Achel 8 Blond

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappistenabdij De Achelse Kluis
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Hamont-Achel, Belgium

bottle. Despite a gentle pour, a good amount of sediment (including some chunks... eh) in the glass. Middling orange color, decent fizzy head that recedes pretty quick to leave a thin layer and a nice ring. Aromas of fruity banana sweetness and some sharp spicy notes. Flavors start with a yeasty twang (sediment?) and follow to some fruity phenols, cloves, and a warming booze flavor at the end. Thick and fizzy on the palate.

Bottle. SO MUCH HEAD!! The thick, frothy white head swelled to the top of my Chimay glass after I poured in just a few ounces. So apart from the huge foamy, frothy white head, the beer was a cloudy orange. Aroma of light spices, Belgian yeast, and bubblegum. Flavor of alcohol, spices (particularly clove), some light and dark fruits (prune), crisp apple pie. Very hot and spicy. This reminded me of a fruity witbier. Nice balance of spice and fruits. The aroma was better than the flavor. A very complex and delicious Belgian.

Appearance: Golden. Enormous amount of thick head. Longlasting. Cloudy at the end. Aroma: Flowery. Hops. Fruit. Honey. Taste: Fruit and hops. Fresh. Warming. Info: 330ml bottle, 6/10-2006

33 cl bottle from Bieropholie, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass. BB 08/09. JN 24/08.

App.: Clear deep golden with a large rocky white froth. Aroma: Very druity with lots of apples, pears and other pome fruits, sweet candi sugar, a bit of floral perfume, a bit of yeast, bread crust and biscuit, a bit of alcohol. Palate: Med+ body and very sparse effervescence. Flav.: Pears and apples, acetone, other less discernible fruits, floral and perfumed honey, light hazelnuts, some toast and biscuits; fairly boozy, sweet with restrained bitterness, remnants of hazelnuts and bread crust.

Not really doing it for me, despite being from a very reputable brewer.

Clear gold pale lager color with a huge frothy head. Dry, spicy grainy malt aroma. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. First taste is a balance of lightly sweet malts with some dry spices, then a dusty hay, yeasty dryness to finish. Very nice.

11.2oz bottle: Two inches of sediment swirl in the bottom of the bottle as I poured this golden colored ale into the tulip. After a bit of decanting, a nice, sticky head forms above the clear body. The nose is soft with touches of butterscotch, earthy hay and wildflower honey. This drinks very easy for an 8% abv beer. The body is full of creamy malts that remind me of caramel apples, sugary vanilla and a kiss of fudgey chocolate. The yeast adds another layer with a punch of banana and apple esthers. This ain’t your momma’s blond.

Pretty good blond ale. It poured a golden color with an anxious head and a TON of particulate matter. Aroma is honey, banana, clove, and some spice. Flavor is similar with caramel undertones. Lots of carbonation in this one. Pretty good.

I was surprised this beer didn’t do much more me ~ that’s the way it goes sometimes. Pours golden / blond with a white head. The aroma has sweet malt, spiciness, light banana, earthy yeast, a bit of bubblegum and sweet fruit. Medium / thin body with on overabundance of carbonation. The taste starts with a ton of spice, definite Belgium yeast, lightly toasted malt and some banana. The finish is spicy and over carbonated along with being a bit tinny. I guess we all are disappointed from time to time.