Strong Ale

What is Belgian Strong Ale?

Belgian strong ale (also known as golden strong ale) is a potent golden-coloured Belgian ale characterized by high carbonation, fruity notes, and a dry finish.

Strong ale is a wolf in sheep’s clothing as it resembles a light lager in appearance and is easily drinkable but is actually a high-alcohol beer. Its flavour profile includes hints of pear, apple, and/or orange, with various spices (such as pepper) in the aroma. It’s similar in style to blond and tripel ales.

Origin Story

The aftermath of World War I left its mark on the Belgian beer landscape; English ales found their way to Belgium and began gaining popularity. Seeing their success, Albert, the owner of the local Moortgat Brewery (now Duvel Moortgat), decided to develop his own English-style beer. In 1918, the brewery released a dark ale influenced by English ales, which was named "Victory Ale" to commemorate the end of the war.

However, this was just the beginning. To create a true English ale, Albert needed to acquire a suitable British yeast strain. He enlisted the help of Jean de Clerck, a pioneer of Belgian brewing science, who isolated various yeast strains from one British ale and analysed them. Through a laborious process of isolation and testing, one strain was eventually selected for its superior potential.

The new strain was introduced into Victory Ale, which remained strong and dark in colour but now exhibited a noticeably fruitier character. According to legend, in 1923, during a tasting event, a local cobbler was so enthralled by the beer that he exclaimed, “Dit is een echte duivel!” (This is a true devil!). The name duvel, meaning devil, stuck and has been used ever since.

In 1960, the brewery even invented a new beer glass – the Tulip, designed specifically for enjoying Duvel.

In the 1970s, significant changes were made to the beer’s recipe to accommodate evolving tastes. The dark strong ale transformed into golden strong ale. Additionally, the brewing and ageing processes were significantly adjusted, resulting in the creation of a beer closely resembling the modern-day duvel.

Many breweries have attempted to replicate this style and market it using devil imagery, but none have achieved the same level of popularity as the original duvel.