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Typical sweet bitterness with a fruity dimension.

La bière belge La Uccle Centre de la brasserie Bieres de Quartier est une IPA avec un taux d'alcool de 6.4%. La brasserie itinérant est connue pour ses bières artisanales brassées dans des brasseries différentes mais toujours liées à un quartier de Bruxelles.Bière de style IPA rouge

This IPA is only dry-hopped with Mosaic hops.

Please note the product is in a 44cl can

5 different hops make it a fairly bitter beer, easy to drink and very refreshing.

La bière belge Martin's IPA 55 de la brasserie John Martin est une IPA avec un taux d'alcool de 6.5%. La brasserie, située en Belgique, est connue pour ses bières telles que la Gordon Finest Gold et la Timmermans. Découvrez la Martin's IPA 55, une IPA bien fait pour les amateurs de bonnes bières.

A subtle taste between cereal and hops.

Découvrez la bière belge Huyghe et sa bière en canette, la Paranoia , une NEIPA à 5.6%.

La Passe-Partout is a dry and bitter beer with a lemony touch. It offers a nice length in the mouth for such a low alcohol beer.

Portal is a Session IPA beer with wheat and oats for a nice smooth mouthfeel. Very easy to drink.

Session IPA which is strong on the aromatic side of hops.

Indeed this session is really more English style than Belgian, the aromatic of the hops is sharper and the cereal does not sweeten the beer which guarantees a kick of bitterness at the end of the mouth.

Aromatic side (citrus, passion fruit, mango, etc.) and bitterness.

Low alcohol but it has a lot of body.

Tandem is a white IPA brewed with rye and Pacific gem, Citra and Chinook hops. Hops and rye contribute to the dry finish of the beer.

Taras Boulba is a light lager, generously hopped with the finest aromatic hops, giving it a very refreshing character and a fragrance reminiscent of citrus. The nose offers delicate aromas of spices, malt, hops and lemon. You can even smell slight notes of cookies, caramel and a bit of vanilla. Taras Boulba has a blonde colour with white foam. In the mouth, you can feel the bitterness present. You can also taste notes of caramel and lemon. It is a beer full of character but also thirst-quenching and refreshing. The finale of the beer is dry. 

Though Taras Boulba has now become many people's favourite beer, it had a rough start. First, Taras Boulba beer was created only for the brewers and their friends. The brewers claimed that they were only drinking their other famous beer, the Zinnebir, and they needed something lighter. Thus, Taras Boulba was born. After only drinking it by themselves, the brewers decided to start selling Taras Boulba locally. The problem was that the bitter beers had not yet made their name in Belgium. Only De Ranke brewery, whose niche is bitter beers, was in the market. The brewers had to fight hard and talk a lot with local beer bars and pubs to get their beer out. Finally, their beer has not only become popular locally but also internationally. 

Like Taras Boulba, all the beers of brewery de la Senne are brewed in a traditional way: unfiltered, unpasteurized and without additives.

Taras Boulba is also the favourite beer of Beercrush creator Florian. 

History and origin of the Taras Boulba beer name. 

The name Taras Boulba refers to a novel written by Nikolai Gogol. The novel is the story of Taras Boulba, who goes with his two sons to war against the Polish. One of the sons is in love with a Polish girl. The son helps the girl get some food during the war. Once Taras finds out about this, he kills his son. The brewers use this as a reference to the struggle between Flemings and Walloons in Belgium. 

Want to know more about Taras Boulba beer? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions answered:

• What does the Taras Boulba beer label mean?

The Taras Boulba beer label is also related to the novel by Nikolai Gogol. On the label, you can see two men in front of a circus. A father and a son. The father is angry and holding a big barrel above his head, ready to throw it at his son while yelling "Smeirlap!". There is a comment on the label in the Brussels dialect. The comment states: "Behold, Taras Boulba is furiously angry. His son has married a Walloon!" The label is an interpretation of the novel, but with a Belgian twist reflecting the complicated relationship between Walloons and Flemings. 

• Where is Taras Boulba beer brewed?

Brewery de la Senne is located in Brussels near Tour & Taxis between Laeken and Molenbeek neighbourhood. Tour & Taxis is an old industrial site made up mostly of warehouses that now has been turned into a cultural site. Brewery de la Senne has their brewing spot and a bar there. You are always welcome to degustate their beers.

• What are the ingredients of Taras Boulba beer?

Taras Boulba is made of water, malted barley, noble hops, yeast and fermentable sugar. 

• How to serve Taras Boulba beer?

It is best to use a tulip-shaped beer glass for serving Taras Boulba beer. The tulip-shaped glass is perfect for IPA beers or hoppy beers as it allows the drinker to swirl the beer around the glass and release the full aromas. The ideal serving temperature is 5 degrees celsius. 

• What are other similar beers to Taras Boulba?

If you like hoppy beers, you should see our IPA beer collection. 

• Is Taras Boulba gluten-free?

No, Taras Boulba is not gluten-free. You can find a large variety of gluten-free beers available from brasserie 28. 

• What are some other beers brewed by la Senne brewery?

Some other famous craft beers by the Senne brewery are Zinnebir, Bruxellensis, Jambe de Bois, Stouterik and Saison du Meyboom, among many others.

Photo : brasserie de la Senne.

Want to buy Taras Boulba beer online? All you need to do is add the beer to the cart! You may also find Taras Boulba in our Belgian or Brussels beer boxes or in our monthly beer subscription boxes. 

La bière belge Trotinette de la brasserie DrinkDrink est la bière sans alcool du moment. Elle a tout pour plaire. Elle est même certifié bière biologique. La Trotinette est une IPA légère avec un taux d'alcool de 0.4%. Pour les amateurs qui apprècient aussi l'alcool, la brasserie DrinkDrink propose la Bicylcette, la Tandem et la BMX parmi ses bières permanentes.

Troubadour Magma is an amber-coloured IPA beer that is the flagship beer of the Musketeers brewery. The beer has the bitter characteristics of an American India Pale Ale that is softened with a fruity Belgian triple. The beer has a generous white head. This high fermentation beer is a beer full of character!

On the nose, you feel an explosion of fruity aromas due to dry hopping. You will also notice aromas of hops, malt, yeast and spices. 

The taste of Troubadour Magma is hops, malt, yeast, citrus, caramel and spices. It is a spicy, bitter beer that is slightly sweet. Troubadour Magma has a soft finish. 

The Musketeers brewery has been operating since 2000. The name troubadour comes from the troubadours who were storytellers and singers and passed along stories across countries. The brewers have named their beers to reference their local tradition. 

As young Belgian beer brewers, they also travel a lot. In America, the hoppy beers had taken off, which inspired the brewers of the Musketeers. In Belgium, bitter beers were not a trend yet, but there were a few on the market. As soon as Troubadour Magma entered the market, it became an instant hit. A dutch singer, Rob De Nijs, has sung that real beer lovers go for bitter. 

The Troubadour Magma is a beer ideal to enjoy on sunny days both in summer and winter.

Learn more about the beer and get the answers to the most common questions:

• Where is Troubadour Magma brewed?

Before the Musketeers brewery had its own place, the beer was brewed on commission by De Proefbrouwerij in Lochristi. De Proefbrouwerij is specially built for the production of beer by third parties. So to say startups or new brewers who do not have their brewery yet. In 2019 the Troubadour Magma beer moved to the Musketeers' own brewery. The Brouwerij the Musketeers is located in Belgium between Antwerp and Gent, in Saint-Gilles-Waes. 

• What foods and dishes are good to pair with Troubadour Magma beer?

The Troubadour Magma beer goes great with seafood like fish, mussels or shellfish. It is also good with poultry. Moreover, you can pair the beer with Asian cuisine, hard cheeses and salad. Surprisingly, it also goes well with dessert and patisserie. 

• How to serve Troubadour Magma? 

Like most IPA beers, Troubadour Magma fits best in a tulip-shaped beer glass. This glass allows you to swirl the drink so that it can reveal all its aromas. It is best to serve the beer between 5 to 8 degrees celsius. 

• How bitter is Troubadour Magma?

To speak about bitterness, we use the International Bitterness Units, the IBU. The IBU of Troubadour Magma is 45. This means that it falls slightly more on the bitter side, as generally speaking, most beers have an IBU between 15 to 80. 

• When was Troubadour Magma beer launched? 

Troubadour Magma was not the brewery's first beer. The first beer they brewed was Troubadour Blonde in 2000. Troubadour Magma was launched in 2010 at the Zythos Beer Festival. It became an immediate success, and since 2011, at the end of every summer, the brewery has also launched a special edition of Troubadour Magma. 

• What awards has Troubadour Magma won? 

Troubadour Magma is an awarded beer. It has won more awards than you can count on fingers on two hands. For several years, it has won awards at the Beer Awards Digitaal Festival. The beer also won awards at the Zythos Beer Festival, Helsinki Beer Festival, World Beer Awards and Brussels Beer Challenge. 

• What other beers are similar to Troubadour Magma?

If you like Troubadour Magma, you might also like Juice Junky by the Brussels Beer Project brewery or Super 8 IPA by Haacht brewery. Don’t forget to also look at our full collection of IPA beers. 

• Is Troubadour Magma gluten free?

No, Troubadour Magma does contain gluten. You can find gluten-free beers in our catalogue by selecting a gluten-free filter. 

• What are other beers by the Musketeers brewery?

Some other beers by the Musketeers brewery are Troubadour Westkust, Troubadour Imperial, Jack’s Precious IPA and Antigoon Courageous. 

Want to buy the Troubadour Magma beer online? Click the add to cart button and get the beer delivered to your home. You may also find the beer in one of our subscription beer boxes of the month. 

La Vedett IPA est une bière blonde de style IPA très accessible, parfaite pour découvrir ce nouveau style de bière très populaire depuis quelques années.

L'amertume du supplément d'houblon est balancée par une douceur en bouche inhabituelle pour les bières IPA.

Tandis que les houblons utilisés apportent une fraicheur fruitée et florale au nez, une curieuse sensation de caramel apporte cette douceur caractéristique de la Vedett IPA.

West coast IPA very fruity and spicy due to its hopping, it is slightly bitter on the finish.

It represents its style very well and is one of the best West Coast IPAs in Belgium.

English style IPA with three strong hops (Merkur, Nelson and Citra).

Ideal as an aperitif since the hops will whet your appetite.

The Viven Nada IPA is a well hopped non-alcoholic ipa.

The XX Bitter is the first beer of the brewery De Ranke and was the second most bitter beer in Belgium when it was released just after the Orval.

A beer cannot get hoppier than this! The Ranke XX-bitter used to be the most bitter beer in Belgium and is the most bitter beer in the brewery. It might not be for all tastes, especially for novice beer drinkers, but once you develop your palate, you can’t get enough of it!

The beer has an orange, honey-coloured body. The XX-bitter has a slightly cloudy appearance, rich in carbonation and has a fine head. 

On the nose, you will naturally smell very hoppy aromas. The flowery hoppy aromas are strong and very dominant. 

The beer flavour follows the hoppy profile, and the hop flavours are very powerful. You can also note some flowery flavours of citrus fruits and grass followed by strong bitterness. Though the alcohol level is low, the flavours are very rich and long-lasting. The bitterness is well balanced. 

The story of XX-bitter beer

The XX-bitter was already brewed back in 1994 when a home brewer and the manager of a beer tasting club decided to test a batch that uses a lot of hops. They decided to bring the beer to a festival in Kortrijk in 1996. Bitter beers were not yet popular, and many other brewers did not have faith in their new product because it was too bitter. Luckily De Ranke brewers could prove everyone wrong. 

The XX Bitter is now considered a bitter beer trendsetter in Belgium. That is because when the beer came out, the IPA beers were not yet trendy in Belgium. Thus, the brewers did not even think about creating an IPA style beer. Some beer drinkers refer to it as a golden ale and others as India Pale Ale. The brewers themselves say that although the beer fits into the IPA category, they would call it a bitter pale ale because that’s the style they had in mind when they created the beer. 

The brewers are very strict with their brewing methods and do everything traditionally. They use whole hops in their beers, and they never filter or pasteurise their beers. The brewers use direct fire and add hot water to achieve target mashing temperatures. 

The hops used for brewing XX-bitter are two varieties of European hops. The Brewers Gold and Hallertau Mittelfrueh hop are both grown in Belgium. The former is used for bittering and the latter for aroma. Moreover, fresh hop flowers are used during the brewing process so they can develop their bittering potential. 

The brewers also used to use Rodenbach yeast until a big company bought it and did not allow working with small breweries. Now the beer recipe uses Fermentis dry yeast instead. Their brewing methods allow them also to create a very dry beer. 

The XX-bitter has made its name by being a trendsetter and one of the bitterest beers in Belgium. It is now extremely popular and is also the flagship beer of the brewery. The beer is not only appreciated in Belgium but also outside. For example, you can find XX-bitter also in the neighbouring countries, the USA and even Japan. 

Read on to learn more about the XX-bitter beer. 

Where does the XX-bitter beer name come from?

One of De Ranke's brewers liked the names of English beers that were called Bitter. Nevertheless, these beers often did not taste bitter. So the brewer decided to call their beer Bitter, which actually is a bitter beer. 

How bitter is the XX-bitter?

The beer reaches an IBU of 65. Back then, one of the bitterest beers was Orval, with an IBU of 45. Generally, IPA beers fall between IBU of 40-70. Thus, we can see that the XX-bitter stays in the higher bitterness range. 

How to serve XX-bitter beer?

The best way to serve this bitter delight is using a tulip-shaped beer glass. Also, the minimum serving temperature is 6 degrees celsius. 

What are other similar beers and alternatives to XX-bitter?

If you enjoyed XX-bitter, try also the Delta IPA by Brussels Beer Project, Brussels Calling by de la Senne brewery or Troubadour Magma by Musketeers brewery. Don’t forget to check out our full collection of IPA beers to find good hoppy tastes. 

Which foods go well with XX-bitter beer?

XX-bitter beer is good to pair with fish, meat dishes and mature cheeses. It is also a good companion during a barbecue. You can also balance the bitterness by enjoying sweet desserts next to the beer. 

What are some other beers by De Ranke brewery?

If you like De Ranke brewery style, try out their Guldenberg, Franc Belge, Amer-Amer and XXX-bitter beer. 

Thirsty for a nice bitter IPA? Then add XX-bitter to the cart! You may also find the beer in one of our Belgian beer boxes, or the beer may arrive in our monthly beer subscription boxes.