Launch: Affligem is Here!

Selamat datang, Affligem.

Kudos to GAB for bringing in a new beer, yeay! It's so nice to see them venture out of their Guinness and Tiger comfort zone. :p

Affligem is brought in by Heineken, which is part of GAB in Malaysia. Heineken actually has a slew of international and regional brands under its umbrella. Don't believe me? Check it out on wikipedia. Don't believe wikipedia? How about verifying it on the official Heineken international website.

 

(LH): Affligem's got good head. (RH): Affligem girls ready to ply you with Affligem 

So back to how Affligem is here.

At 6.8% it's not something you should chug down like your average lager (because it's not). It's a beer which you need to slowly drink and savour its flavour. The aroma and flavours come out better when served slightly less than icy cold. However, it can be a little pricey. The good news is that all (good) imported beers are already priced around the RM20++ anyways so we should be used to it by now, eh?

Ben Ng, showing us how to pour an Affligem

Very quickly, some info which I know you're dying to know.

What is it?
Affligem is a Belgian Abbey beer founded around 1074 by 6 knights who were done with the war, decided to become monks and brew beer. The recipe has supposedly been unchanged since 1074.

Fun fact: There are only 22 certified Abbey beers in the world today and Affligem is one of them.



The Range
Affligem actually has a few variations under its label:

Affligem Blonde - a Pale Ale at 6.8%
Affligem Dubbel -  a Dubbel at 7% ABV
Affligem Tripel - a Tripel at 9.5% ABV
Affligem Patersvat - a Belgian Ale at 6.8% ABV
Affligem Noel - a seasonal Christmas ale at 9% ABV

It's supposed to be available in both bottle and draught versions but for our Malaysia market, we'll only be introduced to the bottled Blond, for now. Why? I don't know either, but let's hope the rest will come in soon!

 

The dashing Will Quah was the emcee at the event & talented Poova entertained us with her lovely singing.

Description
Summarised from its official website:

Aroma: Fresh bread, banana, spice, citrus and hints of vanilla.
Taste: Malty, nutty, tropical fruit, dry light bitterness.
Mouth-feel: medium-bodied, smooth, round.
Finish: banana, yeasty spice, hoppy aroma.

If you ask me, I can only tell you that it tastes nice and that I liked it. It has a lot of weight and character. Though some may find it heavy, especially those not used to drinking beer.

 

There is a technique to this: tilt the glass 45 degrees and pour it out at a certain distance to get sufficient head (bubbles) - while you are pouring slowly tilt the glass upright. Towards the end of the bottle, you MUST swirl the bottle vigorously to dislodge the yeast before pouring the last bits out. This makes a difference to the taste of your drink.

Double Fermentation

If you look closely at its label, Affligem prides themselves of their double fermentation process. Now, the double fermentation process is usually done in champagne whereby after the liquid is bottled, additional sugar and yeast is added into the bottle itself. Why? To create even more gas, taste and ABV.

This process is rarely done in beers today, which is why Affligem is proud of it, and proudly displays it on their label.

Where can I buy it?
Should be made available in selected dining places, bars, grocers and convenience stores nationwide from October 2014.

For more:
www.affligembeer.com/


Images with thanks from: Suanie.net & GAB