Affligem Blonde

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

I was happy with this blond. Good aroma and flavor. As a with some blonds, this beer has that flavor that doesn’t allow you to have more than one or two.

I thought this beer was OK, but it does not bear favorable comparison to another Belgian golden ale I really like, Duvel. It was OK, just not as distinctive as others. Appearace was fairly typical for Belgian strong ale or trippel...a hazy gold yellow color with lots of head. This beer’s head was industrial looking; small, consistently sized bubbles. This is in contrast to some others (like Duvel) that have billowy heads with a wonderfully inconsistent texture. Aroma was fairly clovey, and flavor more so. However, it was really straight-forward, and not very complex. And its mouthfeel was a bit harsh. A 6-pack I picked up at Discount Liquor in Milwaukee.

Bottle. Poured a nice golden blonde color with an inch-thick fluffy head. Nice yeasty Belgian aroma with some floral notes. Flavor is mildly spicy: citrus, yeast, banana bread. Medium bodied. Enjoyable, but kind of a middle-of-the-road Belgian, which still makes it fairly awesome.

Appearance: Pours a yellow body with a dense, white, overflowing head. Smell: Light malt in the aroma, with bits of yeast, flowers, lemons, and coriander. Taste: Sweet, with flavors of bananas, lemons, and a faint spiciness. Finishes semi-dry with a hint of hop bitterness, and some alcohol. Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Watery texture with a very lively carbonation. Drinkability: A stock Belgian blonde with far too much carbonation for me.

Draft. Poured a clear gold color. Head was thick and white with good retention and lacing. Attractive spicy aroma, most notably clove, accented by malty cereal grain, pear, and melon. Delicately sweet and appropriately effervescent on the tongue. Lots of clove flavor with a touch of fruity white wine and cereal grain. Good beer.

Bottle. 12 fl. oz. A cloudy, golden yellow beer with big, white sudsy head. Aromas of citrus, spice, and yeast. Medium bodied with an oily texture that leaves a film on the inside of your mouth. Flavor is light sweet rounded out with some bitterness, sourness and a dry, yeasty finish.

Draught. Golden color with a small white head. Aroma is malty and fruity. Malt sweetness flavor with notes of fruits. A light to medium body. Very enjoyable and drinkable, but something is missing there. Considering all the praising reviews here, I might try it again sometime, since maybe the draught wasn’t very fresh.

Bottle. Golden hazy colour with a nice big bubbly creamy head. Sweet aroma of yeast, malts, hops and fruits. Great smooth flavour of caramel, malts, some spices, some fruitiness and sourness. Great great brew!