Achel 8 Blond

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

Bottled in 01-04. Pours a cloudy, pale orange color with enermous chunks of sediment and a fizzy, short-lived, white head which leaves sporatic lacing. Nose is heavily yeast and sweet with dominant pear notes. Other smaller notes of banana, caramel, clove, apple, and faint peach. Flavor is similar with more sweetness than I would have thought from the style. Still heavily yeasty with pear notes and caramel background but also light citrus notes of lemon zest. Apple and banana still round out the flavors. Palate is good with a moderate body, a soft, lightly creamy, somewhat round feeling, and a moderately lively carbonation. Finishes with slight bitterness and a moderate dryness with earth (almost like a wet bark), pear, and yes, yeast. Not your run-of-the-mill Strong Belgian Blonde but decently done. Yeasty character is a bit overdone and lacking in hop qualities and spicing. Overall, a nice change of pace to the style and highly drinkable, just not really intriguing or exceptional.

Bottle 33 cl. Golden, a bit hazy, color. White head. Aroma is sweet, fruity, apple and alcohol. Flavor is apple/fruit, alcohol - vinous. Dry, bitter finish. Not my style, but not bad at all.

Bottle. Pours a slighly hazy golden/amber color with a nice two-finger head that has good retention. Citrus & yeast dominate both aroma and flavor. Some sourness, but well-balanced by the malt & fruitiness. A bit on the dry side. Really enjoyable.

Apple nose. Only a faint whiff of spice. Bitter, spicey, fruity taste thats balanced well. Slight tart.

Bottle. Nose is primarily apples. Cloudy, active yellowish beer with a hugely frothy white head. Very well balanced sourness that’s usually overpowering in blonds. Palate is hearty, well-rounded.

Poured from 33cl bottle into a Trappist glass. White head layering top of brew. Dissipates quickly. Honey orange color. Smells like a towel that has been wet for awhile about to cross the threshold to stale. Bitter, yeasty flavor....alcohol present in palate. I like this one a little better than the Achel Bruin.

A nice light orange color with a decent head and nice lacing. The head disappated rather quickly. The thing that strikes you about this beer is the ridiculous amount of sediment floating around. It is almost takes away from the beer. The smell is yeasty and sweet as is the taste. There is a nice mouthfeel and a better than average bittering finish.

Very average when it comes to the trappist brews. Alcohol is masked nicely by a heavy yeast taste. Cloudy yellow with a noticable but short lived head. Smell was yeasty and tasted of an average ale.