Belgian beer
 

Can one find Belgian beers in the US? I especially loved Krieke when I was in Belgium.

Don't know where you reside, but Trader Joe's and BevMo carry plenty of Belgian beers. The latter's website lists 23 beers from Belgium, including some Kreiks.

Chimay is widely distributed, and to a lesser extent, Duvel.

There's a Belgium restaurant in Philadelphia that has over 100 different Belgium beers. So, to answer your question, yes. ((b))

I find this to be a silly question. I can find several Belgian beers right here in Podunk, U.S. But at what cost? I possibly can find several more options by traveling further than is convenient. If you really want a true Belgian beer, then save your money and travel to Belgium. Otherwise, pick up a 12-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon at the nearest store and enjoy.

Stella Artois can be found in many liquor store and supermarket here, as it's a brand owned by Interbrew - which also owns Beck's, Bass, etc.

From what I understand, it's basically a cheap beer in Belgium, but Interbrew is trying hard to position it in N. America as a "premium import" like Heineken.

For other Belgian brews, you probably need to look for smaller boutique stores.

The restaurant that Budman is thinking of is probably Monk's.
Hoegaarden is very popular in Philadelphia.
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/6380588.htm

If you are very lucky, you can find a Belgian restaurant (we have a little local place that specializes in mussles. They have good Belgian beer...but at a big cost!

Uh, most beer/wine stores usually have at least a few dozen choices, total beverage has lots, even many grocery stores such as Whole Foods. Where are you?

The son of our best friends has been studying in Phoenix for 6 months and, being a Belgian beer lover, he did everything possible to find Belgian beers ... to conclude that they taste totally different than in Belgium! The bottles carry the same labels but the malts, hops and spices used seem to be different. Storage is an important factor, too.
Anyway, he was very pleased with the 6-pack I sent him for New Year!

This is not a silly question Tweetex.

Yes, you can definitely find these brews in the US at bars and stores. Where do you live?

In NYC, you can find Chimay, Leffe, Duvel, and a few others at various delis, bars and supermarkets. The Whole Foods chain stocks them also.

We went to a brew-tasting event last weekend (in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania) and sampled several very good Belgian beers. May we suggest:

Duvel Moortgat USA, Ltd. - 21 Railroad Avenue #32 - Cooperstown, NY 13326 - (607)544-1800

Brewery Ommegang - 656 Country Highway 33 - Cooperstown, NY - (800)656-1212 My husband's favorite from this brewery is "3 Philosophers" - their description - 9.8% abv: The Belgian motto is "Strength in Union." No phrase better describes our Quadrupel, which unites a malty Belgian-style ale with Lindemans Kriek, an authentic cherry lambic from Belgium. The result is a harmonious Belgian-style blend of surprising strength. A dark, mysterious cherry-chestnut color. Flavors of dried dark fruit, chocolate, toffee, and caramel lend to the overall port-like aroma. A soft malt center gives way to a dry, warm, wine-like finish.

Pass me a mug.... Robyn

Thanks all of you. I am in Seattle and will check out Trader Joes and Whole foods.

tweetexT,
My husband developed a keen appreciation of Duvel when we went to Brussels. I bought him the special glass that it's served in. When we returned home, I was able to find --after much searching -- a store that sells Duvel. However, we also enjoyed Leffe in Brussels, and we were unable to find that. I ordered a case of it from Sam's Spirits in Chicago at Christmas. Expensive shipping, but we all enjoyed it:-) It takes my husband and me right back to the little restaurant on the Grand-Place, where we first tasted it.

http://www.samswine.com/homepage.asp

Best,
Sandy