After a second straight evening of moules frites, this time in Ghent (and washed down with a trio of Trappist ales), I picked up a 33cL of Ypra, a 6% “Belgian hoppy blond”. The beer comes from Bellegem, where it is brewed under the name of Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste.

Ypra has a strong scent of floral perfume, with a hint of Belgian yeast. The flavour is a bit more balanced, with the floral nose manifesting as a flowery hop presence that blends modestly well with a bit of spice and some potent yeast.

Ypra wasn’t my favourite beer during my journey to Belgium—far too floral. However, the strength was nice, the branding appealed to me, and the spice elements were well executed.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Malheur 12 Belgian Dark Ale

Following a feed of moules frites in Brussels, I ordered a 330mL bottle of Malheur 12 Belgian Dark Ale (to aid with digestion or some such thing). The 12% ale poured with a fluffy off-white head and displayed a handsome burnt umber colour. Born in Buggenhout, Belgium, Malheur 12 is produced by Brewery de Landtsheer.

To my nose, the beer was malt-driven, sweet, and extremely warm, with notes of date and caramel. An extremely boozy flavour was cushioned around rich notes of dried fruit and tobacco.

A delightfully satisfying after dinner sipper, Malheur 12 was a large and bold Belgian ale with loads of depth. As it warmed, I found the flavours to expand even further, leaving me much pleased. As with many beers on the mischievous side of 10%, Malheur 12 was a bit sweeter than I’d have liked, but it sure warmed me up.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Artevelde Gentse Leute

On our first afternoon in Ghent, the Bitter Wife and I popped into Stadsbrouwerij Artevelde to rest our feet and wet our whistles. The place was stylish, with comfortable seating and Dire Straits on the stereo, so we felt instantly at ease.

I selected a Belgian blonde called Artevelde Gentse Leute. The beer, served on tap at the brewery, is a 6.2% top fermented ale. It’s a lovely orange-gold pop with a healthy crown of bright white foam.

The Gentse Leute has yeasty, fruit-forward aromatics, with notes of sweet apple and fig. The flavour has characteristic Belgian yeast, with some spice and sweetness knotted together. Very little bitterness in this one, but it had a mellow (the Bitter Wife called it “fluffy”) texture.

A decent first touch at Artevelde, Gentse Leute was a decent little ale that left me satisfied and intrigued.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Delta IPA

 When I came to Belgium, I wasn’t expecting to drink a whole lot of IPAs, and certainly not many good ones, but one of the first beers that I tucked into was a Delta IPA from the Brussels Beer Project—though it certainly put a healthy Belgian spin on it. Called a “saison IPA”, the 6% brew is made with saison yeast and a quintet of Cascade, Challenger, Citra, Mosaic, and Smaragd hops. Sold in 33cL bottles, the beer pours a dull gold colour with a fluffy white head.

Delta has a bold aroma with notes of grapefruit, lemon, and a healthy dose of wild yeast. The flavour walks a similar path, intersecting farmyard funk and dry texture with classic IPA elements—a good marriage of yeast, citrus and tropical fruits, and bitterness.

Brussels Beer Project strikes me as an incredibly cool operation. They brew innovative and sometimes unusual beers each year and allow their community to vote between four prototypes—the annual winner is added to BBP’s all star roster and becomes a permanent member of their stable. Delta was apparently the first winner back in 2013 and it clearly struck a chord because it can be found all over Brussels. I’m no stranger to hybrid “Belgian-style IPAs”, but I found Delta to have its own unique charm—rooted in its saison pedigree.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.