(I did a search of the forum and came up empty - note to "repetitive thread police!") So a question for those with great knowledge of the Belgian beer scene. I am freshly back from a trip to Belgium and the beer sign I saw most often in Brussels was Maes. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/436/2145 It was pretty obvious that this was the Budweiser of Belgium and yet I had never heard of it. Frankly, I didn't try it as I spend my precious moments there sampling beers I've heard of and wanted to try. Today I finally took a moment to look this beer up and was shocked that it received an average score of 69 - Poor. Simple question. Is it really that bad? I am very familiar with the skewing of ratings/scores on BA and wonder if this is simply another case of this. I do realize that there is a mass market in Belgium and also one for lighter beers. But I still find it odd that they would produce something that scores so low. My guess (and I do admit guess) is that many BA's find this unappealing next to the Belgian Dark, Gueuze, Tripel or other Belgian beer they are chasing while in country. Do you think this is true, or is this really a bad beer for it's style. German Pilsner is a wonderful style... for what it is. Can this be that poor of an interpretation? Thanks for any help or opinions.
IMO Maes is a poor example of the style...plenty of good pils to be had in Germany, Czech Rep and Slovak Rep. Don't forget to include Jupiler in the same category as Maes.
It's not great. Like most Belgian Pils. Most are made by the big breweries and are like the pale Lagers big breweries make in most of the world: just good enough. The lowest-quality beer they can get away with. I'm trying to think of a good Belgian bottom-fermenting beer I've had. I seem to remember the stuff from the Eupener Bierbrauerei wasn't bad, but they closed years ago. Can't come up with any others.
OK, my take on good Belgian lagers: 3 Fonteinen commissions a very Saazy dry-hopped lager from Proef that is pretty damned nice... So nice that I would often have a glass of it at the restaurant before diving into the lambic. Slaapmutske's excellent dry-hopped lager is also made at Proef and a perennial favorite at the Zythos fest. Another favorite is Dupont's Redor Pils, with a grainy rustic edge and some bitterness, and Slaghmuylder makes a few that are flavorful if a bit sweet and corny for my taste. But none of those are widely available. You can do worse than Bel Pils in a pinch, made by Duvel... at least it has a bit of bitterness and finishes dry instead of sweet, even if there is not much else to it.
I think that Jupiler and Stella Artois are both better than Maes Pils. But I don't bother with any of them in Belgium unless there is no alternative or I want a palate cleanser for some reason (and I am a huge lager beer fan).
Think of Maes and Juplier as the Belgian equivelent of Coors and Budwiser. They are what the typical Belgian drinks just like the typical American drinks American macros.
" They are what the typical Belgian drinks just like the typical American drinks American macros. " That was indeed correct for many years ! But thats changing very fast the last years , more and more Belgians are drinking special beers now and thats improving very fast ! More and more brewery's are making special beers again , and more and more people find there way in all the Belgian special beers !
Yes it is definately changing.. I have noticed a huge difference since my first trip over there 3.5 years ago. Things are changing here in the states too BTW. The craft beer crowd has grown conciderably here in Mass over the last 4-5 years. More people into good does mean that it is not as easy to get the good stuff though
Oh... I had a killer Pils last year in Oostend that was done by Rodenbach... I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me though.
Good for us that were a small country with more then 1300 different beers and beerroots that go far back to the middle ages And 90 % with a perfect quality and a good quantity Aaaa i'm proud to be a Belgian
Belgium just has a beer for every person. I love how in Belgium I see 4 people at a table all drinking a different beer. It still remains the best beer country in the world...
HAHA.. Beerpirates and Doopie : I am actually gonna be over for Borfets in Sept. I haven't officially planned a trip to Belgium yet but I can invision going to Belgium for at least a night or two. I would love to get over to Oostend and DeBistronoom at some point. Doopie: I am not sure that the flemish women could handle the stallion that is Tendermorsel!
