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#seasonal
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Celebrating UK Small Business Week
Celebrating UK Small Business Week 2026: Why Supporting Independent Beer Retailers Matters From the 1st-7th June, the UK celebrates and promotes “UK Small Business Week”. It is a chance to recognise and celebrate the thousands of independent businesses that contribute so much to our local communities, economy, and culture. From family-run shops and [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
Petrus Lovers Competetion
Petrus Lovers, Assemble: Sip, Savour, and Win Big This May! Beer fans, listen up - May just got a whole lot more exciting. Over here at The Belgian Beer Company, we’re celebrating the magic of Petrus beers, and giving one lucky customer a chance to take home 24 cans of Petrus Aged Red. [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
La Trappe Quadrupel offer
Celebrate 35 Years of La Trappe Quadrupel with a Free Hoodie There are few beers in the world that can truly claim legendary status, and La Trappe Quadrupel is undoubtedly one of them. Rich, complex, and steeped in tradition, this iconic Trappist beer has been delighting beer enthusiasts for a whopping thirty-five years. [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
How to Explore the Gold Medal Wine Trail This Spring
Spring breathes new life into Virginia’s vineyards. As buds break and the days grow brighter, the entire state begins to stir with energy and color. It is the perfect moment […] The post How to Explore the Gold Medal Wine Trail This Spring appeared first on Virginia Wine Blog .
by Virginia Wine5 viewsgovernor-s-cupseasonalvirginia-wine - news
3/31/26: Northern Row's Cooper Heller Bock
You didn't really think I'd let March slip away without a bock post, did you? Because there's no way I'd do that. Sure, the bock drought I noted in previous years is still going on (for some reason), but that's not enough to dissuade me from trying at least one new-to-me variant of this spring varietal! After some serious search, I found a single can of Northern Row's Cooper Heller Bock. See that goat-disguised barrel on the label art? Yeah, I think this one'll fit this month's bill just fine. Northern Row Brewery & Distillery lives in a pre-Prohibition stock house within Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. They specialize in traditional-style beers that pay homage to Cincinnati's heritage (meaning they do up a mean German-inspired ale or lager). Head over to their website to find out more about them and their whole distilling deal . Cooper has a spot at the bottom of the brewery's "Seasonals" page . Here, showcased with what I assume is the bock's old label art, it's listed
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views6-melba-hiffsbockheller-bocknorthern-rowrating-9-5-10seasonal - news
Easter Gifts for the Grown Ups
Easter Gifts for Grown ups Easter has long been associated with indulgence — chocolate eggs, family feasts, and the welcome arrival of spring. But for those looking to elevate their celebrations, there’s a more refined option emerging: Easter beers. Rich, seasonal, and often brewed in limited quantities, these special releases offer a sophisticated [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
International Women’s Day 2026
International Women’s Day 2026: Why “Give to Gain” Matters to Me as a Female Founder By Samantha Goode, Owner of The Belgian Beer Company Every year on 8th March, the world comes together to celebrate International Women’s Day—a day that recognises the social, cultural, and economic achievements of women while reminding us that [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
Top 5 Beer Gifts for Saint Valentine’s Day
Top Five Beer Gifts for Saint Valentine’s Day (That Say “I Love You” Better Than Flowers) Valentine’s Day isn’t just about chocolates, roses, or candlelit dinners, it’s about celebrating connection, shared tastes, and moments worth remembering. And for the beer lover in your life, nothing says “I cherish you” quite like a beautifully [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
Winter Warmers: Belgian Beers Made for Cold Nights
Winter Warmers: Belgian Beers Made for Cold Nights As winter settles in and the nights draw longer, there’s nothing quite like a beer that offers warmth, depth and comfort. Belgian brewing, renowned for its tradition and craftsmanship, excels when it comes to beers that shine in the colder months. Rich, dark and full-bodied, [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
New! Mishka’s Handmade Artisan Truffles
New! Mishka’s Handmade Artisan Truffles — Landing Wednesday at The Belgian Beer Company Dear Chocolate Lover, We’re thrilled to share some delicious news: starting this Wednesday, The Belgian Beer Company will be stocking Mishka’s Truffles — those irresistible handmade Belgian artisan chocolates that are to die for. We love supporting small local businesses [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
The Chimay Trappist Brewery: A Legacy of Craftsmanship and Innovation
The Chimay Trappist Brewery: A Legacy of Craftsmanship and Innovation The Chimay Trappist Brewery, one of the most renowned names in the world of beer, has been a beacon of Belgian brewing tradition for 150 years. Located in the heart of Wallonia, Belgium, within the walls of the Scourmont Abbey, Chimay's roots stretch [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
10/31/25: Swine City Brewing Company's I Put a Spell on You, A Timely Halloween Post
Yet another Halloween season draws to a close. This is one of my top two favorite times of year (it's tied with the Christmas season). Now that my son's three, I find myself loving Halloween and its build up more and more. It's a shame it ends so soon! But I'm seeing it off with style. This is a beer I had on tap when we hung out with my in-laws for a late-birthday celebration. I loved it enough that I bought a sixer to bring home with me. Is it as good canned as it is from the source? Let's find out as I drink Swine City's I Put a Spell on You. Swine City 's located in an industrial part of Fairfield, OH. They boast a dive bar vibe while offering delicious craft beers, seltzers, wine, and food (hot dogs, via Underdog). The vibe of the place is unmatched--there's nothing corporate here. Just gritty, do-it-yourself craft beer. If I lived closer to the place, I'd be there all the time. The first thing that grabbed me about canned I Put a Spell on You (Spell, henceforth) was the label. It
by noreply@blogger.com (John)5 views7-melba-hiffsalehalloweenpumpkinpumpkin-pierating-10-10 - news
10/30/25: Fat Orange Cat Brew Co.'s Cat-O-Lantern
Now come the dark days! Tonight, we stand upon the precipice of that most harrowing of dates: All Hallows' Eve! Spirits shall speak, the dead shall rise, and all manner of horrors will bump into the night, bringing untold gloom and misery into the world! What few comforts we have we should do well to keep close to us. Family, hearth, home, light, good food, and good drink. These are the very things which to aside these nightmares! These are the very things which will bring us through the coming dark and into the brighter days yet ahead! For my part, I keep all that bring me that sense of safety well at-hand during this season of ghoulish tidings and haunts. Though the cold and dark press against my window, I keep them at bay, if only for a little longer yet. The elixir housed safely within the can upon my table prohibits the horrors from entering my abode. See now the power of Fat Orange Cat's Cat-O-Lantern! The fabled brewhouse of Fat Orange Cat has forever closed its gates of its pic
by noreply@blogger.com (John)5 views5-henrietta-hiffsbrown-alefat-orange-catimperialrating-10-10seasonal - news
10/21/25: Schlafly Beer's Vanilla Pumpkin Ale
October keeps rolling on. Soon enough, the big night will be here (it's next week!). Until then, I have a small handful of pumpkin and Halloween-inspired beverages to get to. Will I make it to all of them? We'll see. That's the scariest part of the season for me. Tonight, however, we're visiting a variant of an old favorite: Schlafly's Pumpkin Ale . How does adding vanilla to a tried-and-true standby tweak the flavor? Let's dive in and find out. Schlafly changed beer in Missouri when they opened St. Louis' first brewery since Prohibition. Tom Schlafly had become infatuated with New England craft beer in the '80s. After a change in state law in 1991, Schlafly opened it's brewpub doors in AB InBev's backyard. Tom pushed for looser beer distribution regulations in 1993 and his efforts saw Schlafly hitting bars and store shelves. The brewery opened a secondary location in 2003 when the demand for their ales exceeded what they could make. Check out their "History" page for more information
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 viewslimitedpumpkin-alerating-8-0-10schlaflyseasonalsix-melba-hiffs - news
How to Host Your Own Oktoberfest Party
How to Host Your Own Oktoberfest Party As autumn rolls in and the evenings take on that familiar golden glow, there’s one event that dominates the beer world – Oktoberfest. You might expect us, at The Belgian Beer Company, to stay firmly in our lane of Trappist ales, abbey brews and world-class blondes, [...]
by Robert Goode1 viewseasonalfeatured - news
10/10/25: Wolf's Ridge Brewing's Pumpkin Spice Daybreak
Here we are. Over a week into October and it's finally starting to feel like fall. Sure the sun's shining, but I could see my breath when I took Lottie out this morning and it's a steady 68° in my house without the air running. What better way to grace the triumphant return of the best season than by breaking the seal on Spooky Finger Puppet Ghost Month 2025? To christen the pumpkin season on the blog, we're doing up Wolf's Ridge's Pumpkin Spice Daybreak. Let's see how it's drinking. Wolf's Ridge is a Columbus, OH brewpub founded by father and son duo, Alan and Bob Szuter, in 2013. Bob brought food to the table, while Alan brought the love of beer and the business acumen. Together, they've grown the brewery into an award-winning entity that you can regularly find on store shelves across Ohio, at least. Here's their "About" page if you want to know more. Pumpkin Spice Daybreak is a variant of Wolf's Ridge's Daybreak (which I haven't tried). The seasonal 5% ABV cream ale features the cof
by noreply@blogger.com (John)5 views5-melba-hiffscoffeecream-alepumpkinrating-5-5-10seasonal - news
9/30/25: Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen
We've reached the end of Oktoberfest season. Tomorrow, we turn to a new page on the calendar, one that's darker, spookier, pumpkinier. But, for now, the sun's shining, the grass is browning, and insects and birds are making music. It's still September and still prime time for an Oktoberfest beer. To honor the closure of this season of the blog, we're doing a beer from Germany, as is tradition. Spaten is one of the "Big Six" Oktoberfest breweries because they're one of the original Munich breweries that offers their lager at the official celebration. Today, we're drinking Spaten's Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen. Prost ! Spaten (full name Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu) is one of those illustrious breweries whose history goes back centuries. According to "The Spaten Story," the brewery traces its lineage back to 1397 (nearly six-hundred years before the Salem Witch Trials), when a Munich tax document listed a brewer as the owner of the place where Spaten would operate. Through the coming ages, Spa
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views2-melba-whiffslageroktoberfestrating-7-0-10seasonalspaten - news
9/28/25: Northern Row's Schwester
This is the penultimate Oktoberfest post of 2025, which features a lager I picked up in July. It's been sitting in my fridge since, waiting patiently for this evening. So, let's go. Here's Northern Row's take on an Oktoberfest lager: Schwester. Northern Row's located in Cincinnati, OH's Over-the-Rhine. They're focused on crafting innovative beer out of their home in a pre-Prohibition brewery stock house. You can find a little more info over on their "Northern Row Beer" page . If you explore their website, you'll also find that they distill spirits. Schwester (located on the page hyperlinked in the above paragraph) is a 5.6% ABV festbier brewed in collaboration with Meckesheim, Germany's Schumi's Mecksebräu . For those wondering, the connection with Meckesheim is that it's the sister city of Harrison (a city just west of Cincinnati). The nose on my can is subdued. All the same, what little I find is clean, hoppy, biscuity, and bready. That's all there is to it. There isn't any malt
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views4-melba-hiffsfestbierlagernorthern-rowoktoberfestrating-7-5-10 - news
9/19/25: Wandering Monsters Brewery's Ludwig
Today's beer is one I picked up on a whim this week (meaning it wasn't originally slated for this month!). Michelle and I took the time to finally head to Wandering Monsters, one of the newest breweries in our area. I had a pour of their Oktoberfest and enjoyed it so much that I nabbed a few bottles of it to bring home. Yes, this isn't the first time I'm drinking Ludwig. However, I'm excited to sit and really mull it over. Will I like it as much from the bottle as I do on tap? Let's find out! Wandering Monsters opened their doors in Cincinnati's Anderson Township in July, 2023 (man, it took us a good damn while to get over to them!). It's headed by Jason Brewer, who worked at the now-(unfortunately-)defunct Listermann Brewing Company before branching out to found Wandering Monsters. The brewery's truly family friendly (unlike other breweries that claim to be but really aren't). Zac Boehnke, the brewing mastermind at also now-defunct Braxton Labs, is Wandering Monsters' head b
by noreply@blogger.com (John)5 views5-melba-hiffsfestbieroktoberfestrating-10-10seasonalwandering-monsters - news
9/18/25: Three Floyds' Brewing Co.'s Munsterfest
I'd intended to get this post up a few weeks ago. Back then, the air was chilly and crisp. There was that distinctive autumnal aroma on the breeze. It would've been perfect for the blog to ring in Oktoberfest season. Alas, I waited too long. Now, we're back to 90-degree days with air quality alerts. It's still summer, and the weather wants us to know it. But hey, at least it's a good day for a lager! I'm doing up Three Floyds Munsterfest today. I bought it primarily for the label--I, much like my toddler, love Godzilla. Let's see if this Oktoberfest-style lager is just label-temptation or the real deal! Since it's been nearly six years since Three Floyds last graced the blog, let's talk about them for a bit. The brewery got its start in Hammond, IN back in 1996 when Nick Floyd began brewing on a mishmash of equipment. After getting a few renowned beers under the Three Floyds flag, the operation expanded to Munster, IN in 2001 and opened a brewpub in '04. Since then, the brewery's
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views3-melba-hiffsfestbierlageroktoberfestrating-7-0-10seasonal - news
12/29/24: Tröegs Independent Brewing's The Mad Elf Grand Cru, a Late Christmas Post
It's Christmas! Okay, it's after Christmas. My week didn't go quite as planned but that's fine. I spent more time with my family, which means I had more fun than I'd anticipated. How was your Christmas? Did Santa bring you what you wanted? Or, was your stocking filled with coal and fish heads? I'm here at home now after a whirlwind near-week away. My tree's lit and I'm bundled up and snuggled under a blanket. Today's beer marks the end of the holiday season for me. So, with a grateful prayer and a thankful heart let's to it: Tröegs' The Mad Elf Grand Cru. Tröegs is the creation of brothers John and Chris Trogner. They both found a love of brewing in Colorado and brought it home to Central Pennsylvania with them. They opened their brewery in 1997 and have been brewing (and expanding) since. Here's their "Our Story" page if you want all of the details I skipped over here (there're plenty of them!). The Mad Elf Grand Cru is a souped up version of The Mad Elf . This 11% ABV bruiser of an a
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views15-hiffschristmasrating-9-5-10seasonaltroegs - news
12/21/24: Masthead Brewing Company's Robot Santa's Christmas Ale
It's the Winter Solstice! Okay, so it was at four o'clock this morning but who cares? After this, the nights will begin growing shorter and the days longer. Tonight's a night for keeping indoors, reading and listening to music, and staying warm and comfortable against the long dark without your home. A beer certainly wouldn't go amiss. Since it's still the holiday season, I have a Christmas ale slated for tonight: Masthead's Robot Santa's Christmas Ale (Robot Santa from here on out). How is it? Well, I've had it before so I know. This'll be a fun mystery for you! Masthead 's based in Cleveland, OH. They're located downtown in a building on the National Register of Historic Places. They're "...known for [their words] our ever evolving lineup of juicy New England IPAs, Neapolitan-style pizza, and our barrel aged beer utilizing exclusively allocated whiskey barrels from top-rated distilleries." Robot Santa's presence on the brewery's website is a link to Untappd, so we'll follow Masthead'
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views13-hiffschristmas-alemastheadrating-6-5-10seasonal - news
12/11/24: State of Brewing's Holiday Ale
Sorry this is coming so late in the month! I have five beers slated for the holiday season and I'm anticipating getting through them all by the big day itself. Is your tree trimmed? Are your lights up? Gifts secured and wrapped? Mine, neither (well, okay, our tree is trimmed and lights are up. The gifts are another story). December's hectic. Take a moment, grab a cold one, and snuggle up for the first Christmas season post of 2024: State of Brewing's Holiday Ale. State of Brewing's a beer brand owned by Aldi (the grocery chain). It's not an actual brewery. The brewery that brews State of Brewing beers--please appreciate that I used "beers" here instead of "brews"--is Octopi Brewing, out of Wisconsin. I have two quick links for you: One that talks about about Octopi and another that's a post I did for a beer they made under their own name . Holiday Ale (Octopi-made and Aldi-owned and -sold) currently has a spot on Aldi's website . This lists the 5.6% ABV ale as a seasonal ale that
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views7-hiffsaldiholiday-alerating-8-5-10seasonalstate-of-brewing - news
11/17/24: Shacksbury Cider's Sugar Shack
Surprise! It's another cider post! Seriously, I had such a rough time finding maple beers to get to this season. Luckily, the cider makers have come through for me. Maple syrup and hard cider has been one of my favorite flavor combinations since I first stumbled upon it. I'm excited to see how Shacksbury's Sugar Shack, today's cider, plays into the combo. Shacksbury 's based in the Champlain Valley (Addison County) of Vermont and is named after an old hamlet that was making cider in the area back in the 1840s. The cider they make is complex and organic. I couldn't find Sugar Shack on Shacksbury's website (although I did track down this Instagram post !), so we'll let Untappd tell us about today's cider. Unfortunately, there's not much here. This just states the 5.5% ABV cider has "...maple and vanilla." My can provides a bit more of a story while letting us know it's made with vanilla bean paste instead of extract or artificial vanilla flavor. The bouquet is a little drier, a lit
by noreply@blogger.com (John)4 views6-whiffs8-0-10cidermaple-monthseasonalshacksbury-cider