Affligem Blonde

Brewed by Brouwerij Affligem / De Smedt (Heineken)
Style: Belgian Ale
Opwijk, Belgium

Poured a cloudy apricot with lots of carbonation trails and a frothy cream head (which never let even a small bit of the beer’s surface peek through). The aroma was lemon, hay-like hops (in great, electric abundance), cloves, and allspice. The mouthfeel was smooth and somewhat creamy, with peppery carbonation. The taste was a bit wit-like. Sweet bread dough, sour apple (but no trace of any cider), cloves, and a tiny touch of banana. The finish was mildly bitter, but built over the course of the beer. As it warmed it became a bit astringent, which makes me feel like it was actually more like an 8.5 for flavour. Quite a nice beer. Much better than the Orval I had a couple nights ago.

Pours a light amber color with a medium white head. Smells of spices, cinnamon, and citrus fruits. Nice aroma to it. The taste was much the same, had a decent little spice to it, the citrus was more mild. Refreshing and easy to drink, was a little bit dry in the finish which leaves you reaching for more. Fairly solid blonde.

330ml bottle, Amsterdam, 07/02/07. Pours a thick, clear blonder with a big long-lasting cream coloured head. The aroma and flavour are a nice mix of wheat and citrus notes and the palate is spot on. A classic refreshing blond beer that I come back to time and time again.

75 cL bottle. Pours hazy yellow with a hue white head. Aroma is citric, yeasty and spiced, flavour is the same. Warming alcohol finish with spice notes. Very classic belgian blond.

Poured a cloudy amber with a nice white head and decent lacing. Smell was belgian sweet. Taste faintly spicy with fairly high carbonation. Quite a dry finish. It seemed very similar to the tripel, perhaps with a dryer finish. I seem to taste more alcohol in this than the tripel- not sure why? Its an ok belgian.

[467-20070728] Sample @ LCBO-Summerhill. Faintly toasted grass aroma. Hazy, orange yellow body with a medium-lasting bubbly white head. Spicy hops flavour with some fruit notes. Medium body. Wouldn’t want many but a nice change. (5/4/6/3/12) 3.0

[1940B-20090111] Tap. Mild banana grains aroma with something like wheat and light yeast. Slightly hazy, light orange amber body with a medium-lasting creamy off-white head. Mild banana continues in the flavour with wheat-esque yeast notes. Medium body. Drinkable, fresh, tasty. (6/3/7/3/14) 3.3
(@ The Rhino; Toronto, ON)

Draught: Aroma is medium sweet. Smells of alcohol, apples, and spices. Poured gold in color with a small white head that diminished quickly. Small lacing. Clear. Not sparkling. Very nice color. Flavor is a bit sour and tart, but also lightly sweet. Tastes of apples, caramel malts, and honey. Strange, earthy flavor. Medium body. Watery, thin texture. Soft to flat carbonation. Very dry finish. Overall, not very good. Strange taste. Kinda boring.

330 ml bottle - pours a slightly opaque oney colour with a one-finger white head. Very nice aroma of spice, yeast, citrus, and some banana as well. Almost Wit-like in the nose. Flavour full of yeasty spiciness and very dry in the finish. A certain orange-peel spice in there as well. Yes, eminently drinkable as the description suggests, though at 6.8%, that could get dangerous......Not hugely complex on the palate, but a very enjoyable Belgian.