Three New Belgians

We spent a lovely Friday evening at Moeder Lambic in St Gilles with Seb and others, trying three new Belgian beers. Much enjoyment all around...

The first two were on tap. Valeir Blond, from the Contreras Brewery near Gent, is a bit sweetish but not unpleasantly so. It's more of a mild butterscotch note, but it also has a kind of grilled lemon slice running through it. 6.5% alcohol. Overall: tasty.

Arend Tripel, from the Brasserie de Ryck, a bit west of Brussels, was a step further on the sweetness scale, and it was, like Grimbergen, too thin in body. Too bad.

The third came in a bottle: XX Bitter, from De Ranke. This blonde ale wins points for truth in advertising. It is bitter indeed. A raging hoposaurus. There's citrus in there somewhere and maybe even some fresh ginger. But, mostly, it's bitter. I like it. Fiona loves it.