3 Fonteinen Beersel Blond

3 Fonteinen
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Ale
Beersel, Belgium

Bottle. Hazy golden with a big white head. Complex spiced and yeasty aroma with some herbal character. Initial sweet maltiness, developing into more bready flavours with moderate spices. Interesting.

33 cl bottle, bottled Nov 03. Turbid dark orange, strong sparkle, effervescent but unstable white head. Grapefruit accompanied by oily, higher esters in the aroma; also hints of yeast and some sort of a sweet artificial aroma of red fruit. The first hit in the taste is blunt, candy sugar-like sweetness, quickly followed by prevailing chewy, juicy and spicy sensation with orange and some pepper and grain in the background. A touch of the same artificial red fruit again. Faint bitterness; I suppose they use exactly the same ingredients for this one (including aged hops, thus) as for their lambic, not just generally - it’s not clear to me what’s meant by that inscription on the label. Good body but little carbonation and a chalky mouthfeel. Unusual and interesting, yet I’d certainly stick to the classic Oude Geuze 3 Fonteinen. ’Oh well, it’s for the restaurant’, Joris? Shouldn’t people be able to drink a nice beer there...?

(Bottled) Opaque orange with a small, creamy and lacy head. Strong, slightly sweet aroma of honey, yeast, candy and strawberries. Very fruity, berryish flavor with some sour and wineous hints, but mostly sweetish and acidic. No signs of alcohol. Medium-bodied, somewhat carbonated palate. An interesting, surprisingly pleasant mix of blonde, flemish sour ale and faro. Sweetness doesn’t ruin the palate or flavor, and the aroma is very nice.

Bottled (brewed 15/12/03)
Honey golden, small off-white creamy head. Spicey and sweetish (honey, syrup) yeasty nose. Odd metallic flavor of steel dominates, honey sweet . Medium-bodied - alcohol is hided. Quite carbonated.

A Mes rate: Where did the head go? I must say I am not to sure about the looks of this one. None to inviting. Murky is how I would describe it. Great nose, full of candy sugar, apples and pineapples. Its a strange one. Like a mix of a Faro and a Belgian Ale. Long finish which starts off full of sugar and gradually becomes bitter. Jury is still out on this one...

Bottle. Sweet malt aroma. Medium cloudy yellow color. Acidic sweet malt flavor. Moderate body.

Bottled. Cloudy golden with loads of yeast-sediments. A bit sourish citrus-aroma with notes of pepper. Sweet and malty flavour. Full-bodiec with fine bitterness. Some caramel.

Bottle from the Offie, Leicester. Cloudy, dark yellow, with a rocky head. Sweet, slightly perfumed aroma, quite strong and cidery in a way. Fairly sweet, light wheat feel. Blandish, fairly smooth, with a hamster of strength to finish. Pleasantly drinkable, but not very exciting.