The region’s beers owe their success in part to the many monks and monasteries which have been producing beer there since the Middle Ages.

Belgian beers are known for complex flavor profiles. These flavors arise to a large degree from the use of Belgian yeast strains that produce esters and phenols which add floral, fruit, and spicy flavors and aromas to the beers. Belgians also use specific Noble hop strains that tend to be milder than American hops.

The use of long maturation times adds to the flavors in these beers. These are beers that cannot be rushed or made quickly.