Delirium Tremens - The brew that started it all
Posted on July 6th, 2009
For my first real article, I’ve decided to talk about Delirium Tremens. And not without good reason. For some context, a brief prologue:
For most of college, I actually didn’t like beer at all. The reason for this was - in retrospect - mostly a result of ignorance. What little I knew of beer was from frat parties and TV commericals. Every now and then I’d choke down a Miller Lite as a measure of last resort, but for the most part I stuck to mixed drinks and the occasional wine. I was a typical college student: Drinking to get drunk. If it tasted good, it was a ‘girl drink.’
Shortly after my 21st birthday, I found myself in a Brooklyn dive bar with little idea what to order. They had a handful of drafts, all $4… except for some crazy $8 beer called Delirium Tremens. I settled on a Blue Moon, but I couldn’t understand why anyone would pay $8 for a beer, so the name stuck in my head. A few days later I offhandedly mentioned it to a friend in a conversation about beer. His reply was that $8 was a good value for such a beer, and I should absolutely get one the next time I saw it.
So I did.
Nostalgic verbosity aside, my first taste of Delirium was the point where I realized there might just be more to beer than Bud, Miller, Coors, and the occasional Sam Adams. One rather insignificant moment spawned a hobby bordering on obsession that so far hasn’t subsided. I wonder if everyone remembers their First ‘Real’ Beer as fondly as I do.
Anyway, enough about me. How about my alcohol?
The History
Delirium is brewed by Huyghe Brewery (Brouwerij Huyghe, which is much more fun to try to say) in Melle, Belgium. The bottle claims “Since 1654″, but Leon Huyghe purchased the brewery in Melle in 1906, and Delirium made its debut in 1989. Less than a decade later, it was rated as ‘The Best Beer in the World’ at Chicago’s World Beer Championships. Despite it’s relative novelty, Delirium Tremens is basically the flagship beer of the Huyghe brand.
The Style
Classified as a Belgian Strong / Pale Ale, Delirium sits up high around 8.5% ABV (formerly 9%. I don’t know why but they cut it down a bit in 2003). I tried in vain to find some information on the ingredients or the brewing process, but it seems the brewers are keeping their lips sealed. All I know is that there are 3 types of yeast and part of the fermentation takes place in the bottle.
The Tasting
Poured into a snifter (since I don’t yet own the signature Pink Elephant Glass), the beer comes out a light, apple juice color that only contradicts its strength and flavor. Although DT is known for being particularly effervescent, this bottle left a small but satisfactory finger-width of head. The head dissipated quickly but the beer stayed well carbonated throughout, much the way a good champagne will hang on to it’s bubbles for hours.
Sweet, fruity aromas. Not very strong on the nose, perhaps more a result of my head-less pour than the beer itself. The first few sips are light and bubbly, with more attention drawn to the feel than the taste. Speaking of, mouthfeel is a medium body with big bubbles rolling across the tongue. More fruity sweetness at the beginning, along with some honey. As the carbonation subsides and the beer warms, a few complexities show their faces. Some pepper on the back of the tongue. A lingering tingle serves as a welcome reminder of it’s strength - a burn very reminiscent of the equally alcoholic 90-Minute IPA (which will be reviewed very, very soon). The aftertaste is a slightly bitter, lip smacking dryness near identical to a good Chardonnay.
The Verdict
Definitely a must have for any serious drinker, and accessible enough to serve as a welcome introduction to a budding beer geek. Surprisingly light for such a big beer - in color as well as mouthfeel. My only caviat: the lightness does a lot to hide the high alcohol and makes the beer deceptively drinkable. One could easily put back two or three and find themselves a good deal tipsier than expected. Don’t let the Heinekenesque look fool you, there’s plenty of flavor. More sweet than bready, more dry than hoppy, Miller High Life be damned, this is The Champagne of Beers.
9/10