Pirates, dragons and monks

All going well I should be in Belgium at the moment. Like all seasoned travellers I did some acclimatisation before setting out, with the help of this six-pack of strong beers I found in Lidl.

Piraat I've had before, but since my review was posted in January 2006 and is, let's say, brief, I thought a fuller reappraisal was in order. Idly I assumed it was one of those generic Duvel clones but it's a fair bit stronger at 10.5% ABV, and darker with that; properly amber. There's lots of lovely fruit in the aroma: fruit-cake fruit like sultanas, glacé cherries and lemon peel, with an edge of marker pen as well. For all that it's quite a smooth creature to drink, the light and spritzy citrus being the most dominant feature. There's a soft peach and apricot side too. The warmth arrives late and isn't overdone, just a mild richness bringing to mind chocolate or almond paste. It's a superb example of very strong beer presented in an approachable way. You'll know you've had a drink but won't suffer any difficulties getting there.

While I say they're not out to rip off Duvel, that there's now a Triple Hop Piraat is rather on the nose. In contrast to Duvel's approach, however, there are four varieties in here and the label doesn't deign to tell us which ones. Points off for that. The appearance is the same as above and the fruit in the aroma is a little fresher, but not in any identifiable way. On smell alone it's not an improvement, and I don't get a huge amount of difference on tasting either. The weight and warmth elbows any extra hop character out of the foretaste -- you're left with just the standard Belgian yeast-derived stonefruit esters. Only at the very end, more the aftertaste than the finish, is there a bonus squeeze of citrus, suggesting that some American variety or other might have been involved. Overall, it's not impressive. It's fine, but it talks a hop game on which it simply cannot deliver.

Gulden Draak is another one that I covered here in the dim and distant, and I think I've had it a few times since. The brewery styles it as a "ruby red tripel", and I can't think of any other Belgian beer so designated (though of course there's an Irish one). We're still at 10.5% for the ABV. The aroma is every bit of that: a powerful waft of nail varnish remover and fermenting brown apples. A subtle experience is not on the cards. The flavour is thankfully less severe. It's surprisingly clean and not hot, with the first effects to land being milk chocolate and a honey side which earns the beer its place in the tripel category. The honey lasts long, and is a little sticky, but a mild bitterness comes with it for balance; a complementary wax tang. On the fade-out there's a more dubbel or quadrupel-like touch of raisin and date, while the aftertaste is surprisingly small. I took a little time to adjust to this, but it turned out to be quite the gentle giant by the time I was half way down. Not one to drink casually, though neither is it a chore.

The newcomer under this brand is Gulden Draak 9000. It's branded as a quadrupel and I thought they had taken a cheeky liberty with this pseudo-Belgian style because it says on the back of the label it's blonde. It's not, though, being instead dark enough to qualify, if a little pale compared to others: a dusky russet shade. There's no shifting us from that 10.5% ABV. The aroma is quite subtle: a gentle mix of dark fruit and spices of the sort you'd find in ordinary dubbel. Again, though, the proper quadrupel qualities follow later: cola nut, plum pudding and some creamy coffee. Everything is in order, then. The booze is well hidden, and if there's anything I can criticise this for, it's a lack of complexity. It's much less interesting than GD Classic. Being shipped next to it in a boxed set really throws that into relief.

We finally get a break from the double-digit alcohol with Bornem, a brand that's entirely new to me. Bornem Dubbel is 7.2% ABV and a deep rich brown colour. The dark fruit in the aroma is properly dubbel though there's a touch of stout-like roast as well, which is unusual but not unwelcome. That goes into hiding for the flavour, however: that's a down-the-line mix of fig, raisin and date, with a happy pinch of nutmeg and white pepper. No bum notes here, and no fancy tricks either: just the basics of a very decent dubbel. For me the texture is the standout feature, a beautiful smoothness that blends all the flavours together harmoniously. Top tier stuff here. Can they top it with a tripel?

Bornem Tripel also looks de rigueur: 9% ABV and an appropriate cloudy golden hue. The aroma is less orthodox, however: it smells like a pilsner, with a crisp green grassiness and no typically Belgian complexities. We're back to normality on tasting and the first thing that strikes is a very full, almost syrupy texture. I was surprised to see rice on the ingredients list but don't know if that has anything to do with the thickness. It's not unpleasant and entirely in keeping for an ale this strength. The flavour presents honey first, turning briefly floral before an abruptly bitter finish. I wouldn't expect a lot of hop character from a tripel but this one has a somewhat leafy, vegetal edge that I associate with traditional English varieties in particular. I looked around this for some fun spicing but there's none of that. So it's a tripel, then, but quite a plain one, missing out on the understated flair of the dubbel.

It was €16 for the six-pack, and I think I got good value from that. It makes regular appearances in Lidl so is worth keeping an eye peeled for, if you like your Belgian beer. I have a post-script to go along with it, too. Last month I wrote about the new-release beers from Trappists Westmalle and Rochefort, noting that Chimay had a new one as well. That finally washed ashore here so I got to give it a go before heading away.

Chimay 150 tells us little about itself on the front label, just that it's strong and blonde. On the back that's fleshed out with the information it's 10% ABV and contains "spices". There's certainly something a bit different going on in the aroma. Sniffing blind, I would probably say American hops were involved: there's a fresh zesty citrus thing going on, out of place for a Trappist, but smelling very pleasant. On tasting I get bergamot's slightly herbal quality, bringing an air of bath-bomb, and then sweeter, juicier peach and apricot. It finishes cleanly, with zero alcohol burn, and nothing I would describe as a spice. Overall, a decent and interesting beer, and very much a sideways twist on the more traditional golden Trappist offerings. Chimay's quality shines through regardless.

OK, close the doors and spin up the jet engines. Belgium: I'm ready for you.