Serve in a goblet at 8-11 °C
What it tastes like
Not every Belgian beer is strong and spicy. The Belgian pale ale is the everyday café beer of Flanders and Antwerp, a copper-coloured ale of around five per cent that sits comfortably beside a meal. It took its modern shape in the early twentieth century, partly influenced by British pale ales, as Belgian brewers looked for an answer to imported beers.
Compared with an English pale ale it carries more toasty, biscuity malt and a gentle fruit and spice from the yeast, though far less than in a blonde or tripel. Pear and orange peel sit in the background, with a soft pepper note. Hops give a moderate, clean bitterness and a light herbal or earthy aroma. The body is medium-light and the finish is dry and easy. It is a modest beer by Belgian standards, and that is the point: it shows how well Belgian yeast works when nobody is trying to show off.
Style profile
- Look
- Amber to copper, clear, with a moderate creamy off-white head.
- Aroma and flavour
- Biscuit and light toast, soft orange and pear fruit, a little pepper from the yeast and a mild earthy hop note.
- Mouthfeel
- Medium-light body, medium to lively carbonation and a dry, clean, easy finish.
- Ingredients
- Pale and pilsner malts with biscuit, Vienna or a touch of crystal, European hops such as Styrian Golding or Saaz, a mild Belgian ale yeast.
In India
At around five per cent, Belgian pale ale is the most practical Belgian style for Indian heat, yet it is still uncommon here. Most Indian brewers who brew Belgian go straight to wit, which is easier to sell in summer. That leaves room for a brewpub to offer something in between. It holds up reasonably well in the cold chain because its appeal is malt and yeast rather than fragile hop aroma. Try it with a long lunch or monsoon snacks.
At the Indian table
Food pairings contributed by Anuradha Rao
- Chicken chettinadBiscuity malt rounds out the black pepper and fennel while the fizz cools the heat.
- Masala dosa with coconut chutneyToasty malt matches the crisp dosa and the light fruit plays well with the potato filling.
- Mangalorean fish fryA dry, moderate ale cuts the rava crust and red masala without overwhelming the fish.
- NankhataiBiscuit notes in the beer meet the buttery, cardamom-scented shortbread.
Brewed in India
Rare in India so far. Indian brewers mostly brew Belgian wit instead, so ask your local brewpub if they plan a seasonal one.