Castelain Blond Biere

Brewed by Brasserie Castelain
Style: Bière de Garde
Benifontaine, France

750 ml bottle

I picked this on a whim at Steve’s. Since I am in the middle of a stretch where bigger beers like imperial stouts and double IPAs don’t excite me much I figured I’d go back to some simpler styles. This one is a perfect example of a typical biere de garde (if such a thing exists). If I could find this again I would certainly consider buying another bottle for a summer evening.

Aroma / Appearance - Lively carbonation moves around the blond colored body. A half finger bleached white head rests on top for much of the time, fading only after the second pour. Straw, wheat, lemons and strawberries comprise a fruity and sweet aroma. It reminds me of a strawberry shortcake liquified in a blender with some lemon peels thrown in.

Flavor / Palate - The light mouthfeel don’t stick to the tongue at all but glides quickly down the throat. Straw and honey dominate the easily drinkable first impression. A tart aftertaste reminds me of honeycombs stuck in a blender. The finish is satisfying and complete. It is on par with the Cuvee de 7eme for about a third of the cost.

9/9/05.750ml San Rogue. Hazy gold with large white head. Floral hop aroma light fruity with some spice and malts.

Name: Blonde Biere
Date: 04/14/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

light yellow, thin head, light fruity flavor with a touch of spices, nice sweetness, very flavorful
-------- /> Name: Blonde Biere
Date: 08/10/2006
Score: iii to ii
Words: Bottle
Words: Tasting

hazy light yellow, big dense white head and lots of lace, light sweet spicy malt aroma, lightly sweet complex malt flavor, hint of fruity character that grows, light bitterness

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

Aug 2005 - Again, my first beer of this style, so I don’t know how to really rate it. Beer poured a light color, cloudy with HUGE head. The taste was very akin to a saison (in fact, I can’t tell the difference). I thought it was somewhat lacking in taste until it warmed, when the nice sweety taste came out, somewhat countering the "dirty barn" saison taste. I enjoyed the second half of the glass far more the the first.

Gold Color With Small Frothy White Head. Pepper, Dry Yeast, Subtle Citrus and a Tart Quality to the Beer in the Aroma. Medium to Heavy Mouthfeel. Carbonated and Peppery. Notes of Spice, Dry Yeast, Fruit and an Earthy Vegetable Quality to it Overall. Bittersweet Vegetable Aftertaste. Very Solid Brew

(750 ml bottle (stamped "03/08/07") from <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/vermont/woodsto target=blank>Gillingham’s) Nice thirst-quencher...Pours hazy yellow-gold with one finger of white head. Nose is citrus, maybe some light sour, a bit of pepper. Mouthfeel is quite soft, lightly effervescent. Tastes citrusy with some yeasty funk. Not lip-puckering tart so very easy to drink on a hot day. Good.

Hazy yellow color with massive foamy head, almost creamy. Very nice spicy nose with wheat hints. Dry grainy body with a sweet finish. Body wasn’t impressive cold, but as it warmed up the spicy flavor and caramel malt began to shine through.

bottle: Pours a hazy gold color with a pretty sizable white head. Smell is crisp with some spice notes. Taste is sweet, maybe some raisin feel. Taste is also very crisp. Not bad.