Van Steenberg Variety 6Pk

Van Steenberg Variety 6Pk is a six-bottle sampler of Belgian ales from Brewery Van Steenberge, spanning 5.5% to 12% ABV across six distinct styles. The pack includes Piraat, a gold medal winner at the 2012 World Beer Cup, alongside five other acclaimed expressions — making it one of the most rewarding introductions to traditional Belgian brewing available.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%–12% (varies by beer)  |  Origin: East Flanders, Belgium  |  Style: Belgian Ale Variety Pack  |  Brewery: Van Steenberge, Ertvelde

Production & Heritage

Brewery Van Steenberge has operated in Ertvelde, East Flanders, for generations, building a reputation on characterful Belgian ales driven by a proprietary house yeast strain. Primary fermentation takes place in cylindroconical tanks at 22–25°C, followed by bottle conditioning — a secondary fermentation achieved by adding yeast and sugar at bottling, then maturing for two weeks in a warm room at 20°C. This traditional refermentation process gives each beer a living quality, with flavors that continue to develop in the bottle over time.

What's Inside the Pack

Gulden Draak (10.5% ABV): The brewery's flagship dark tripel, scoring 95 on BeerAdvocate and 98 on RateBeer. Toffee-like malt sweetness, a creamy head, and balanced hoppy dryness define this iconic Belgian strong ale.

Gulden Draak 9000 (10.7% ABV): A variant of the original, aged in whisky or wine barrels, rated 92 on BeerAdvocate. It builds on the Gulden Draak foundation with added complexity from barrel influence.

Gulden Draak Imperial Stout (12% ABV): The strongest beer in the pack, rated 91 on BeerAdvocate. Aromas of chocolate and banana give way to a powerful roasted-grain body with a bittersweet finish.

Piraat (10.5% ABV): Winner of a Gold Medal at the 2012 World Beer Cup and a Gold at the 2025 World Beer Awards for Belgian Style Strong. Bitter, spicy, malty, and highly aromatic, rated 91 on BeerAdvocate and 92 on RateBeer.

Monk's Café Grand Cru (5.5% ABV): The lightest and most refreshing entry in the pack, offering a fresh, mildly acidic character that distinguishes it sharply from its bigger siblings. Rated 89 on BeerAdvocate.

Augustijn Blond (7% ABV): A mid-strength blond ale with malty, fruity, and hoppy aromas plus a hint of vanilla. The finish is slightly bitter but smooth, rated 89 on BeerAdvocate.

Tasting Notes (Overall Pack Profile)

Aroma: Across the six bottles, expect an arc from light fruity and vanilla-tinged hops in the Augustijn Blond to deep chocolate, roasted grain, and toffee in the Gulden Draak expressions. The Van Steenberge house yeast lends a signature estery warmth throughout.

Taste: The pack moves from the bright, mildly sour freshness of Monk's Café Grand Cru through the balanced malt sweetness of Augustijn Blond and the spicy bite of Piraat, culminating in the rich, dessert-like intensity of Gulden Draak Imperial Stout. Mid-palate textures range from crisp and effervescent to full-bodied and creamy.

Finish: Shorter and clean on the lighter ales, long and warming on the high-gravity expressions. The bottle conditioning ensures a fine, natural carbonation that keeps even the biggest beers from feeling heavy.

How to Drink the Van Steenberg Variety Pack

Each beer deserves its own treatment. Pour the lighter Augustijn Blond and Monk's Café Grand Cru into a tulip glass at cellar temperature (10–12°C) to appreciate their aromatics. The stronger ales — Gulden Draak, Piraat, and the Imperial Stout — reward a slightly warmer pour (12–14°C) in a chalice or goblet, allowing their complex flavors to open up. These are sipping beers; take your time.

Best For

• Gifting a Belgian beer enthusiast who appreciates bottle-conditioned ales
• Hosting a guided tasting flight from light blond to imperial stout
• Introducing someone to the depth and diversity of Belgian brewing traditions
• Pairing across a multi-course dinner, matching each beer to a different dish

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Van Steenberg Variety Pack taste like? The six beers cover a wide spectrum — from the mildly acidic freshness of Monk's Café Grand Cru to the toffee-rich dark maltiness of Gulden Draak and the bittersweet roasted character of the Imperial Stout. Van Steenberge's house yeast ties them all together with a signature fruity warmth.

How does this pack compare to the Chimay Gift Set? The Chimay Gift Set showcases three Trappist ales from a single abbey tradition, while the Van Steenberg Variety 6Pk covers six distinct styles — blond, tripel, strong ale, sour-influenced, and imperial stout — offering broader stylistic range from a single secular brewery.

Is this variety pack good for beginners? It works well as an educational tasting, though several beers exceed 10% ABV and carry bold, complex flavors. Starting with the Augustijn Blond at 7% or Monk's Café Grand Cru at 5.5% provides a gentler entry point before progressing to the stronger ales.

Where is Van Steenberge beer made? All six beers are brewed at Brewery Van Steenberge in Ertvelde, a town in the East Flanders province of Belgium, where the brewery has long specialized in bottle-conditioned Belgian ales.

What foods pair well with the Van Steenberg Variety Pack? Augustijn Blond pairs with steamed mussels and frites due to its clean bitterness. Piraat stands up to spicy Thai curry, its malty backbone matching the heat. Gulden Draak complements aged Gouda or Gruyère. The Imperial Stout pairs beautifully with dark chocolate desserts or a rich beef carbonnade. Monk's Café Grand Cru works alongside fresh goat cheese salads, its acidity cutting through the creaminess.

What sizes does the Van Steenberg Variety Pack come in? The standard offering is a six-bottle variety pack, typically containing 330ml bottles of each included beer.

Is the Van Steenberg Variety Pack worth the price? It positions as a premium Belgian variety pack, and the inclusion of multiple award-winning and critically acclaimed beers — several scoring above 90 on both BeerAdvocate and RateBeer — represents strong value relative to purchasing each bottle individually.

Why Van Steenberg Variety 6Pk?

What separates this pack from generic samplers is the sheer quality ceiling of its contents. Gulden Draak holds a 98 on RateBeer and 95 on BeerAdvocate, placing it among the highest-rated Belgian strong dark ales worldwide. Piraat has earned gold at the World Beer Cup and World Beer Awards across multiple years. Every bottle undergoes traditional secondary fermentation, and Van Steenberge's proprietary yeast strain produces flavor signatures that no other brewery can replicate. For anyone serious about Belgian beer, this pack delivers six distinct arguments for why East Flanders remains one of the world's great brewing regions.