Tasting

An Oud Bruin smells of raisins, dried plum, and a touch of wood, with sweetness meeting mild acidity on the palate. Don't drink it ice-cold—serve it cool, like a wine from the cellar, so the aromas can open up. One example is Goudenband from Liefmans; another is the same brewery's Oud Bruin.

A wide chalice or tulip glass works well, since it collects the aromas. When pouring, tilt the glass slightly, let the beer run down the side, then straighten it out toward the end. With bottle-conditioned beers, the yeast settles at the bottom of the bottle, so a small amount is usually left behind.

Delirium Tremens appears golden yellow with a firm white head, smells of ripe fruit and spice, and finishes dry. It's strong, so sip it slowly in small amounts.

Kwak has the region's most unusual glass. Legend has it that innkeeper Pauwel Kwak served beer to coachmen at the inn De Hoorn, on the road between Ghent and Mechelen. Because of a Napoleonic-era ban, coachmen weren't allowed to drink with their passengers, so Kwak designed a round-bottomed glass that fit into a wooden holder mounted on the coach. That's the story, though it's unverified. Today the glass sits in its wooden stand on the table.

With Gruut, it's worth comparing side by side at the pub: Wit, Blond, and Bruin together show just how much herbs can transform flavor. Instead of hoppy bitterness, you get a spicy, herbaceous note.