Belgian Beer Culture: Beers You Should Try in Belgium

On By saar.decosterIn Belgium

If there’s one thing Belgium takes seriously, it’s beer.

Belgium is genuinely one of the best places in the world to drink beer. And I’m not just saying that because I’m Belgian.

Belgian beer culture is so much more than ordering a lager at a bar. There are hundreds of Belgian beers, countless breweries, traditional brewing methods and an almost ridiculous amount of different beer styles.

And one of my favourite things about Belgian beer is that almost every place seems to have its own beer.

Even tiny towns and villages you would never expect can have a local beer or brewery attached to them. So when you’re travelling around Belgium, don’t just stick to the same beer you already know.

Try the local beer wherever you go.

Beer is also a huge part of Belgian food culture, so if you’re interested in what else you should try here, check out my Belgian Food Guide.

You might find a beer in a small Belgian town that you’ve never even heard of before, and honestly, that’s part of the fun.

Whether you love beer, usually drink lager, prefer something fruity or don’t consider yourself a beer person at all, Belgium is a pretty fun place to experiment.

And if you’re travelling around the country, you’ll quickly realise that Belgian beer can taste completely different depending on what you order.

Why Belgium Is the Place to Drink Beer

If you want to experience Belgian beer culture properly, Belgium is the place to do it.

Beer is part of everyday life here.

You can have one with lunch, meet friends for a beer after work, order one while sitting on a terrace in the sun or spend an entire evening trying different beers with friends.

And unlike in many countries, ordering a beer in Belgium doesn’t necessarily mean choosing between a handful of standard lagers.

Walk into a Belgian café and you might find a menu with dozens of different beers.

Some are light and refreshing.

Some are fruity.

Some are bitter.

Some are incredibly strong.

Some are brewed by enormous Belgian breweries, while others come from tiny local breweries you’ve probably never heard of.

That’s what makes Belgian beer culture so much fun.

If you’re still wondering whether Belgium is worth adding to your trip, I share my honest thoughts in my Is Belgium Worth Visiting? guide.

Kriek cherry beer in Bruges, Belgium

Planning your Belgium trip?

I created a Google Map with 540+ saved places from my years living and travelling around Belgium, including towns, things to do, cafés, nightlife, restaurants, shopping and hidden gems.

Explore the Belgium Map → €5

What Does “Een Pintje” Mean?

If you want to sound like a local in Belgium, there’s one word you should know:

“Een pintje.”

The official Dutch word for beer is simply bier, but in Flanders, you’ll very often hear people order “een pintje”.

A pintje basically means a small glass of draft beer.

And if you’re at a bar in Belgium, saying:

“Een pintje, alstublieft.”

is probably one of the easiest ways to order.

You don’t necessarily need to know which specific beer to choose either.

If you simply ask for een pintje, you’ll generally get the bar’s standard draft beer.

This can actually be really useful if you’re overwhelmed by a huge Belgian beer menu.

Instead of standing there for five minutes trying to decide which beer sounds good, you can just order a pintje and enjoy whatever the bar normally serves on tap.

And honestly, that’s part of the Belgian experience.

The Belgian Beer Bar Language

There’s also another unofficial Belgian “language” that can be useful when you’re ordering at a busy bar.

If it’s loud and the bartender can’t hear you, you may sometimes see people hold up their little finger to indicate one pintje.

Want two?

You can hold up two fingers and then your little finger.

It’s definitely not an official Belgian sign language, and you won’t need it everywhere, but it’s one of those funny little things you might notice when drinking in busy Belgian bars or cafés.

And honestly, once you’ve seen it, you start noticing Belgians doing it everywhere.

Belgian Beers You Should Try

Belgium has so many different beers that this list could honestly go on forever.

These are some of the beers and styles I think are worth trying, especially if you’re visiting Belgium for the first time.

Easy-Drinking Belgian Lagers

If you’re not really into strong or complicated beers, start here.

Stella Artois

Let’s start with a very obvious one.

Stella Artois was originally brewed in Leuven, my hometown.

It’s a classic Belgian lager and one of the easiest beers to find in Belgium.

It’s relatively light, refreshing and straightforward compared with many of the stronger Belgian beers.

If you normally drink lager, Stella is an easy place to start.

And yes, I absolutely have to mention that it’s from Leuven because I’m Belgian and therefore legally required to promote my hometown.

If you’re visiting Leuven, I also recommend checking out my Leuven Travel Guide.

Stella Artois Belgian beer

Jupiler

Jupiler is another extremely common Belgian lager.

You’ll see it everywhere: cafés, restaurants, bars, football matches, festivals and parties.

It’s one of those beers that is simply part of everyday Belgian life.

If you’re looking for a very standard Belgian lager, Jupiler is probably one of the most obvious choices.

Maes

Maes is another Belgian pilsner you’ll see pretty often.

It’s especially common at events, festivals and large gatherings.

Personally?

Not my favourite.

But if you’re travelling around Belgium, you’ll probably come across it sooner or later.

Primus

Primus is another Belgian pilsner worth knowing about.

It’s an easy-drinking lager and another example of the kind of beer you’ll regularly see in Belgian bars.

Fruitier Beers

If you’re someone who normally thinks beer is too bitter, start with fruity beer.

Belgium is actually a great place for this because there are plenty of beers with fruit-forward flavours.

Kriek

Kriek is one of the most famous Belgian fruit beers.

It’s traditionally associated with cherries, giving the beer a sweet, fruity and slightly tart flavour.

If you don’t normally like beer, this can be a much easier introduction to Belgian beer culture than a strong, bitter beer.

You’ll find different versions from different breweries, including beers from Lindemans and Timmermans.

And personally?

Kriek on the rocks is elite.

You’ll often hear this referred to as “Kriek on the rocks” or “Kriek on ice.” It’s served over ice, which makes it extra cold and refreshing.

Sitting outside on a Belgian terrace on a sunny afternoon with a cold fruity beer is one of those simple things that just feels like Belgium.

If you see Kriek on the rocks on a menu during summer, I’d definitely give it a try.

If you’re trying Kriek in Bruges, you can also check out my Bruges Travel Guide for more things to see, eat and do in the city.

Kriek cherry beer in Bruges, Belgium

Kasteel Rouge

Now we’re getting into my personal favourite.

Kasteel Rouge is a strong cherry beer with a very sweet and fruity flavour.

It tastes much easier to drink than you might expect considering its alcohol content.

It’s definitely not your average light fruit beer.

And that’s exactly why I love it.

If you’re not a fan of traditional bitter beer, Kasteel Rouge is one I’d definitely recommend trying.

Just don’t make the mistake of drinking it like lemonade.

It’s considerably stronger than a normal lager.

Kasteel Rouge beer near Leuven railway station

Belgian Witbier

If you want something refreshing and lighter, try a Belgian witbier.

Witbier is a traditional Belgian wheat beer and is usually light, cloudy and refreshing, often with citrus and spice notes.

Hoegaarden

Hoegaarden is probably the most famous example.

It’s a classic Belgian witbier and a great choice on a warm summer day.

It’s very different from something like Stella or Jupiler, which is exactly why I recommend trying different styles rather than drinking the same lager all evening.

Strong Belgian Beers

And now we get to the beers Belgium is particularly famous for.

Belgian beers can be surprisingly strong.

Some Belgian ales contain 8%, 9%, 10% or even more alcohol.

And because they can be fruity, smooth or surprisingly easy to drink, it’s very easy to underestimate them.

Don’t.

Duvel

Duvel is one of Belgium’s most famous strong golden ales.

It’s around 8.5% ABV and has a dry, fruity and slightly bitter character.

It’s one of those beers that can taste deceptively easy to drink.

Then you realise you’ve been drinking something with almost twice the alcohol of a standard pilsner.

Belgian beer culture lesson number one:

Respect the percentage.

Belgian Duvel beer
Photo from Ellis.be

Tripel Karmeliet

Tripel Karmeliet is another classic Belgian strong beer.

It’s a Belgian tripel with a complex but relatively smooth and slightly sweet flavour.

My stepdad’s favourite, so I had to include it.

It’s a great example of why Belgian beer is so different from standard lager.

If you normally drink pilsner, ordering a Tripel Karmeliet can feel like drinking a completely different type of drink.

Belgian Trappist Beers

If you’re really interested in Belgian beer culture, you should also know about Trappist beer.

Trappist beers are beers brewed within a Trappist monastic tradition, and Belgium has several famous Trappist breweries.

Some names you may come across include:

  • Westmalle
  • Chimay
  • Orval
  • Rochefort
  • Westvleteren

These aren’t necessarily the beers I’d recommend starting with if you’ve never liked beer before.

But if you’re interested in Belgian brewing traditions, they’re absolutely worth exploring.

And yes, Belgian beer culture goes way deeper than Stella and Jupiler.

Belgian Lambic, Gueuze & Sour Beers

Another completely different side of Belgian beer culture is lambic.

Lambic beers are particularly associated with the Brussels area and the Pajottenland.

They’re traditionally fermented using wild yeasts and microorganisms from the environment, which gives them a very distinctive character.

If you like sour beers, this is something you should definitely try in Belgium.

Gueuze

Gueuze is a blend of different lambic beers and is known for its dry, tart and often complex flavour.

It can be very different from what people outside Belgium imagine when they hear the word “beer.”

And that’s exactly why I think trying Belgian beer in Belgium is so much fun.

You can go from a simple pilsner to a cherry Kriek to a strong tripel to a sour gueuze and realise that they’re all technically beer.

The Cheapest Belgian Beer: Cara Pils

If you’ve ever been a broke student in Belgium, you probably know Cara Pils.

Cara Pils is an extremely cheap Belgian supermarket lager and has become something of a cultural icon among students.

It’s not exactly what I’d recommend if you’re looking for the best Belgian beer experience.

It’s cheap. Very cheap.

And that’s basically its main selling point.

There are also different Cara varieties, including Cara Rouge, which is a sweeter and fruitier option.

Personally, I’d choose Cara Rouge over Cara Pils if I had to.

But if you’re travelling Belgium and want to experience the country’s beer culture properly, I’d spend a little more and try one of the many local beers instead.

Desperados & Corona: The Summer Exception

Okay, technically these aren’t Belgian beers.

But I have to mention them because they are very popular summer drinks in Belgium, especially among younger people.

Desperados

Desperados is a tequila-flavoured beer and is particularly popular at parties and festivals.

With a little lemon or lime and some sunshine?

Honestly…

Pretty good.

If you want to visit Belgium for a festival, you can also check out my guide to the Best Festivals in Belgium to see what’s happening throughout the year.

Corona

Same story with Corona.

It’s not Belgian, but you will absolutely see people drinking it on sunny terraces and at summer parties.

Put some lime in it, sit outside with friends and I’m not complaining.

Just don’t tell anyone this section was part of my Belgian beer guide. 😂

My Belgian Beer Recommendations by Type

If you’re overwhelmed by the amount of choice, here’s where I’d start:

Want a normal Belgian lager?

Try:

Stella Artois, Jupiler or Primus

Don’t like bitter beer?

Try:

Kriek

Want something sweeter and stronger?

Try:

Kasteel Rouge

Want something light and refreshing?

Try:

Hoegaarden

Want a strong Belgian beer?

Try:

Duvel or Tripel Karmeliet

Want something traditionally Belgian?

Try:

A Trappist beer or a Belgian lambic/gueuze

Are you a broke student?

Cara Pils.

I won’t judge.

How to Drink Belgian Beer Like a Local

One thing you’ll quickly notice in Belgium is that the glass matters.

Belgian beers often have their own specific glass, and you’ll frequently receive your beer in the matching glass when ordering it.

That’s not just for decoration.

The shape of the glass can affect the aroma and the way you experience the beer.

So don’t be surprised if your beer arrives in a completely different glass from the person sitting next to you.

And please don’t immediately ask:

“Why is my glass so weird?”

That’s the point.

Don’t Just Drink One Beer

My biggest advice if you’re visiting Belgium?

Don’t order the same beer all night.

Try different styles.

Order smaller tasting glasses when they’re available.

If you’re travelling between cities, see what’s local and try something different in each place.

Not sure which Belgian cities to include in your trip? My Belgium Cities Compared guide breaks down the different vibes and what each city is best for.

Having a Stella in Leuven, a Brugse Zot in Bruges, a local beer in Ghent and a Belgian speciality somewhere else is much more interesting than drinking the exact same lager everywhere.

If you’re deciding between Bruges and Ghent for your Belgium trip, I’ve also compared the two in my Bruges vs Ghent guide.

You might discover a beer you’ve never heard of before that ends up becoming your favourite.

And honestly, that’s the fun of Belgian beer culture.

Where Should You Drink Belgian Beer?

Pretty much everywhere.

You don’t need to visit a fancy beer bar to experience Belgian beer culture.

Some of my favourite places to have a beer are simply small local cafés, terraces and bars.

If you’re looking for more ideas on where to go, eat and explore around the country, my Belgium Complete Travel Guide is a good place to start.

And if you’re travelling around Belgium, I actually recommend looking for local cafés rather than only going to the famous tourist beer spots.

Ask what the local beer is.

Ask what’s on tap.

Or simply order een pintje and see what you get.

Belgium has an incredible café culture, and sitting outside with a beer is one of the easiest ways to experience everyday Belgian life.

Belgian Beer Is About More Than Beer

This is probably the biggest thing I want you to take away from this guide.

Belgian beer culture isn’t just about finding the “best Belgian beer.”

It’s about the experience.

It’s sitting on a terrace with friends.

It’s ordering a local beer you’ve never heard of.

It’s getting a completely different glass than you expected.

It’s discovering that the tiny town you’re visiting has its own brewery.

It’s trying something fruity because you don’t like bitter beer.

It’s ordering a pintje at a busy bar.

It’s arguing with your Belgian friends about which beer is actually the best.

And it’s realising that Belgium has an almost ridiculous amount of beer for such a small country.

So when you visit Belgium, don’t just drink beer because Belgium is famous for it.

Actually explore the beer culture.

Try different styles.

Try local beers.

Try something you’ve never heard of.

And most importantly…

don’t underestimate the strong ones.

Belgian Kriek cherry beer

Final Thoughts

Belgium has an almost ridiculous beer culture for such a small country.

There are hundreds of beers, dozens of styles and countless local breweries to discover.

And that’s why I wouldn’t recommend trying to create a checklist of every famous Belgian beer.

Instead, use this guide as a starting point.

Order a Kriek in summer.

Try a Duvel if you want something stronger.

Have a Hoegaarden on a sunny terrace.

Try a Trappist beer if you’re interested in Belgian brewing traditions.

Ask for the local beer when you’re visiting a new town.

Or simply walk into a café and say:

“Een pintje, alstublieft.”

You might end up drinking something you’ve never heard of before.

And that’s exactly how you should experience Belgian beer.

Cheers, or as we say in Belgium: santé!!!

Planning Your Trip to Belgium?

Planning a trip to Belgium can be surprisingly difficult, especially when you’re choosing between historic cities, lively student towns, coastal destinations and smaller hidden gems.

That’s why I’ve created my Belgium Travel Guide, where I share destination guides, things to do, local tips and my personal experiences from travelling around Belgium.

→ START HERE: Belgium Travel Guides
→ GET MY GOOGLE MAP: Belgium Google Map

Related Posts

Belgium Planning Guides

More Belgium Guides

You May Also Like

Belgian Beer FAQ

What is the most famous Belgian beer?

There isn’t one single answer. Stella Artois is one of the best-known Belgian lagers internationally, while beers such as Duvel, Chimay, Westmalle and many others are famous for their traditional Belgian brewing styles.

What is a “pintje” in Belgium?

In Flanders, “een pintje” is a very common way of ordering a small draft beer. If you simply ask for a pintje in a Belgian café, you’ll generally receive the standard beer served on tap.

What Belgian beer should I try if I don’t like beer?

Start with something fruity such as Kriek. Belgian fruit beers can be much sweeter and less bitter than traditional lagers or strong Belgian ales.

What is the strongest Belgian beer?

Belgium has many strong beers, and some can have alcohol levels well above 10%. However, strength varies considerably between beers, so always check the ABV rather than assuming a beer is strong based on its name.

Is Stella Artois Belgian?

Yes. Stella Artois originated in Leuven, Belgium, and is one of the country’s best-known beers internationally.

What is a Trappist beer?

Trappist beer is associated with breweries operating within the Trappist monastic tradition. Belgium is particularly famous for its Trappist beers, including Westmalle, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort and Westvleteren.

What is Kriek beer?

Kriek is a Belgian cherry beer traditionally made using cherries or cherry juice in the brewing process. It is fruity, tart and often much easier to drink for people who don’t usually enjoy bitter beer.

Is Belgian beer expensive?

It depends on what you order. A standard pintje in a local café can be relatively affordable, while speciality, Trappist and strong Belgian beers can cost considerably more. Belgium also has extremely cheap supermarket beers such as Cara Pils.

Leave a Reply