Frothy Belgian Beauties

Belgium is known to most Americans for the eponymous waffle at Sunday brunch, but this small country nestled among France, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg produces more brands and types of beer than any country in the world. Typical estimates are around 500 different beers -- but including one-off specialty brews, the number exceeds 1,000.

So many beers, so little time. What's a Good Life writer to do?

On a recent trip to Belgium I became familiar with a number of these beers and was determined to not only bring some back but also to buy as many as I could once I returned. Unfortunately for your intrepid reporter, only a few of these beers are available here.

So If you can't make it to the Delirium Cafe in Brussels, here's a guide to some of the better Belgian beers available to American consumers. These beers are excellent, high-quality beverages, a few of which are handcrafted by Trappist monks. If you're a fan of beer and looking for something a little different, why not live the good life and give some of these a try? Find them in your local high-end liquor stores or online at BelgianShop.com.

Beer Through the Ages

A long time ago, way back in history,
When all there was to drink was nothin' but cups of tea,
Along came a man by the name of Charlie Mopps,
And he invented the wonderful drink, and he made it out of hops.

-- traditional British drinking song Beer, Beer, Beer

The origins of Belgian beer can be traced to the Middle Ages, when monasteries began brewing as a source of income, but beer has a much longer pedigree.

A 3,900-year-old Sumerian poem contains the oldest known recipe for beer (made from barley), and beer shows up in the written histories of Mesopotamians and ancient Egyptians. Beer is mentioned in the epic of Gilgamesh, dating from at least the seventh century B.C. The Thracians made beer from rye around the fifth century B.C., and it was an important drink of the early Roman civilization.

The Finns arguably hold beer in the highest esteem: Their national epic, the Kalevala, composed of centuries-old oral traditions, has more lines devoted to the origin and brewing of beer than it does to the origin of people.

To watch Sean Driscoll's video take of this column, please click here.