Belgian Pale Ale: The Pride of Antwerp

I’ve previously written about the inspiration for my style columns — sometimes they are discoveries from travel, sometimes they are competition winners, sometimes new style guideline entries. Or sometimes my editor says, “Hey, do you know you’ve never written about Belgian pale ale before?” So, BYO edit staff, this one is for you. Fortunately, it’s not only seasonally appropriate but also one of my favorites.

I also have a funny story about the style. Many years ago on a trip to Belgium, I was drinking in ‘t Brugs Beertje in Bruges (Brugge) with a friend. It was my turn to buy a round so I thought I’d get us a couple bollekes of De Koninck. So I signaled to the bartender by holding up two fingers and saying, “De Koninck.” Except I didn’t realize that in Europe, the number two is signaled using the thumb and index finger, not the first two fingers. So the bartender saw two fingers, assumed the thumb was being used too, and gave me three beers. Hey, I said it was a funny story, not a bad outcome . . .

Having a bonus glass of Belgian pale ale is not a bad thing you see, especially when you’re day drinking. With a lot of high-gravity choices, calling for a standard strength beer during the day can be a lifesaver (or at least a liver-saver). It’s nice to have a solid choice when you want something that isn’t extreme and you just want to have a nice sociable conversation in a pub. You know, the way the English drink. So it seems fitting that this style of beer would have very English roots.

While the style is called Belgian pale ale, the beer is usually amber to copper colored rather than pale.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Style Guidelines groups Belgian Pale Ale in Category 24 (Belgian Ale) along with Witbier and Bière de Garde (yes, I know that last one is mostly French, but it’s just over the border from Belgium). Belgian Pale Ale is style 24B in the guidelines.

History

Belgian pale ale is a twentieth-century invention, created as a result of a competition organized by the Union of Belgian Brewers in 1904 and judged at the Liège exposition of 1905. Jef Van den Steen (author of the book Spéciale Belge Ale) is credited by Michael Jackson with telling that story. Apparently, the concept was to create a regional specialty beer to compete with rising imports of both British ales and continental lagers (Pilsner-type beers). The result was an all-malt, top-fermented beer of about 5 to 6% ABV that was not dry-hopped, aggressively bitter, or otherwise containing strong flavors.

While a competition existed, names have been elusive: Bière Belge, Belge, Spéciale Belge, Spéciale, and Ale have all been used. The beer is common in the provinces of Hainaut, Brabant, Antwerp, and East Flanders. Breweries began making this beer after the competition, with many versions surviving until today: De Koninck (1913), De Ryck (1920), and Palm (1928) are still making good examples. Other well-known examples include Vieux Temps, Op-Ale, and Ginder Ale. New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Fat Tire is loosely in this style as well.

While the style is called Belgian pale ale, the beer is usually amber to copper colored rather than pale. It is more like a traditional English pale ale in color (think Bass ale or something similar) than being yellow-gold. As it was designed to compete with English pale ales, the name is appropriate. However, it will likely be termed an amber ale in Belgium, where beer menus often just list the color and strength of a beer. Amber ale is more generic, while Spéciale Belge Ale (Belgian Special Ale) is more specific. Belgian pale ale as a style name is what beer judges use, while beer labels tend to use the Belgian name.

De Koninck of Antwerp is the best-known modern example of the style, although a few of these beers may be found occasionally as imports in the United States. Since they are not big or highly-hopped beers, understand that many times the imports will not be fresh. Oxidized examples with higher caramel flavors, increased sweetness, and muted bitterness are common. I certainly recommend trying them on draft in Belgium for the best experience (just make sure you are ordering the correct number of them).

Sensory Profile

Belgian pale ale is actually a top-fermented Belgian amber ale, but be careful about your expectations. It’s not too Belgian. That is, it doesn’t have a strong yeast character, particularly in the phenolic dimension. It also doesn’t have any funkiness or tartness like you’d find in wild ales, or the dry-hopped character of distinctive beers like Orval. It’s meant to be a sociable beer to compete with English pale ales and lagers, so it isn’t going to challenge your palate.

The color of the beer is amber to copper, staying clear of darker brown colors and the golden to yellow pale range. It can have a large head as it is well-carbonated, but it doesn’t last as long as some of the higher gravity bottle-conditioned Trappist-type beers. The white head should be well-formed and not disappear immediately. As with most Belgian beers, clarity is typically excellent.

The aroma and flavor are generally malty first, typically at a moderate level. The malt character has a bready note, but often has at least one (often more) character accents — things like toasty, biscuity, caramelly, honey-like, or nutty. Not all of these need to be present, but some malt complexity is welcome; however, nothing roasty or too sharp should be noted.

The yeast character shows itself mostly as fruitiness, with pome and citrus fruits (pear, orange, apple, lemon, etc.) common. Sometimes darker caramel type malts can add some fruitiness like plums, but not as much as many other styles such as dubbels. The yeast can add some peppery phenols, but the yeast character is quite subtle for Belgian beers. Do not expect a big phenolic bite, clove character, or a saison-like spice. The fruitiness, though, can be moderate to moderately-high in the balance, and should complement the malt.

Hops can provide a pleasant aroma and flavor, with herbal, floral, spicy, and similar notes typical. The level of hopping is restrained, however, with the malt commonly being slightly more dominant in the balance. The bitterness level is moderate, but some examples can be a bit sweet. When oxidized imports are tasted, they often have an elevated caramel sweetness and reduced hop notes, so keep this in mind if the beer isn’t brewery-fresh.
The beer usually has a dry finish, although the level of bitterness might not seem aggressive. So a lower bitterness level might make some examples of the beer seem a touch sweet. The alcohol level is roughly 5% ABV, with some examples being a bit less and some ranging close to 6%. An alcohol bite or noticeable warming should not be noted. The body should not be lean; however, it should also not be heavy. A medium body is most common, although it can be a little lighter.

The overall impression is like a Belgian version of an English pale ale — often fuller in flavor and body, not dry-hopped or aggressively bitter, with a more estery and a bit more spicy yeast character. Compared with modern English bitters, the Belgian version is stronger, more like a strong bitter. The range of flavors allows for more malt character, and adjunct flavors are not to be found. The best summary is to combine the flavor complexity of Belgian beers with the drinkability of British pale ales.

Brewing Ingredients and Methods

As a twentieth-century Belgian ale, the beer uses modern brewing practices. Due to the competition in its origin, we also know something about how the beer is made. Some educated guesses based on flavor profiles and brewery visits fills in the rest of the information.

The base of the beer is often Belgian Pilsner or pale ale malt, with some more flavorful base malts taking up part of the grist — Vienna malt and perhaps Munich would be used, with a light touch of aromatic malt to boost the maltiness. Keep in mind that the beer isn’t heavy or strongly malty like a bock, so Pilsner malt likely helps maintain the drinkability. Contemporaneous accounts stress that the beer is 100% malt, so avoid adding corn, oats, or other grains and also leave out the Belgian sugars.

The flavor profile and color suggests some medium-color caramel-type malts are used. Biscuit-type malts may be present (or bready pale ale malts may be used). Amber and copper beers are often colored with a touch of black malt in the grist, so care should be taken to avoid any flavor pickup. There will be some creativity allowed on the part of the brewer in grist selection since the character malt flavors can have a varied range.

The body and attenuation need to be handled through mash control primarily, so avoid extreme mash programs. A simple single-infusion mash works well for this average-strength beer, keeping the saccharification temperature at the low end of the typical range (150 °F or 65 °C, or a little higher).

Hops can be Belgian, English, or continental European. Saazer-type (noble) hops, English Goldings, Fuggles, Styrian Goldings, or other quality hops are common. Since the beer does not have a huge hop character, restraint and subtlety is required. Dry hopping is not typical for this style, but the beer should have some flavor and aroma hops.

As I’ve mentioned, yeast selection can be somewhat difficult. There is a strain of yeast based on De Koninck (White Labs WLP515 Antwerp Ale) that suits the style, but there is also Wyeast 3655 (Schelde Ale) yeast that could be used. If using dried yeast, your options are a bit limited, but try to avoid POF+ (phenolic off-flavor positive) yeast strains. I would avoid Trappist-type yeast strains as they can produce a lot of phenolics. I would also avoid witbier-type strains that can add tartness. If the preferred yeast strains aren’t available, you may want to keep the fermentation temperatures on the cool side to avoid excessive spiciness (maybe low 60s °F or 16–18 °C).

Homebrew Example

While I enjoy many versions of the style, the inspiration for my recipe is De Koninck. I have used information from their website and Michael Jackson’s Great Beers of Belgium to provide clues for something similar. Since I’m trying for a clone-type recipe, I’m going to reference as much publicly-available information as possible.

The brewery’s website mentions a 1.047 starting gravity and a 5% ABV content, so the final gravity should be around 1.010. Michael Jackson said it is an all-malt beer (which fits with the historical context), and that it uses Pilsner and Vienna malts as part of the grist. He said it also uses Saaz hops in three additions, and has a bitterness level of 25 IBUs. I will use those hops in bitterness, flavor, and aroma.

Belgian Pale Ale
by the numbers
OG: 1.048–1.054
FG: 1.010–1.014
SRM: 8–14
IBU: 20–30
ABV: 4.8–5.5%

Other examples of the style mention aromatic malt in their grist, so I like to add that to my recipe. It is an easy way to increase the maltiness. Biscuit and Caramunich® malts are often used in these beers, and I do taste similar flavor so I’ll add those. Finally, I use a touch of debittered black malt for color adjustment. I don’t want any roasted flavors, but I do like a touch of copper color in the beer.

Considering the final gravity of the beer, a mash temperature on the lower side of the range is appropriate; let’s say 151 °F (66 °C). Remember, this is an all-malt beer, so resist the urge to use any adjuncts like flaked maize or candi sugars or syrups. Mash control and yeast handling must account for proper attenuation to counter the body building malts.

White Labs WLP515 (Antwerp Ale) yeast is reputed to be the De Koninck strain, so it’s the obvious choice. While the beer is said to be fermented at 77 °F (25 °C), I think that is likely the top end of the range; I will start the yeast much cooler (64 °F, 18 °C) and let it free rise as it desires. In my experience, Belgian yeasts don’t like to be constrained during fermentation so let it do what it wants.

Serve the beer fresh and well-carbonated, preferably in the company of friends. De Koninck’s version of a Belgian pale ale is, to me, well worth emulating. While the range of the style is more than what a single brewer produces, I’ve always found this beer enjoyable and that’s what best characterizes the style for me.

Belgian Pale Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.010
IBU = 25 SRM = 12 ABV = 5%

Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Pilsner malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) Vienna malt
8 oz. (227 g) aromatic malt
8 oz. (227 g) Caramunich® III malt or crystal malt (80 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) biscuit malt
0.4 oz. (11 g) debittered black malt
5 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Saaz hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (2 min.)
White Labs WLP515 (Antwerp Ale), Wyeast 3655 (Belgian Schelde Ale), Omega Yeast OYL-049 (Belgian Ale DK), or SafAle S-33 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 0.5 tsp. each calcium chloride and calcium sulfate to the mash.

Mash the Pilsner, Vienna, and aromatic malts at 151 °F (66 °C) for 60 minutes. Start recirculating wort. Add remaining malts and raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) for 15 minutes. Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort.

Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. The longer boil will help drive off the precursor compounds of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), found in Pilsner malt. You can add a kettle fining agent if you so desire.

After the boil is complete, chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until terminal gravity is reached. Allow the yeast to free rise in temperature to promote full attenuation, but don’t let the temperature get above 77 °F (25 °C).

Rack the beer, prime, and bottle condition, or keg and carbonate.

Belgian Pale Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.010
IBU = 25 SRM = 12 ABV = 5%

Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) liquid pale malt extract
8 oz. (227 g) Caramunich® III malt or crystal malt (80 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) biscuit malt
0.4 oz. (11 g) debittered black malt
5 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Saaz hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (2 min.)
White Labs WLP515 (Antwerp Ale), Wyeast 3655 (Belgian Schelde Ale), Omega Yeast OYL-049 (Belgian Ale DK), or SafAle S-33 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of soft or reverse osmosis (RO) water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).

Steep the malts for 30 minutes in a mesh bag. Remove and rinse by dunking the bag several times. Turn off the heat. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. You do not want to feel any liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated.

After the boil is complete, chill the wort to 18 °C (64 °F), pitch the yeast, and ferment until terminal gravity is reached. Allow the yeast to free rise in temperature to promote full attenuation, but don’t let the temperature get above 77 °F (25 °C).

Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and carbonate.

Written by Gordon Strong