To fully appreciate the wide variety of tastes in Belgian beers, each beer should be served at its "ideal" temperature (which is usually in the range of cellar temperature: 8-15C or 46-59F) and in an appropriate glass. The vast majority of Belgian beers are sold only in bottles -- tap beers tend mostly to be pilsners and the occasional one-off. For the more adventurous, vintage beers are becoming somewhat easier to find. Beers that are bottle-conditioned and then aged often experience a taste evolution that, when successful, vastly improves the flavor of the beer.

Although there are hundreds of beer cafés throughout Belgium, among the most famous are "Beer Circus," "L'atelier," "Moeder Lambic," and "Delirium Café" in Brussels; "de Kulminator" in Antwerp, and "Het waterhuis aan de bierkant", "Hopduvel" and "Trappistenhuis" in Ghent. This page is about the Belgian city. ...

Virtually each beer has its own glass. Beyond the basic shape of the glass (wide-mouth goblet, curvacious tulip glass, tall pilsener, etc), each glass is imprinted with a logo or name. The different basic shapes are designed to enhance the flavor and aroma of the particular beer.

Different bottle sizes exist : 250 mL, 330 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL and multiples of 750. The 375 mL size is usually for lambics. Other beers are generally bottled in 250 or 330 format (depending on brands). The bigger bottles (750 mL) are sold almost in every food shop but the choice is often not wide. Larger size bottles are named following the terminology used for champagne but are quite rare. In Belgian cafés, when someone orders a demi (English: "half"), he receives a 500 mL glass (with beer from the tap, or from 2 bottles of 250 mL) whereas in France, demi means a 250 mL glass. Champagne is often drunk as part of a celebration Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the secondary fermentation of wine. ...

Kinds of beers

• Pilsner-style lager, or Pils: although Belgium is best known internationally for its unique top-fermented beers, it is the common bottom-fermented pilsner lager which heads the lists of both domestic consumption and exports. The most well-known brand internationally is Stella Artois, while Jupiler is the most popular in Belgium, along with Maes pils.
• White beers: a particular kind of wheat beer which often contains spices, such as coriander and orange peel. Some classical examples are La Binchoise Blond, Hoegaarden, Brugs and Steendonck.
• Abbey beers: these are top-fermented ales which are associated in some way with an abbey. A few of these beers are still produced in abbey breweries to centuries-old recipes, while most are merely licensed by an abbey. The most internationally well-known brand of Abbey beer is Interbrew's Leffe. Others include Grimbergen, Tripel Karmeliet, Maredsous, Watou, Saint-Feuillien, Floreffe and Val-Dieu.
• Dubbel beers: brown beverages brewed with double fermentation (Enghien, Grimbergen).
• Tripel beers: blond or sometimes brown, it uses the process of triple fermentation, which makes them strong in alcohol and taste (Sint-Iedesbald, Brugse Tripel).
• Blond beers: like Duvel, Delirium Tremens, Blond Ciney and Brigand.
• Brown beers: try Kwak, Brown Ciney or Forbidden Fruit.
• Trappist beers: now unique to Belgium, this category consists of top-fermented ales brewed in one of only six Trappist monasteries. For a beer to qualify for this category, the entire production process must be carried out by, or supervised by, Trappist monks on the site of the monastery. Perhaps the best known brand of Trappist beer is Chimay.
• Lambic Beers (including Gueuze and Fruit Lambics): unique to Belgium and distinguished by their tart taste, Lambics are neither top-fermented nor bottom-fermented, being prepared through spontaneous fermentation by wild yeasts endemic to the vicinity of Brussels. There are various types of Lambics. In its most natural form, Lambic is a draught beer which is rarely bottled, and thus only available in its area of production and one or two cafes in Brussels. Major brands include Mort Subite, Belle Vue, Cantillon and Saint-Louis. Gueuze, also known informally as Brussels Champagne, is a sparkling beer produced by combining a young Lambic with more mature vintages. Fruit beers are made by adding fruit or fruit concentrate to Lambic beer. The most common type is Kriek (made with cherries). Other fruits used are raspberry, peach and blackcurrant.
• 'Belgian Red': typified by Rodenbach, the epynomous brand that started this type over a century ago, this beer's distinguishing features from a technical viewpoint are a specially roasted malt, fermentation by a mixture of several 'ordinary' high-fermenting yeasts and a lactobacillus culture (the same type of bacteria yoghurt is made with) and maturation in oak. The result is a mildly strong 'drinking' beer with a deep reddish-brown color and a distinctly acidic yet fruity and mouthy taste.
• Amber beers. Modifications of British-style ales (hence high-fermenting) that were developed in the first half of the twentieth century to accomodate the discerning Belgian taste. The undisputed market leader Palm has an extremely mouthy, almost gluey taste. The De Coninck brand with its distinctive spherical glasses ('bollekes') is wildly popular in its native city Antwerp, being one of the many sources of pride to her notoriously chauvinistic locals.