"Belgian" news and stories

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Turning beer-fueled trips through Belgium and Amsterdam into the inspiration behind owning a bar may sound like a lot of guys' dreams. But for Aaron Porter and Chuck Stilphen, the dream came true in December of 2007 when they opened the Trappist in Oakland, Calif., attempting to bring that Belgian feel and Belgian brews to the Bay Area.

"We went to Belgium and Amsterdam for beer festivals," says co-owner Chuck Stilphen, recalling those trips he took with Porter. Upon their return, they would lament that there was "no good place to drink beer around here where we lived."

The Trappist combats that problem. The idea was "modeled around beers we like," so it's no surprise that their primary focus is on Belgian beers. But realizing that California is no small player in the world of making great beer either, they also stock plenty of brews from their home state as well.

Origins aside, one thing is always consistent: "Small brewers stuff," Stilphen says. "No InBev or even giant Belgian brewers."

See the Trappist's draft selection as of Tuesday after the jump. ...

The Chimay Brewery has been in operation since 1862 -- a mere 146 years by European standards -- but here in the States we tend to see things in shorter perspective, so we'll gladly celebrate the 25th anniversary of Chimay Trappist Ales finally being offered on this side of the Atlantic.

You might be able to argue that Chimay isn't your favorite Trappist beer, but you'd be hard pressed to convince me that it isn't the most ubiquitous. Whether served on draft (preferably in the customary goblet) or in its traditional 750ml corked bottle, Chimay's red, blue and white labels are an easily identifiable addition of class to any bar or beer shelf.

To mark the occasion, Chimay is offering up commemorative glassware and sampler packs to American customers. But if you want to indulge with other revelers, they are also sponsoring a number of events all across the country. I thought I had missed many of the dates until I realized those tricky Belgians preferring putting the day before the month -- but then again Chimay's spent the past 25 years making a name for themselves by not giving into American conventions.

[via DRAFT Magazine] [Photo Credit: chimay.com]

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Well, it's official. I've been hearing rumors about this for a week or so, but now I know it's real. Belgian beer giant InBev has made an offer to buy American beer giant Anheuser-Busch.

InBev is offering $65 per share in their unsolicited bid. RealBeer.com reports that the Anheuser-Busch board of directors is carefully weighing all the options.

It's no secret that I'm a beer snob. While I would drink Budweiser if it were the only beverage being served, it's not my first, second, third, or fourth choice. However, it is an American institution. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, being taken over by a Belgian company could do wonders for the quality of the beer. On the other hand, Anheuser-Busch has played historically significant roles in American beer culture. Then again, InBev may decide to take a hands-off approach and simply own the company from a distance. How do you feel about InBev's offer to buy Anheuser-Busch?

I'm sure that plenty of you beer lovers out there have tried chocolate stouts from brewers like Young's (right) or Rogue. But have you ever paired good chocolate with other beers? According to columnist Lisa Morrison, it's an old idea that's still going strong. Since chocolate can tend to overpower wine in many pairings, beer is a more logical option, say some of Morrison's sources in a recent article. Porters and stouts are obvious choices due to the overlap in flavors with chocolate. Morrison also says that the fruity notes of many weizens and Belgian-style ales make a good foil for chocolate. She has plenty of other pairing suggestions as well.

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