Achel 8 Blond

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

magnificent head, really HUGE! fluffy almost Duvel like. Very orangey aroma, some citrus hints, floral, outhouse, farm and something that reminds me of a nice spring day. Fantastic when it hits the tongue, very fruity with a perfect amount of bitterness to match it.

My girlfriend bought this one back from Spain. Pours a nice cloudy golden with thick white head. Aroma is slightly white wine like, with a fruity, yeasty touch. It’s crisp, with a bubbly mouthfeel. Has a solid, yet mild sweet malt character with a subtle pepperyness, honeyish background and a later yeasty dryness.

Smells pretty good. Huge head; nice appearance. This is a pretty tasty blonde with a pretty high alcohol content. The alcohol is noticeable, but that’s okay. A great strong ale.

Mild phenolics, ripe pears and plums, light grainy malt. Hazy golden color with lots of chunkies and floaties - looks like I might need to chew. Nice balance of spicy phenolis and fruity esters, very slight sweetness. Medium body with medium-high carbonation, I can feel the protein chunks on my tongue, dry finish. Nice aroma and flavor, the chnks are a minor detraction.

Bottle - musty and sweet aroma. Golden-bodied with about two fingers of white head and excellent retention. Very nice flavor - fairly straightforward with hints of banana, citrus and quite dry.

Boring pour... dingy light amber/dark straw color with minimal head. Aromas are nice and hit you from a distance. Bananas and cloves dominate with a bit of a sweet apple overtone. Bread is also dominant in the nose along with a fair ammount of sweetness. Flavor is pretty consistent with smell, and there is a smooth blending here that makes it a nice drink. It is smoother than a lot of the other Belgian Ales I’ve tried by not quite as complex either.

Bottle thanks to someone at last year’s YeHaw gathering in MKE. Aroma of yeasty banana, bready caramel and old raisins. Color is clear and golden with a tall white head and sparkling bubbles. Flavors of dusty caramel and some dried fruits that were raisin-like, banana and a warming touch of alcohol. Highly carbonated, but with a very full body and sweet, almost cloying finish. Bottle was marked best by 11/06, so this might be fairly old?

Bottle. Huge huge white head with very long duration. Color is hazy golden with lots of yeast sediments. Aroma is fruity. Taste is light and sweet with some hints of citrus.