Belgian Pale Strong Ale
Belgian Pale Strong Ale, often referred to as Belgian Golden Strong Ale, is a highly effervescent, pale-colored strong ale that combines deceptive drinkability with significant alcoholic strength. Characterized by its complex fruity-spicy fermentation profile, subtle malt sweetness, and dry finish, this style was pioneered by Moortgat brewery's Duvel ('devil') in the early 20th century and typically features Belgian pilsner malt and noble hops with possible small additions of brewing sugars.
Perfect Pairings for Belgian Pale Strong Ale
Discover dishes that pair perfectly with Belgian Pale Strong Ale beers
Aged pecorino cheese
Aged pecorino cheese offers a firm texture with intense savory, salty, and nutty flavors that develop more complexity with age. These robust characteristics call for wines with good acidity and moderate tannins to cut through the cheese's richness, while the recommended beer styles provide either palate-cleansing carbonation or complementary malt sweetness to balance the cheese's sharpness.
Fruit-based desserts
Fruit-based desserts feature natural sugars and bright acidity that pair beautifully with sweet wines that have complementary fruit notes and sufficient acidity. The effervescence in sparkling options like Moscato d'Asti or the fruity complexity of Belgian-style beers helps cleanse the palate between bites while enhancing the fruit flavors.
Hard cheeses
Hard cheeses like aged Gouda, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Manchego feature concentrated, crystalline textures with robust umami flavors that demand beverages with sufficient structure and complexity to stand up to them. The sweetness and tannin structure in Port or Cabernet Sauvignon counters the saltiness and rich proteins, while the high carbonation in Champagne or Belgian Tripel provides palate-cleansing refreshment between bites.
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Parmigiano-Reggiano offers concentrated umami richness with nutty, fruity, and savory notes that develop with aging. Its crystalline texture and complex flavor profile call for beverages that can either complement its intensity or provide contrasting effervescence to cleanse the palate between bites.
Belgian Pale Strong Ale Beers
La Chouffe
La Chouffe is a golden-blonde Belgian strong ale with fruity, spicy notes of coriander and a light hoppy taste. It features a pleasantly sweet, mildly spiced character with hints of citrus and a subtle yeast influence.
Delirium Tremens
Delirium Tremens is a world-renowned Belgian strong ale with a distinctive cloudy pale blond appearance and complex, fruity aroma. It offers a perfect balance between sweetness, bitterness, and alcohol with notes of fruit, spice, and a warm alcoholic finish.
Achel 8 Blond
Achel 8 Blond is a classic Trappist beer with a bright golden color, offering a complex balance of fruity esters, spicy phenols, and subtle honey sweetness. Brewed by monks at the Sint-Benedictusabdij de Achelse Kluis, it showcases the authentic Trappist brewing tradition with its refined character and warming alcohol presence.
Duvel
Duvel is a iconic Belgian strong pale ale with a clear golden color, dense white head, and complex flavor profile featuring fruity esters, spicy phenols, and a distinctive dry finish. It's bottle-conditioned to provide natural carbonation and renowned for its deceptive drinkability despite its high alcohol content.