This Sunday evening calls for something more serious than my usual Friday beer.
The week was long, the work was heavy, the weekend was gone fast and when I opened the fridge there it was — waiting patiently. A bottle I had been saving for exactly this kind of moment.
It had been sitting there for a few days already, almost whispering "open me already".
So I grabbed my favourite wooden bottle opener, found a proper glass, and gave this
Belgian beauty the evening it deserved.
Grabbed this bottle of Hoegaarden Grand Cru and yes — this is not the regular
Hoegaarden you find on every corner. I got it at beloved Peifer shop in Homburg close to Eupen where they offer 1400 different beers. This beer is the "Bière Noble de Dégustation", their proud flagship, brewed with barley malt, fine hops, coriander, dried orange peel and — as the label says — a lot of patience. Unfiltered. Bottle conditioned.
8.5% ABV. This is not a session beer, friends.
Hoegaarden is one of those names that needs no big introduction in the beer world.
The village of Hoegaarden in Belgium has been brewing wheat beers since the 1400s.
Today brewed by beer giant InBev Belgium in Stoopkensstraat 46, B-3320 Hoegaarden —
the Grand Cru is their most serious statement.
Where the classic Hoegaarden is
light and refreshing, the Grand Cru is the grown-up version that went to university,
travelled the world and came back with stories. Yes!
The pour alone is worth the price. Hazy amber gold rushing into the glass,
misty and warm — that famous "peach tint" they describe on the label is absolutely real.
And the foam? Dense, pure white, sitting thick on top like it owns the place. Beautiful.
On the nose: coriander right away, a little orange peel, something faintly spicy
in the background. The label calls the aroma velvety — I'd sign that.
The taste is smooth upfront, gentle malt sweetness, then the spices arrive —
coriander, orange zest — and the whole thing wraps up in a soft, warm finish.
At 8.5% it could be dangerous, but it never shouts. Just perfect for my Sunday evening. It just quietly lingers. That is the Belgian way. 🍺
The worldwide beer community agrees — Hoegaarden Grand Cru holds a solid 3.76 rating on Untappd across thousands of check-ins.
One reviewer put it perfectly:
"Lovely hazy golden colour, spicy coriander nose, smooth and complex —
the 8.5% sneaks up on you."
Another kept it short and honest:
"This is not your standard witbier. Respect."
This was the perfect end to a heavy week. The Hoegaarden Grand Cru does everything right — it looks stunning, smells beautiful and tastes exactly like what the label promises: noble. When Belgians decide to make a serious tasting beer, they go all in.
Would I drink it again? Every time. Just maybe not on a Tuesday night — 8.5% demands a proper occasion. And a proper glass. Prost! 🍺
Cheers! 🍺
pic by 
@Detlev loves HIVE
