When in Louisville, Drink as the Belgians Would

With time to spare prior to Roky Erickson's show, I set off down Louisville's Bardstown Road in search of a friendly pint. At Flanagan's Ale House, which stayed surprisingly quiet around happy hour, the chalkboard announced the beginning of Belgium Beer Week, so I settled in for a few new sensations, only rebuffing the bartender when he told me I needed to try Kwak (it's been nearly a decade since our first encounter).

The search for low-alcohol beers didn't take long, and this trio - the former from Michigan and the latter two from Belgium - emerged as early favorites. None are available in Tennessee, so I savored the chance at new pours for the palette.

E.S. Bam
Jolly Pumpkin reproduces offshoots of its roundly excellent Belgian Farmhouse Bam Biere for all seasons, and E.S. Bam could taste more different than the dry, slightly sour citrus the original Bam, a dear favorite.

Without the bottle conditioning to round it out, E.S. Bam, takes on a much drier form, with a sharpener hop flavor and slight sourness near the finish. It is definitely Belgian style; the hops are present, not obnoxious and never come near to running away with this ale.

An 8-oz. pour felt slight, but by the last sip, this souped-up saison came close to wearing out its welcome. Worth a try for those who enjoy ingenuity under the saison umbrella. Not essential for hop-heads, who might find it underwhelming. Jolly Pumpkin definitely hit on a fresh recipe, although not one vibrant enough to steer me away from original Bam.

Brugse Zot
As the only brew originating from Brugges, Belgium's impeccably preserved Medieval commerce center, I expect some unique flourishes. Brewery Halve Maan did not cut corners in any department on this 6.5 percent blonde which owes more of its flavor to banana than almost any beer. It sports an elusive nose with mild banana and faint traces of tropical fruits.

The banana is a constant, with traces of mellon and a dry citrus finish amped up by the spicy trio of chamomile, lemon pepper and coriander. The coriander deserves the last mention, because the herbal notes prevent it from taking a lead role as in many tripels. On the finish, the lemony dryness lends a little extra bite to the palette.

Brugse Zot translates as "Bruges fools," a nickname the towns residents long ago adopted. While saisons primarily hail from the French-speaking lands of Belgium, the Flemish Brugse Zot feels like the region's own stab at the style and it delivers a mighty payload of flavor. That owes something to the grainy textures present throughout.

Once again, painting Belgian beer culture with a broad stroke is pure folly. This magnificent ale is pure Bruges. Easily the most unique Belgian I tasted in years.

Cuvee de Trolls
Forget any expectations of something old, gnarled and bitter; this Dubuisson product pours so pale it could pass for American lager. But the similarities end there. How the makers of Scaldis picked the name "troll" is beyond me, because this eminently

It finishes quite sweet without much dryness; in that aspect, Cuvee de Trolls comes pretty close to a Lemon Drop shot. Bright in character and lemon, other flavors don't emerge, and they would only intrude it they did.

While not overwhelming, Cuvee de Trolls could be a perfect session ale for a scorching summer evening. but at 7 percent ABV, that's pushing it, so save Cuvee de Trolls for a nightcap, lest its influence twist your personality into that of its namesake.