Beer Styles

Flanders Red Ale, known in Dutch as 'Vlaams roodbruin bier,' is the region's signature style and has held PGI status since October 1, 2026. Reddish-brown, with acidity, fruit, and low bitterness—that's how the BJCP describes it. Rodenbach is the best-known brewery for this style.

It's easy to confuse it with Oud Bruin. Both are Flemish, both are mixed-fermented. Oud Bruin belongs to East Flanders and usually tastes sweeter and maltier, while Flanders Red is more tart and wine-like.

The second signature beer is the Belgian Blond Ale, represented in Bruges by Brugse Zot Blond. It's golden, top-fermented, and noticeably stronger than a Helles. Spicy yeast notes, a touch of sweetness, and a warming alcohol presence define it.

'Zot' means 'fool' in Dutch, and 'Brugse Zot' literally translates to 'Bruges Fool'—a nickname for the city that the brewery turned into a beer name. The beer is brewed by De Halve Maan, which also produces the stronger Straffe Hendrik.

The contrast between these two styles captures West Flanders: on one hand, the beer that spends a year or more in wood; on the other, the beer that relies on clear yeast character and fresh sweetness without any wood at all.

Both styles are anchored in the style guidelines. The BJCP sets an original gravity of about 11.9 to 14 degrees Plato for Flanders Red, and considerably more for the Blond. This explains why the golden beer, despite its pale color, packs more punch than the red one. So color offers little guidance when shopping: red here means acidity, gold means strength.