Belgian Beers

© Visit Ghent

Belgium is a beer-lover's paradise, with over 400 different varieties of beer, many with their own personalized beer glasses in which that beer, and only that beer, may be served. The shape of each glass is made to enhance the flavor of the beer for which it is designed. This strict beer seperatism may seem like behavior usually reserved for wine snobbery, but Belgians do take their beer seriously - and with good reason. Belgium has enjoyed an unparalleled reputation for its specialty beers since the Middle Ages.

Connoisseurs favor Belgian beers for their variety, real flavor and character. The choices are endless when you consider raspberry beer, white beer, chocolate beer, geuze beer, cherry beer, brown beer, Trappist beer and of course the beer that Belgium is most famous for - the lambic beer. Lambic beer is made with an ancient style of brewing, depending on spontaneous fermentation to produce a bone-dry, profoundly tart, and naturally effervescent drink that improves with years in the bottle - much like wine. By European Union regulation, it can be produced only in a small area in Belgium.