The Humble Gourmand

Dinner parties, it seems, are rarely six-pack events. Unless the hosts are diehard beer fans or recovering frat boys, normal brews — whether the Pabsts of the world, or the Magic Hats — are inappropriate. Hence, I’ve chosen three beers that come in 750ml corked bottles, looking more like Champagne than malt liquor: a Lindeman Apple Lambic, the Gouden Carolus Tripel, and Allagash’s Dubbel Reserve. The first two are from Belgium, the last from my old playground of Portland, Maine.

To start, Lambic is a style of Belgian ale in which the fermentation is “spontaneous,” meaning that instead of using a controlled strain of yeast, the beer is allowed to ferment when wild yeasts settle on the surface. Lambic can be very tangy, and oftentimes fruit is added to balance the sourness introduced by the wild yeast. Lindeman’s Apple Lambic, though, goes overboard with the fruit, and the resulting beer tastes nothing like the sour, pungent Lambics prized by many enthusiasts. Sugary and candy-sweet, the Lambic tastes almost like a Sour Apple Jolly Rancher dissolved in a glass of Champagne – not unpleasant if you’re supposed to bring dessert, perhaps, but inauthentic and inappropriate for mixed company.

Allagash’s Dubbel is a good homage to the Belgian dubbel, an ale that is more full-bodied and more alcoholic than light beers. Allagash is also far more local. It is rich and a bit sweet, with undertones of brown sugar and a warmth provided by the 7% ABV.

Gouden Carolus Tripel is a 9% ABV beast exhibiting brown sugar, molasses, and orange peel. Tasting the tripel allowed me to understand the naming system – it is darker, warmer, and fuller than the dubbel.

For the dinner party, here is what you do: If you’re interested in horizontal comparisons, buy a dubbel from a few breweries, both American and Belgian – Allagash, Gouden Carolus, Chimay, etc., and let the guests rate the beermakers.

If, instead, you like to compare vertically, buy a brewery’s dubbel and tripel and see which you prefer. Or, if you want to end up under the table, do both: buy American and Belgian dubbels and tripels and perhaps by the time you get to dessert you won’t even notice the green candy at the bottom of your glass.