Delirium: magic in Belgian beer

When it comes to producing stronger ales—beyond big American IPAs and Barleywines—the Belgians do it with unique mastery. 

It would be accurate to say that Belgium’s small brewers dose their strong ales with magic. Yeast magic. There’s no other way to explain their mastery in extracting luscious flavors from yeast in beers of the 7.0 to 10 percent ABV range. It’s a thing of beauty and mystery.

Case in point was a recent tasting at Summit Beer Station in Huntington WV, where a representative of Brewery Huyghe showed up to present their Delirium beers.

Ryan Finnegan, who is the Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager for the brewery’s U.S. importer, said the brewery’s owning family is soon heading into its fourth generation operating the brewery, although there has actually been a brewery on the property in Melle, Belgium for more than 350 years. That may help explain how the Belgians have learned and mastered so much. They’ve been at it for centuries.

Delirium beers in WV

Finnegan explained the core products available in West Virginia for your enjoyment include: 

Red (a cherry fruited ale, 8.0% ABV), Nocturnum (a strong dark ale, 8.5% ABV), and Tremens (strong Blonde ale, 8.5% ABV). The seasonal feature of the day was Huyghe’s lovely, rich-tasting Christmas beer called Dilirium Noel. Even though 10% ABV, it was smooth as a ribbon. 

In these beers, yeast plays a very noticeable role in the finished product. 

They all massage you like a warm hug from a friend. You won’t find harsh bitterness. You will find lightly fruity, even spicy tones that intertwine with smooth, malty richness to produce a masterful balance of flavor.

You’ll notice varying degrees of light sweetness in these brews, with Red having the most noticeable amount. The brewers have figured how to inject sugar in brewing primarily to raise ABV without making the beer too thick or cloying. By fermenting most of the sugar out to make alcohol, as a result, they contrast the maltiness of the grains perfectly with their bittering hops, so nothing ever seems out of balance.

Belgians make a good change of pace

I’d say Belgian strong ales are the perfect complement to our cool winter nights in West Virginia. If I were you, I’d take a break this winter from a steady diet of the IPAs and explore a bit of Belgium’s gift to humanity.

One thing I always notice about a top quality Belgian strong ale is the very ample carbonation, which creates such a fine and luscious, moussy head. I absolutely love chewing through this foamy topnotch to explore the flavorful beer below. 

Back to the yeast. The Belgians have a way with yeast like no others. Their unique strains of yeast and their yeast management techniques are amazing when it comes to producing and capturing such incredibly attractive flavor nuances. 

I remember many years ago my first big dive into Belgian strong ales at a time when I was primarily still drinking generic American pale lagers. My reaction to the Belgians: “This doesn’t taste like beer.” It was actually so different, yet so delicious. For me, the Belgian brewers opened up a whole new world of tastes and flavors I never knew existed in beer.

Take a break from IPAs

Today in West Virginia, we live in a craft beer world dominated by hoppy beers like IPAs and other basic, neutral-yeast ales. Not that there’s anything particularly wrong with that, but… I’m thinking it may be time for some of us hopheads to take a little break from the pernicious weed to explore some Belgian yeast flavored beverage masterpieces. 

“It’s as much of an art as it is a science,” Finnegan chimes in explaining the brewing techniques.

Drinking a range of Belgian beers will teach you what yeast (and sometimes in combination with bacteria) fermentation is all about. Belgium loves its critters. Where German brewers—and by lineage most American brewers—want their yeasts fairly neutral in flavor, the Belgians take a different path.

From personal experience I know that savoring a few Belgian beers can lead one down a path from which you’ll never return. It’s the path to beer that doesn’t taste like the typical American beer you’re used to drinking. You owe it to yourself to give it a try.

Who knows what pleasures may be in store

Take advantage of guys like Summit’s Jeff McKay. Ask them to recommend a Belgian ale or two for you to try. 

In West Virginia, we are lucky to have a knowledgeable, Belgian-centric retailer like Summit Beer Station in Huntington and a beer distributor like North Central Distributors. Both these businesses love and truly appreciate Belgian beers and brewers.

Beyond Huyghe’s Delirium line in the state, look for beers from other Belgian breweries. Also, explore Belgian-style beers from West Virginia’s craft brewers and compare them against their true Belgian-made brethren. 

Before you know it, you may be partial to Belgian-style. Cheers.