Tripel Time: How Belgian Beer Is Evolving in America | Imbibe Magazine

Brian Purcell of Three Taverns Brewing. Photo: Andrew Thomas Lee

Over the last half-decade, Belgian beer’s wattage has dimmed stateside. Saisons have struggled to find traction and comprehension. Local breweries and taprooms have proliferated, negating the need for beer imported from across the Atlantic. To that point, Anheuser-Busch InBev is now producing Stella Artois stateside, and Spencer Brewery, America’s only Trappist brewery, ceased operations in Massachusetts this year. According to a website statement, “The monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey have come to the sad conclusion that brewing is not a viable industry for us.” 

Let’s not dwell on downfall. Trappist breweries are adapting to modern times by rolling out new beers, finding welcoming space at grocery and liquor stores, while other classic Belgian breweries are finding success with variety packs and swapping bottles for cans. Want a koozie with your can of Rodenbach Sour or Saison Dupont? Belgian-inspired American breweries are reframing and renaming beers made with Belgian yeast and realizing that it’s smart business to brew an IPA.

For my latest Imbibe future, I take a deep look at the evolving future of Belgian beer in America.