Achel 8 Blond

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

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.

Hazy yellow with lots of sediments in it. Thick creamy white head, looks almost like shavefoam. Yeasty, fruity, citric aroma with some cellary and vinous notes. Flavour is peachy and sweet, with small scents of alcohol and apricots. Finish is slight wheaty

330 ml bottle, bought in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Hazy golden colour, huge white head. Fairly moderate but very nice spicy, wheaty and fruity aroma. Flavour is spicy / peppery and sweet, with distinct bitter hops, hints of oak. Warming mouthfeel, alcohol is evident but not dominant. Another good Trappist!

Bottle from Royal Harbour Brewhouse, the magical place where everything comes in a Leffe glass. Cloudy yellow colour with large fluffy white head. Sediment throughout. Not a typical blonde - better compared to a wheat. Light fruity aroma: orange, lime and berry. Bitter start, but smooths out after a few sips. Full on carbonation - a mouth full of bubbles left me struggling to get a good taste. Slighty metallic. Tastes like a wheat, with fruity overtones. Surprisngly refreshing for an 8% - hardly taste the alcohol. Good stuff.

Bottle. Nice auburn and copper color with a big, impressive head that leaves good lacing. Really fragrant and fresh smell. Citrus and lavender in both smell and taste. A real winner and a definite favorite Trappist.

Bottle. Poured a nice gold color with a small white head. Very yeasty smelling, also smell fruits and spice. Very smooth no real kick at the end like most belgian strong ales have. Very enjoyable!