Flying Saucer Draught Emporium Teams Up With Pints for Prostates for Belgian Beer Month

The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium is teaming up with Pints for Prostates during a four week “Belgian Beer Month” promotion designed to reach men through the universal language of beer. The 15-location family of beer pubs will generate prostate cancer awareness from June 27 to July 21as part of a salute to Belgian beer that will culminate in a drawing for a trip for two to Belgium.


Flying Saucer will raise funds during the event to support the Pints for Prostates awareness mission. Each Wednesday as part of its popular “Brewery Night,” the Flying Saucer will feature a different Belgian-style beer with the brand’s signature logo glassware. The first 144 people at each location will be able to get the glass of the week and a pour of the featured beer for a great price, with the price of the glass going to support Pints for Prostates. Each glass will come with a raffle ticket for a drawing for a special beer trip for two to Belgium from Sept. 7-15, 2012.

“We have hosted Pints for Prostates events at several of our locations in the past and we are excited to be working with them on this chain-wide awareness celebration,” said Keith Schlabs of the Flying Saucer. “Our ‘Beerknurds’ are big fans of Belgian ales. This opportunity to support a great cause and giveaway a beer adventure of a lifetime to Belgium will be a huge hit with our customers.”

The special Pints for Prostates Belgian Beer Tour is organized by BeerTrips.com. The raffle includes round trip airfare for two from the continental U.S.; seven nights lodging in Brussels, Brugge and Gent; tours of famous breweries, including Chimay, Cantillon and Moortgat; escorted café crawls; guide city tours; breakfast daily, three beer dinners and two beer lunches; train and private coach transportation. For a $10 donation for a single ticket, $25 donation for three tickets or $50 for seven tickets, Flying Saucer patrons can obtain additional entries in the drawing. The total value of the trip for two is estimated at $6,500. The drawing will be held on July 21, at the Flying Saucer’s Charlotte location. The prize is non-transferable and no cash substitute will be offered. The winner and their guest are responsible for obtaining passports and all trip related costs not outlined above. You must be 21 years old to enter. No purchase is necessary.

Visit Flanders and Delta Air Lines are donating round trip tickets for the trip. Beer brands supporting the promotion at The Flying Saucer include Chimay, Blanche de Bruxelles, Timmermans and Maredsous.

“It is great to be working with The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium because they will help us reach thousands of men with a lifesaving message about the importance of early detection,” said Rick Lyke, a beer journalist who had successful prostate cancer surgery in 2008. “BeerTrips.com has put together a fantastic trip to Beer Heaven – Belgium – which we will appropriately award on July 21, Belgian Independence Day.”

BeerTrips.com has been providing unique beer travel experiences to destinations around the world since 1998. This special Pints for Prostates group tour to Belgium is limited to a total of 16 slots and is already sold out. The tour will be hosted by Lyke, the Pints for Prostates founder and a drinks journalist who has been writing about beer, wine and spirits for 30 years. He has visited Belgium several times and considers it one of the world’s top beer destinations. Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 charity that reaches men through the universal language of beer with an important health message.

“Men are 33 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than women are to have breast cancer, yet few men know about the critical importance of early detection,” Lyke said. “The support of the Flying Saucer, Visit Flanders, Delta, Chimay, Blanche de Bruxelles, Timmermans and Maredsous will help us reach an audience that needs to hear our message.”

About Pints for Prostates
Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 a campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men about the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. According to the National Cancer Institute, 240,890 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2011. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

About Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium is committed to bringing good beer to good people. The first location opened in Fort Worth, Texas, in June 1995 and the same group of beer lovers are in charge today. Currently the Saucer has 15 locations in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina. www.beerknurd.com.

About Visit Flanders
Flanders is the region in the North of Belgium. It includes the cities of Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven and Mechelen. Whether you are interested in art, architecture, biking, gastronomy or are looking for a romantic stay, Flanders is the perfect bite size region to explore in three to four days. And with more than 680 different types of beer, it’s no surprise the Flemish people are a friendly and good natured lot, so hop over for a pint, or two. www.visitflanders.us or www.facebook.com/visitflanders.us.

About BeerTrips.com
Beer Trips.com was founded in 1998 to offer serious beer people the opportunity to travel to the world’s best beer destinations with other people who love great beer. Beer and travel, travel and beer — these are two of our favorite things. Both, in our estimation, are worth a fair amount of life’s energy. Our goal, and our very reason for existing, is to take our travelers the best beer destinations, drink, taste and enjoy the best beers, meet the beer-loving people of the countries we visit, and explore the history, culture, art and architecture of the interesting places where beer “grew up”. To do this we stay in nice, well-located hotels, eat at great restaurants that emphasize beer in their fare, and visit breweries, brew pubs, cafes, and museums that enhance our understanding and appreciation of beer and its rich history and culture. www.beertrips.com.

Tuesday Tasting: Westbrook Vanilla Tree Dubbel

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we sample a Belgian-style beer from a South Carolina brewery.

Westbrook Brewing is a relatively new craft brewery in Mount Pleasant, SC., just across the bridge from the historic city of Charleston. The brewery has quickly gained the attention of craft beer drinkers in the southeast.

Westbrook Vanilla Tree Dubbel is a Belgian-style dark ale brewed with a crystal malts and dark Belgian candi syrup. Whole vanilla beans and toasted oak chips are added to the beer during aging.


The beer pours a reddish brown with a firm tan head. The beer has a malty nose and the flavor has plenty of body, with hints of dark fruit, malt and solid vanilla notes. Not as heavy as some Belgian-style ales.

Belgian Post Honors Trappist Brewers on Stamps

Belgium is the home of six of the world's seven Trappist breweries. Belgian Post recently issued a special set of stamps to recognize these amazing Belgian beers.


The stamps feature bottles, caps and glasses filled with Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren.


It is not the first time that postal officials in Belgium have celebrated the national drink with special stamps.

A total of 174 Trappist monasteries exist worldwide.  Six in Belgium and one in the Netherlands still brew beer and are approved to use the Authentic Trappist Product logo that indicates compliance with the rules of the International Trappist Association. Originally, Trappist monks brewed for the needs of the monastery. Now money raised through the sale of beer fund good works.

Day 364 Drink: Trappistes Rochefort 10

There was sad news today when word came that the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy in Wallonia, Belgium, had been hit by a major fire. The Abbey is the home to Trappist monks that produce Rochefort, one of the world's great beers.

According to this report from the BBC, the Abbey sustained serious damage, but firefighters managed to save the library and its collection of historic books and the brewery. It is suspected the blaze, which occurred while the monks were eating their dinner, started when a generator malfunctioned. The generator was being used because of recent power outages caused by winter weather in the area. The report from Flanders News indicates that four buildings from the Abbey are a complete loss.  

The Trappist monks have been brewing at the Abbey since 1595. We will be thinking of them during the coming days as they begin the process of rebuilding.

Trappistes Rochefort 10  pours a rich mahogany color with a think tan head. The 11.3 percent alcohol by volume ale has a ton of malt and fruit aromas. The flavor is thick with caramelized malts, some spices, hints of figs and brown sugar. This is a big and complex brew.

Day 340 Drink: Kerstbier 2008

Klein Duimpje means "Tom Thumb" in Dutch. This tiny brewery is the work of Erik Bouman, who started making wine at home in 1990 and then moved on to homebrewing in 1994. He launched Klein Duimpje in 1997. The brewery turns out a pretty wide variety of styles, modeled after traditional brews from England, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Klein Duimpje Kerstbier is a Christmas beer that pours a dark reddish brown with a moderate head of foam. The beer has a malty aroma with some fruit qualities. The beer has a full, earthy flavor. There are maple notes that come and go, with some spice qualities that are typical of a well built Belgian dark ale.

Day 339 Drink: Westmalle Dubbel

In 1836 the monastery at Westmalle became a Trappist abbey. Abbot Martinus Dom started construction of a small brewery to meet needs of the monks. In 1856 started selling beer to people in the nearby Belgian countryside.

Westmalle Dubbel is made using a recipe that dates back to 1926, when the monks decided to make a slightly heavier dark brew than the normal dark ale they had been making. The reddish-brown ale pours with a hefty rocky head and a firm malty nose. The 7 percent alcohol by volume beer is a great cold weather ale. Plenty of flavor from the toasted malt. There is a depth of flavor that defines the dubbel style.

Day 274 Drink: Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold Ale

Brouwerij Roman has been around since 1545 and is located in Oudenaarde, Belgian. It is a family run brewery -- 12 generations have been making great beer. I guess kids in this family have an idea of what they will be doing when they grow up.

Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold Ale is named for the painter. It pours a brown red color with a head that starts strong, but fades. There is a slightly floral note to the nose with a hint of toffee in the background. The flavor is malty, with hints of apple and a bit of raisins.

Day 264 Drink: Sierra Nevada Brandy Barrel-Aged Belgian Trippel

Belgian-style ale is not the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Sierra Nevada Brewing. Perhaps it should.

Sierra Nevada Brandy Barrel-Aged Belgian Trippel is aged for five months in California brandy barrels. A Belgian yeast strain is used to introduce authentic fruity notes to the flavor.

Sierra Nevada Brandy Barrel-Aged Belgian Trippel is a cloudy golden colored and light-bodied ale. The malt gives the brew a slightly biscuity flavor and the beer has a bright floral, fruit and spice body. Refreshing and inviting.

Day 257 Drink: Three Philosophers

Brewery Ommegang sits in the countryside near the village of Cooperstown, N.Y. But you might as well be in a small town outside of Ghent. The brewery is a magical place with the capacity to transport visitors to Belgium.

Three Philosophers is a Belgian-style quadruppel. It pours a ruby red with a nice tan head. The aroma gives off plenty of malt character, with some sweet fruits and a touch of vanilla. The beer is flavored by the addition of some kriek and the cherry lambic assists in creating the beer's color and flavor base. The 9.8 percent alcohol by volume beer is smoother than you would expect. There are raisin and dark cherry notes laced through the flavor profile.

Day 242 Drink: De Koninck Speciale

Joseph Henricus De Koninck bought a coach house near Antwerp in 1827. On the site was a stone boundary marker with a sculptured hand. De Koninck died young and his widow, Elisabeth Cop remarried in 1833. Her second husband, Johannes Vervliet, decided to convert the coach house into a brewery and named it “Brouwerij De Hand."

In 1845, Carolus De Koninck, the eldest son from Elisabeth’s first marriage, took over the business. In 1912 the Brouwerij De Hand was renamed the Brasserie Charles De Koninck.

De Koninck Speciale is a 5 percent alcohol by volume ale that pours a cloudy orange amber color with a thin white head. If you enjoy Belgian abbey beers, but want something a little more sessionable from an alcohol standpoint, this is a good selection. The flavor opens with the malt upfront, offering a sweetbread note that evolves with plenty of crisp apple and fruits. Interesting, but not too heavy and pretty drinkable.

Day 189 Drink: Shock Top Belgian Wheat

It was 101 degrees in Charlotte today. If that is not wheat beer weather, I'm not sure what is.

Shock Top is an unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale that is part of the Michelob family produced by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Shock Top pours a orangish golden color with a respectable head. The nose is slightly fruity. The flavor on this one is a little lighter than most wits you might encounter. You get some orange, hints of spice and some good wheat beer crispness.

Day 178 Drink: New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

New Belgium Brewing is located in Fort Collins, Colo. The brewery was founded in 1991 and has grown to be one of the largest craft brewers in the nation. Fat Tire Amber Ale was created after a bike trip by New Belgium Brewing's founder, who fell in love with the complexity of Belgian ales.

New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale has a tarnished brass color, with a slight, but lacing white head and a slightly malty nose. The beer has a caramelized malt base with some nice biscuity qualities. Overall a very drinkable beer.

Day 174 Drink: Maudite

Maudite is a Belgian-style strong ale that is brewed in the French Canadian province of Quebec at a brewery that is owned by a Japanese company. That is about as international as it gets, but it is not all that uncommon in these days of corporate consolidations.

Unibroue first brewed Maudite in 1992. The name means "Damned" and the label art reflects the legend of a group of Quebecois voyageurs that made a deal with the devil so that their canoe would fly and help them get home before winter storms hit.

Maudite is an 8 percent alcohol by volume dark ale that pours a handsome mahogany color with a tan head that holds firm. There is a good malty base to this beer, with dark fruits, berries and raisins. There are some spices around the edge of this beer, making it complex enough for most fans of Belgian-style brews.

Day 153 Drink: Hitachino Nest White Ale

The Kiuchi Brewery was founded in 1823 by Kiuchi Gihei, the headman of Kounosu village in Japan. His family collected rice from farmers as land taxes for the Mito Tokugawa family. He came up with the idea of using the remaining rice in the warehouse for brewing.

In 1996 the company launched the Hitachino Nest brand, which has brought international attention to the brewery.

Hitachino Nest White Ale pours a cloudy yellow with a fluffy lacing white head. This 5 percent alcohol by volume Japanese beer starts as you would kind of expect from a Belgian-style white ale, with a slight apple note to the nose and a crisp citrus flavor bed that has traces of coriander. Then a flavor starts to emerge that at first hinted at smoke, but appears to be the nutmeg used in the recipe.

Day 152 Drink: Unibroue Éphémère Apple

Unibroue is located in Chambly, Quebec. The company got its start in 1990 as the dream of André Dion and Serge Racine. The brewery has made a name for itself by making great Belgian-style ales. They have been making Unibroue Éphémère since 2002. The company was acquired in 2004 by Sleeman Breweries, which itself was purchased by Sapporo two years later.

Unibroue Éphémère Apple, at 5.5 percent alcohol by volume, delivers an extremely fresh apple nose and flavor in a slightly cloudy golden colored package. There is a touch of spice accompanying the apple.

Day 132 Drink: Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont is a Belgian family run brewery that is located on a farm that can trace its brewing roots back to 1759. Since 1990, the company has also operated a bakery and makes cheese.

Originally, Saison Dupont was a 4.5 percent alcohol by volume beer, often used as a refresher in the summer by laborers. Since the 1950s the beer has been at its current 6.5 percent alcohol by volume strength.

Saison Dupont pours a hazy yellow with a thin, but persistent white head. The aroma of the ale has a slight citrus note and a touch of wild yeast. The flavor is a combination of bright spicy highlights, with a clean dry finish.

Day 105 Drink: Straffe Hendrik Bruges Triple Ale

The Halve Maan Brewery is in the amazing Belgian city of Bruges. I was lucky enough to visit the brewery with my daughter, Brittany, in 2002 and have a beer fresh off the tap.

Bruges is a bit like a European time capsule. When it comes to development, things pretty much stopped in the West Flanders city about 400 years ago. The city used to be a major commercial trading center, but when the Zwin channel filled with silt, Antwerp became to dominant port.

City records first mention the brewery in 1546. It has been operated by the Maes-Vanneste family since 1856. Straffe Hendrik Bruges Triple Ale is a 9 percent alcohol by volume beer that pours a golden color with a thin white head. The nose has a slight orange citrus touch. The flavor opens up on your tongue and is very lively. Citrus, slight banana and a finishing sweetness all come together very nicely.

Day 96 Drink: Upstream Gueuze-Lambic

Omaha is a Native American word that means “upstream” or “against the current.” At first, the idea of a brewery in Nebraska making barrel aged Belgian-style ales sounds a little like swimming against the flow.

Founded in 1996, Upstream’s draught offerings feature the brewpub standards you would expect, such as pale ale, blonde ale and wheat beer. But it is the special bottlings of Belgian-style and barrel-aged beers that set Upstream apart from the pack.

Upstream first brewed a Gueuze-Lambic in 2005 to launch a barrel aging program after 20 ex-cabernet sauvignon French oak barrels arrived at the brewery. To create the Gueuze-Lambic a Belgian wheat beer is fermented with a variety of wild Belgian microflora, which impart a sour character in this beer. Each year fresh wheat beer is added to the ale to tone down the sourness a touch. Typically 18 months to two years may go by between the brewing and bottling of this ale.

Upstream Gueuze-Lambic pours a cloudy orange amber, producing a thin head that persists throughout. An immediate citrus and woody aroma emerges. A very coating mouth feel that surrounds your taste buds with tart sour flavour notes. Hints of oak, citrus, honey and a slight earthy qualities.

Day 91 Drink: Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel

Flying Fish Brewing was founded in 1995 by Greg Muller as a “virtual brewery” on the Internet. The idea was to attract investors so Muller could build a real brewery. The website gave beer lovers the chance to help “build” the brewery, name the beers, design labels, create t-shirts and even apply for the job of head brewer. By late 1996, Flying Fish Brewing was born in southern New Jersey.

Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel is made with two-row pale, Munich, Special B and Chocolate malts, Demerera sugar, Styrian Golding hops and Belgian ale yeast.
Flying Fish makes versions of the ale for special occasions, such as Love Fish, infused with cherries for Valentine’s Day, and Bourbon Dubbel aged in whiskey casks.

Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel is a 7.2 percent copper color ale that pours with a decent sized off-white head that coats the glass. It starts off with a fruity nose and the first sip delivers an appealing malty upfront flavor. The brew turns slightly tart and finishes dry.

Day 89 Drink: Lindemans Cassis Lambic

In the current issue of All About Beer Magazine my "Next Beer" column is all about the growing varieties of fruit beer available to beer drinkers. We have moved well beyond the cherry and raspberry beers that emerged from Belgium. A fruit salad of flavors has emerged, from banana to watermelon.

Lindemans is one of the better know Belgian fruit beer makers. Lindemans Cassis Lambic has a foamy, long lasting purple head and nice fruit nose. It has a cloudy reddish blue color from fresh black currants added to a Belgian lambic. The flavor is a tart with nice dry fruit skin character. Lovely and lush dessert classic.