Light and not too strong beer: what to drink after the New Year holidays
The New Year holidays are a time of abundant feasts, rich dishes, and, often, strong drinks. By mid-January, the body inevitably asks for a break. This does not mean that you have to cancel meetings with friends — you can simply replace strong alcohol with light and fresh beer. We will tell you which varieties are best to choose.
The lightest styles
Light beer is an excellent choice for the post-holiday period. Thanks to its moderate strength, it does not burden the digestive system and liver, allowing them to recover after the holiday stress.
What we recommend drinking in January:
— Wheat beer (witbier). It is made exclusively from natural ingredients: water, barley malt, wheat, hops, and brewer’s yeast. It has an interesting spicy taste due to the addition of orange peel and spices, as well as a slight hop bitterness, which is balanced by the sweetness of malt. Wheat varieties help to «cleanse» the taste buds after heavy, fatty foods, restore balance, and make it easier to return to a normal eating pattern.
— Belgian Blonde. This style combines the light sweetness of malt with the fruity and spicy notes (pear, apple, pepper) characteristic of Belgian yeast. There is a delicate bitterness in the aftertaste. This beer has a recognizable Belgian character, but remains surprisingly drinkable and refreshing.
— Low-alcohol ales and lagers. A simple and light beer with a soft texture, pleasant sweet malt tones, velvety hop freshness, and a harmonious aftertaste. Thanks to its low alcohol content (3–5%), it is easy on the body, and its clean taste allows it to be paired with a wide variety of foods.
Food pairing
Winter varieties with their rich flavors should be served with equally rich dishes. Low-alcohol January beer, on the other hand, requires equally light snacks. It is important that the beer does not overpower, but refreshes, complements, and emphasizes the pure flavors of the dishes.
The ideal pairing for light beer would be:
— Salads and fresh vegetables. For example, green salad with citrus dressing, eggplant salad, chicken salad, Greek salad. We recommend pairing with wheat beer or light ale.
— Fish and seafood. Baked white fish, shrimp, mussels, oysters. Belgian wheat beer is an excellent pairing for fish dishes. The slight bitterness and citrus notes in the beer create the perfect contrast to seafood.
— Light protein dishes and pasta. Omelets with herbs, steamed turkey or chicken cutlets, veal meatballs, pasta with vegetable-based sauces (such as pesto) or cream. Can be paired with any light beer — it will perfectly refresh and balance the richness and fat content of the meat.
— Appetizers and cheeses. These can be fresh goat cheeses, young brined cheeses (Adyghe, feta), bruschetta with toppings. An interesting option is to pair a light but aromatic Belgian blonde with semi-hard aged cheeses such as Gouda, where the drink will gently offset the fat content of the cheese.
Tried and tested varieties from the Lambic menu
We have compiled a selection of the lightest beers available at Lambic beer restaurants:
— St. Bernardus Wit — a traditional Belgian pale beer with a refreshing taste and sweet aroma. The taste is smooth and refreshing, with honey sweetness and hints of citrus and spices. The aftertaste is long, dry, slightly tart, with a balance of sweetness and bitterness. The aroma has nuances of malt, wheat, biscuits, citrus, cilantro, cloves, banana, and coriander.
— Brugse Zot Blonde — a light Belgian ale with a unique taste. This low-alcohol beer is brewed from two varieties of hops and four types of malt, and after fermentation, it undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. The taste is dominated by sweet fruit notes, which blend harmoniously with the bitterness of hops and nuances of yeast, allspice, spices, and herbs. The aftertaste is slightly bitter, and the aroma, in addition to fruit, yeast, and hops, has notes of chewing gum and cloves.
— Sater Premium Lager — a Belgian lager with a balanced, clean taste, in which hop bitterness harmoniously combines with the sweetness of malt. It has a delicate and pleasant aroma with hints of grain, malt, and light herbal notes.
— Eggenberg Hopfenkonig — another lager, but this one is from Austria. It has a balanced, dry, delicate taste with notes of fresh bread, cream, biscuit, and subtle herbal nuances. It is very tasty, drinkable, and refreshing.
To get the most out of a light beer, choose the right glass for it — tall and thin for wheat beer, tulip-shaped for blonde beer. And if you are unsure about your choice or want to discover something new, come to Lambic: our experts will recommend a variety that is sure to win your heart. See you after the holidays!
Which Belgian beer to try for the first time: a guide for beginners
Contents How is Belgian beer different from «regular» beer? Styles for beginners: from simple to complex Taste preferences: what to choose Practical tips Belgium is a country where beer has long been a national treasure. Hundreds of varieties, unique traditions, monastery recipes, and innovative approaches have created an incredible diversity that can surprise any tourist. If you have decided to try Belgian beer for the first time, this guide will help you navigate the world of complex aromas and unusual flavors. How is Belgian beer different from «regular» beer? Unlike the familiar lagers, most Belgian varieties are special fermentation ales. Their secret lies in unique yeasts that create a complex bouquet with fruity, spicy, and sometimes peppery notes. Here, it is not so much the bitterness of the hops that is valued, but rather the balance, aroma, and aftertaste. Many recipes have been carefully preserved by monasteries or local breweries for centuries. The second important aspect is the widespread use of sugars. Caramelized sugar in dark varieties gives a rich color and taste of dried fruit, while simple sugar in light ales increases the strength, keeping the beer surprisingly light and drinkable. Some varieties undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle, which makes them lively, sparkling, and capable of evolving in flavor over time. Styles for beginners: from simple to complex Which beer should you try? Start with the «classic» styles — blonde, wheat beer, and fruit ale. Belgian blonde ale is a golden, clear beer with a moderate alcohol content of 6–7.5%. Its taste is perfectly balanced: soft malt sweetness, pronounced fruity and spicy notes (often apple, pear, and pepper), and a delicate, rounded bitterness in the aftertaste. Classic examples: La Chouffe, Affligem Blonde. Witbier (white beer) is brewed with a large amount of unmalted wheat, which gives it its characteristic cloudiness and silky texture. Mandatory ingredients are coriander and dried orange peel, which add citrus freshness and a spicy aroma. Examples: Blanche De Bruges, Corsendonk Blanche. Fruit ales based on lambic are an option for those looking for an unusual but not too extreme flavor. Lindemans Kriek is a cherry beer with a bright, juicy, dessert-like taste. A more complex option is Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait. Dubbel — a dark ruby or brown beer with an alcohol content of 6–8% and a rich, warm taste. You will taste dark bread, caramel, raisins, prunes, and sometimes light chocolate tones. Examples: Westmalle Trappist Dubbel, Corsendonk Pater. Flemish red ale (e.g., Rodenbach Grand Cru) is aged in oak barrels for two years, acquiring a complex flavor with notes of cherry, raspberry, red currant, and a pleasant vinegar-balsamic sourness. Lambic — the result of spontaneous fermentation, maturing for years in oak barrels. The pinnacle of this style is geuze, a blend of young and aged lambic with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Examples: Geuze Mariage Parfait, Lindemans Oude Gueuze Cuvée René. Taste preferences: what to choose — If you like sweet and caramel flavors: choose a dubbel or quadruple.— If you like bitter and spicy flavors: try a Belgian strong pale ale.— If you like sour and refreshing: start with Flemish red ale, then move on to geuze.— If you like light and fruity: go for witbier or fruit lambic (e.g., cherry Kriek).— If you want a balanced and classic taste: Belgian blond is the one for you. Practical tips Serving Belgian beer is a ritual. Each style often has its own glass, the shape of which reveals the aroma. Light and fruity varieties are served at 6—8°C, strong ales and dubbels at 10—12°C, and geuze at 12—14°C. Pairing tips: blondes and witbiers — with mussels, white fish, salads, and light appetizers; dubbels and tripels — with aged cheeses like Gouda or Maasdam; sour ales — with fatty meat dishes; quadrupels — with dark chocolate and coffee desserts. All the varieties we have described in this article can be sampled at the Lambic chain of beer restaurants. Come visit us — we will recommend the most delicious beer and select the perfect gastronomic accompaniment!
26 December 2025
Belgian beer instead of champagne: ideas for a New Year's toast
Contents What can replace champagne: understanding the varieties Champagne or beer: what’s the difference? Choosing varieties and snacks Champagne has long been a symbol of New Year’s Eve. But if you want to celebrate the holiday in an original way, we recommend experimenting by offering your guests Belgian sparkling beer instead of traditional bubbles. It will create the same festive feeling of freshness and lightness, but with a unique beer character. We will tell you which beer to choose and what to pair it with. What can replace champagne: understanding the varieties Belgium produces several styles of beer that are excellent alternatives to champagne: — Gueuze, or Brussels champagne. It is made by mixing young and aged lambic, a spontaneously fermented beer. The mixture is bottled, where the sugars from the young beer trigger a secondary fermentation. The result is a dry, complex, tart and sour beer with a sparkling, lacy head and aromas of apples, citrus, vanilla, spices, and oak.— Fruit lambic (Kriek, Framboise) is a spontaneously fermented beer to which berries or fruits are added. The fruit sugars trigger a new fermentation, not only giving the beer an intense berry flavor and rich color, but also filling it with lively, natural carbonation. This is not sweet lemonade, but a refined, sparkling drink that balances on the edge of sour and fruity.— Flemish red ale is a foamy drink that resembles both beer and wine. It is a blend of young and old dark ale, aged in oak barrels for months and even years, which gives the drink a subtle, piercing, vinegary-fruity acidity and a complex aroma of red berries, cherries, vanilla, and oak. Despite its often moderate carbonation, its dry, tart, and clean finish make it an excellent alternative to light red wines and complex sparkling wines. Champagne or beer: what’s the difference? Like champagne, Belgian beer should be served in the right glass. The ideal choice is a flute or tulip glass. These will highlight the bubbles and reveal the aroma. The serving temperature is also similar—6—9°C. In terms of flavor profile, there are virtually no similarities. Instead of the toasty, yeasty, and almond notes of champagne, you get a whole palette: from the sharp, wine-sour woodiness of geuze to the juicy bouquet of cherry criqu. Thanks to their acidity and complexity, these styles of beer, like champagne, are perfect for an aperitif. In addition, they go well with a variety of foods. Choosing varieties and snacks New Year’s alcoholic beverages should be chosen according to the mood and menu of your festive table. Here are some foolproof varieties of Belgian beer and snacks that go well with them: — Brussels champagne Lindemans Oude Gueuze Cuvée René. It has a complex, pleasant taste with an exquisite balance of sourness and sweetness. The aftertaste is dry and tart, with pronounced wine notes. Salmon tartare or smoked roast beef are good gastronomic pairings for this variety. The acidity and carbonation of the beer balance the fat and saltiness of these dishes. It can also be paired with mussels and rich cheeses.— Lindemans Kriek is a classic cherry lambic from the brewery of the same name. It has a juicy, full-bodied flavor with a perfect balance of sourness and sweetness. It pairs well with baked Camembert with truffle paste or any salad. The creamy texture of the cheese creates an interesting contrast, while light vegetable dishes harmonize well with the fruitiness and acidity.— Petrus Rood Bruin is a red Flemish ale with a complex, balanced flavor and a pleasant sourness. The aroma is multifaceted, with subtle tones of oak barrel and malt, complemented by delicate berry nuances. The ideal gastronomic pairing is Flemish beef and other meat dishes, stewed vegetables, and unsweetened pastries. Celebrating New Year’s Eve with Belgian sparkling beer is a great opportunity to try something new and enjoy vivid emotions and impressions that will be remembered for a long time.
26 December 2025