Beer Blotter

Cantillon's tipping man

In this second installment of my Visual Art of Craft Beer Series I will discuss some of my favorite pieces of eye candy associated with Belgian breweries.  This is actually somewhat challenging considering that a lot of Belgian breweries have been around for a very long time and few have done much to update their look.  In many ways, this is part of their charm.

A lot of the art I have chosen is highly simplistic, yet all together representative of the quintessential, old world elegance and history of Belgium.  Some may seem arbitrary to those most familiar with Belgian beer, but from the outside looking in, represent an approach that is nearly alien to Americans.  All have the je ne sais quoi of Belgium.

Due to limited space and bandwidth, in many cases I will be unable to insert an exemplary picture of what I’m writing about.  I have posted at least one example of all breweries mentioned on our Flickr page here.

I love how he tempts you

When it comes to traditional imagery of Belgian beer, nothing is more obvious than the monk brewer.  I find it to be obligatory for me to include one from this category.  One of the most omnipresent and doubtless…jolly of them all is the shiny globed monk of St. Bernardus.  Unmistakable and ever smile inducing.  If there was ever a face that could urge me toward the monastic ways, the rosy cheeked, beer bursting chalice brandishing fellow in robes possesses it.

Nothing speaks of classic, old-world elegance and history like the label for Haacht Gildenbier.  If I didn’t mention this one, DSR may de-friend me.  If you are unfamiliar with this beer, its label, and our great affinity for it, please check this article from a while back.

Speaking of trying not to be de-friended by my fellow Beer Blotter brethren, It would be suicidal (and honestly, just asinine) of me to not mention the work of Cantillon.  Quite possibly the king of all lambic producers, Brussels’ Cantillon Brewery has a super classic, silhouette style logo that screams of legendary Belgian innkeeper lore (seen at the very top of the article).  My goal in life is to be old, bald, beer-bellied, and dead after falling backwards out of my chair.  Of course, I’d be drunk on Cantillon.

Not only does Cantillon have a great logo, but their bottle designs are highly refined as well.  Always adhered to a long-necked, green wine bottle, the rectangular stickers almost always display a fine painting or drawing that in some way reflects the bottle’s contents.  Again, the word “classic” comes to mind.  It just seems to be most appropriate.

De Ranke and their epic wrap

One unique packaging phenomenon that is somewhat alien to most Americans is what I call the tissue-paper cacoon.  Though there is often a traditional label within the wrapping, the initial presentation is literally a 750ml bottle completely encased in paper.  Three examples of breweries that use this method are De Ranke, Liefmans, and Glazen Toren.

While on the topic of somewhat abnormal gates of entry into this article, I present to you one of the greatest pieces of beer glassware ever designed – the much heralded Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet Glass.  Most of you have probably seen it before but maybe you didn’t realize that it was the work of Belgium’s Tripel Karmeliet.  The heraldic lily that is laser etched into the bulb of the tulip is said to be strictly decorative.  I call it strictly genius.

And in other glassware news, the Drie Fonteinen gueuze glass is so simple yet holds so much mystique that I must include it here.  The shape of the gueuze glass in general is very unique in the beer world, but in life in general, it’s really the shape of a very standard water vessel.  It’s one of those things where something extremely common is used in a new and exciting way and your perception of it is changed forever.  The three fountians logo is so small and faintly etched into the lightly tapered glass that it’s nearly invisible unless held in the proper light, yet every time I see it I am completely flooded with emotion.

Quite possibly one of the most iconic and widely recognizable logos in Belgian beer is the pink elephant of Delirium (Huyghe).  I don’t have much more to say on that subject but I felt it needed to be mentioned.

Ok, I think it’s finally time to discuss my personal favorites.  First up, the snail man of Caracole.  I figgin’ love that guy.  It’s my number one favorite logo from Belgium.  The label to the beer by the same name is great, as is the Saxo label.  The subjects remind me of characters that may play roles in The Wind in the Willows, and that brings me great comfort.

Timperial's favorite glass

Probably my second favorite Belgian beer logo is that of Brouwerij Den Hopperd Kameleon.  I do not believe that this brand is distributed to America.  I first imbibed it at The Bier Circus in Brussels.  I was so enamoured with the logoed glassware that I ended up walking away with it.  To this day it is one of my favorite glasses.

The last few that I’d like to mention are De Dolle, Fantome, De Bie, and De La Senne.  The De Dolle and Fantome labels are almost humorously elementary in many ways, but they are very distinctive and therefore highly successful.  My personal favorite of these two brands is the Ara Bier label with the beer drinking pirate parrot.  Classic!

All of the De Bie labels have cartoon like bees on them.  Amongst the best are the one with the stripper bee on it and those with the shit faced bees.  It’s just ridiculously fantastic!

De La Senne may be one of the most “American” breweries in Belgium in not only beer styles but in art direction.  Their hard line labels are modern but have a vintage propaganda poster feel to them at the same time.  They’re slick yet simple.  A recipe for success.

We love art at Beer Blotter.  Brewing art, sound art, visual art, performance art…we love it all.  Let us know if we missed any great brewery labels/logos from Belgium.

The Brasserie De La Senne

With love to Philly, with love to my taste buds.

One of my writers in crime here at Beer Blotter, Jess R., quite recently published a very well crafted article about glassware.  It reminded us all of the overwhelming importance of presenting beer in its proper vessel.

In turn, we were reminded of the the one place in the world where bartenders actually feel the need to offer a heartfelt apology for momentarily being out of the proper glass for the beer ordered: where else but Belgium.  Thoughts of Belgium take us down never ending roads of memory that we will most definitely not get into right now.

But for us three blotterers, a chance to get together, drink beer, and reminisce about our mighty Euro trip will never go unrealized.  In the midst of that exciting undertaking, we figured why not clear out a small corner of the cellar that drastically needed to be cleared, all the while bringing it full circle with just the topic that spawned the meeting, glassware.

This night was epic.  I guess we had a lot more cellar space to open up than we thought.  Time will not allow me to copy all of my notes on all of the beer-glass pairings of the night in one sitting, so here I present part 1.

Pilsner Glass – Victory Brewing Summer Love Ale

Though dubbed an ale right there in the name, this was most likely brewed with California Common yeast, which would indeed make it an ale but would attribute many characteristics of a lager.  Thus, the pairing with the pils glass, which allowed the head to stay compact and lively in the decreased circumference, where it would normally dwindle and lay dormant in short time.  This beer was specially made for Philly Tourism, who recently contacted us due to Timperial’s roots there.

We took our popular With Love, Philadelphia XOXO tourism initiative from campaign to consumer experience by partnering with Victory Brewing Company to create Summer Love Ale. Brewed locally in Chester County, PA with pale malts, German hops and water from the Brandywine River, the golden brew began flowing at bars throughout the Philadelphia region during the annual Philly Beer Week in June.

Check out this quote from Victory Brewer Bill Covaleski:

Summer Love starts with an all German malt base upon which we overlaid crisp German hops for that familiar, import quality that some many beer drinkers find attractive and comfortable, then we put bright, lemony Citra hops, grown here in the US, into the mix for an exciting aroma to start and refreshing and enduring finish. Kinda like Philly. Mostly familiar but always surprising!

My notes of the beer read as follows: This pours, not surprisingly, light in color, hazy yellow with a white head of very large bubbles.  The odor is very impressive in it’s hoppiness; floral and grassy.  This is very easy drinking with excellent sweetness coming from mild caramel notes.  From a light(er) beer perspective, this is really well balanced with a striking lemony, citrus hop profile.  I could drink this for days!

Spice-tastic!

Tulip Glass – Victory Brewing Saison Du Buff

This beer was originally released under Stone Brewing’s liscense as part of their collaboration series.  Dogfish Head, Stone and Victory teamed up to create this one, but each brewery is now releasing it under their own license and with their own distinctive artwork.

I found this beer to be hazy golden in color with intense carbonation.  To call it spicy and floral would be an understatement.  Herbal to the nth degree.  Some possible herbs at play are chamomile, ginger, coriander, citrus peel, rosemary, sage…  It’s a cornucopia.

The head quickly subsided to nothing at all, which I found to be very odd with respect to the lively carbonation.  Perhaps oils from the herbs had negative effects on the retention?

The aftertaste seemed to linger for days, and I also found it to be surprising that the finish was not super dry, which seems to be commonplace with saisons in general.  Damn good beer!

Wait, something impressive by The Bruery? No way!

Goblet – The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel

This is seriously no ordinary beer for no ordinary glass.  For branding consistency sake, I turned the glass around to the non-logo side for the picture (left) but just take my word for it that it’s a Westvleteren glass.  We got that shit straight from In De Vrede in West Flanders!  And the beer…well, it’s made by The Bruery…’nuff said!

This puppy weighs in at 8.1% and is brewed with rice and Thai basil.  It pours a soft amber hue with above average carbonation and pretty poor clarity.  Arising on the pour, a luscious white head that sticks around.  In the nose, that striking candy sweetness that accompanies nearly all true Belgian tripels.  There is also a malty sweetness that lends credibility to the brewer’s art.

The basil manifested itself into a simple, neutral spicy characteristic, and I also found there to be a very pronounced green apple quality.  The lacing on the glass is not to be scoffed at and all that sweetness lends to a fantastically smooth mouthfeel.

The aftertaste is mesmerizing as well.  Booze and grains come out as it warms, but I don’t find either to be negative here.

Flute – Ommegang Zuur

Ommegang and Liefman's collaborate with sour results.

This 6% Flemish Sour Ale was brewed in collaboration with the much heralded Belgian sour brewer Liefman’s.  It fills the glass with a brownish ruby red color and possess respectable clarity.

Initially, as it makes contact with the glass, the carbonation is wild and it’s very difficult to pour anything but a glass full of foam.  As quickly as the suds rise up they dissipate to not but a trace.  I find dark fruit in the scent, mostly the cherries that it was brewed with, and a good dose of funky, sour tartness, spot on for the style.

On the tongue, it’s prickly with the carbonation and tensing with tartness.  Puckering yes, but I’ve soireed with many Flemish ales with much more zing.  There is a pleasant bread-like maltiness in behind all the pizazz, but the overall body and intensity is underwhelming in the end.

Many respects for Ommegang for taking a swing at this exciting style, and though it’s very drinkable, it’s no Rodenbach.