Comparison
Belgian single vs Belgian table beer
What is the difference between Belgian single and Belgian table beer?
The short answer
The main difference is bitterness: Belgian single has a little more of it than Belgian table beer. Belgian single also leads on phenolic spice and herbal; Belgian table beer on sweetness.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
These two have little in common beyond both being beer, which is worth saying plainly.
Side by side
| Belgian single | Belgian table beer | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Belgian ale | Belgian ale |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | Belgium | Belgium |
| Category status | Regional | Regional |
| Strength | 3.5–5.5% ABV | 0.5–3.5% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 25–45 IBU | 10–20 IBU |
| Colour | Pale straw to gold — 3–6 SRM, 6–12 EBC | Gold to brown — 3–20 SRM, 6–39 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.044–1.054 | 1.010–1.032 |
| Final gravity | 1.004–1.010 | 1.002–1.008 |
| Serving temperature | 7–10°C | 6–9°C |
| Carbonation | 2.5–3.2 vol CO₂ | 2–3 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Tulip glass, Goblet | Wit tumbler |
| Clarity | slight-haze | variable |
How they taste different
| Character | Belgian single | Belgian table beer |
|---|---|---|
| Bitterness | Moderate | Trace–Low |
| Sweetness | Trace | Low |
| Phenolic spice | Moderate | Trace–Low |
| Herbal | Low | Not characteristic |
| Dryness | High–Very high | Moderate |
| Yeast fruitiness (esters) | Moderate | Low |
| Carbonation | High | Moderate |
Which should you choose?
- You want more bitterness → Belgian single
- You want more sweetness → Belgian table beer
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.