Potent flavors flow at Budapest’s riverfront Belgian Beer Festival happening May 15-17, where visitors can taste 196 intoxicating types of Belgian beers, with 55 of them on the tap. The location of the festival is Bálna Budapest, where we can eat and drink both inside and outside, so we can enjoy both the sunshine and the cool air conditioning.

Presenting Belgium’s unique beer culture in Budapest, the three-day 6th Belgian Beer Festival features a special drink of the

year:

a new pilsner-type Belgian beer debuting in Hungary, Gallica Premium Pils, characterized by a clear, golden color and a light, hoppy flavor.

In addition, beer enthusiasts can taste specialties like the anniversary edition of Delirium, a 7.8% IPA beer:

DeliriumArgentum, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the pink elephant.

Lovers of unique hop varieties can get acquainted with the new 2015 version of Duvel Tripel Hop as well, the American Equinox, made with a relatively new and rich type of hops. The festival’s novelties also include the 7.5% Averbode, made from three types of grains – this light ale carries all of the good qualities of barley, oats, and spelt.

In addition to these tasteful attractions, popular classics will not be missing, either. At the 6th Belgian Beer Festival, visitors can taste 196 types of Belgian beers, 55 of them on tap – many of which are usually not available anywhere else. A total of 35 breweries will be represented at the festival, among which 27 will have a representative there in Bálna.

As for the prices, the organizers have not raised the entry fee compared with last year. We can still buy two types of tickets: for 2,800 forints, “beer lovers” receive three tokens and a glass, while for 4,000 forints, “beer enthusiasts” receive an additional two tokens – meaning that they can empty five glasses of fine Belgian beer for the price of a ticket. The organizers will provide a variety of Belgian Abbey and Trappist cheeses, venison sausage, cracklings, biscuits, and inevitably, Belgian chocolates, as well.

At Tuesday’s press conference, we could taste various beers in Dunaparti Matróz Pub in Buda, accompanied by some Flemish beef stew made with brown beer instead of red wine. First, we tried the aforementioned abbey beer, the acidic-smelling, bitter-tasting Averbode, which is available on the Hungarian market only since last May. We also slipped in a few sips from the most popular top-fermented Belgian beer, the Duvel Tripel Hop, as well; the pleasant, initial green apple flavor changed to a sour, lemon-like flavor towards the end. The third test subject was perhaps the best of the lineup, a typical brown Flemish beer, the Liefmans Goudenband, which, according to experts, might be the world’s most complex brown beer with its unique, wild flavor. This beer, containing caramel too, was never available at the festival before – we can taste it this weekend for the first time.

“I have about 20-30 favorite Belgian beers, among which I am the most curious about Duvel Triple Hop. We have never organized larger programs and concerts at the Belgian Beer Festival; the focus was always on the beers. Like every year, we tried to expand the selection this time, too. As a result, visitors can choose from 55 beers on tap this year,” said György Salamon, the festival’s chief organizer.