Belgian Strong Ale

Like regular Belgian ales, the Belgian strong ales also can range in color from pale to dark varieties. Regardless of the color, however, the Belgian strong ales are significantly stronger in alcohol content (7% and higher) and more complex than their weaker counterparts, although the good examples are not harsh. Flavors for the pale colored varieites include earthy, yeasty, fruity, peppery, sweet, and spicey attributes, while the dark colored varieties include caramel, bready, dark fruits (figs, prunes, raisins, plums), sweet, and spicey character. Belgian strong ales are also normally fermented with an addition of candi sugar. The resulting mouthfeel is typically moderate, often deceivingly lighter than their malt and alcohol content would suggest, due to the added candi sugar and high carbonation levels. The pale and golden varieties of Belgian strong ales normally differ from abbey tripels (which could be considered a subcategory of golden Belgian strong ales) in their lower bittering levels than the tripels, while the dark strong ales differ from dubbels in their malt and alcohol levels, but often overlap with the Abbey Quadrupels on both malt and alcohol levels (Abbey Quadrupels could be considered a subcategory of dark Belgian strong ales).

	Beer | Location	Reviews	Score
	Stone Coast Underdog XXX ME, United States	0	0.000
	Stone Reason Be Damned CA, United States	1	3.200
	Straffe Bink Belgium	2	3.320
	Strange Fellows Goldilocks Golden Strong Canada	1	3.125
	Struise / Stillwater Outblack Belgium	4	3.343
	Struise New Years Blond Belgium	1	3.125
	Struise Pannepot Belgium	39	4.093
	Struise Pannepot Grand Reserva Oak Aged Belgium	18	4.148
	Struise Pannepot Reserva Oak Aged Belgium	11	3.857
	Studio Brew Galactic Elf TN, United States	0	0.000
	Summit Unchained 04 Belgian Style Golden Ale MN, United States	1	3.125
	Summit Unchained 10 Belgian Abbey Ale MN, United States	2	3.080
	Super des Fagnes Blonde Belgium	2	3.180
	Surly SeVIIn MN, United States	3	3.300
	Svaneke Jule Spektakel Denmark	1	3.025
	Sweetwater Dank Tank The Price Is Wrong GA, United States	1	3.225
	t IJ Columbus Netherlands	14	3.524
	t IJ Extra Speciale Vlo Netherlands	1	3.075
	t IJ IJnde Jaars Netherlands	0	0.000
	t IJ Struis Netherlands	16	3.600