Belgian Yeasts

The use of different yeast strains can bring a different range of flavours to beers. Some specialist brewers are experimenting in this area and it is very much a developing style, rather than a clear and easy to define style. As brewers develop their skills it may be that this will be seen as a true style, but included here to show that UK brewers can be innovative and to encourage them to continue to be so. It may be that this does not get much further and will remain as a very small part of an already niche product. Speciality beers like this may take several years to emerge and develop into a recognisable style. Other beer styles have defined themselves over many years, in some cases hundreds of years.

Belgian yeast strains can produce fruity esters, spicy, phenol notes and a variety of other aromas and tastes including bananas, cloves, pepper, bubblegum, coriander and pears. It is these flavours which will define Belgian Yeast beers as time goes on, some will be seen as definers and other as just supporters in the taste profile.

Not surprisingly brewers in Belgium have taken this yeast to produce several beer styles including light coloured beers such as Belgian Blonds, which have a wide range of alcoholic strengths. Towards the top strength wise are Tripels and slightly less strong Dubbels which Tend to be brown in colour. These are particularly associated with Trappist and their copycat Abbey brewers.