Beer Styles

What's the difference between a Tripel and a Blond? Both are golden, but the Tripel is stronger, drier, and spicier. A Belgian Blond Ale, per style guidelines, has 6 to 7.5% ABV, while a Tripel runs 7.5 to 9.5%. Leffe Blonde is generally classified as a Blond, while La Chouffe is often grouped with Tripels, though the brewery itself describes it as a strong Blond.

The dark counterpart is called Belgian Dark Strong Ale, ranging from 8 to 12% ABV. This category includes Rochefort 8 and 10, which, per the producer, come in at 9.2% and 11.3% ABV respectively. Incidentally, the numbers 6, 8, and 10 in the names aren't percentages—they refer to the original gravity of the wort before fermentation. Wort is the sugary liquid that becomes beer through fermentation.

The term "Quadrupel" comes up often. It isn't a protected style but originated as a brand name, and when properly classified, such a beer falls under Dark Strong Ale. Likewise, "Trappist" isn't a style either. A Trappist beer can be blond, brown, or golden—what matters is solely where and how it's brewed.

Alongside these styles, Blanche de Namur from Brasserie du Bocq represents the Belgian wheat beer, or Witbier. It's pale, slightly cloudy, and brewed with spices—a completely different beer from the strong ales that made Namur and the Ardennes famous. This style thrives on freshness rather than aging, and it ranks among the lightest beers drunk in Belgium.