To many, the discovery of Belgian beers is a moment of great enlightenment, and to those of us who came to know them long ago, they are still amazing. The integration of technology, moxie and charm forms a righteous trinity, one that is orchestrated in the brewhouse.
On October 15, beer enthusiasts will have a new reason to celebrate: Otto, a new Belgian-style, bottle conditioned dubbel ale from Victory Brewing Company, will be available in 750 ml corked bottles.
The label is adorned with a tiny Scottish thistle, a reminder of Mac MacTarnahan, one of the original investors in Portland Brewing Co., who was still regularly donning a kilt and competing in various senior games before his death in 2004 at the age of 89.
It would be hard to deny that Belgian ales are often a spiritual experience—both literally and figuratively. Because of the alliance that many breweries have with religious abbeys, brewing is seen as equal parts technology and divinity, with some of the brews being downright sublime. Even so, many of Belgium’s secular breweries also seem blessed... View Article
