Christoffel Bier / Blond

Brewed by Sint Christoffel Bier
Style: Pilsener
Roermond, Netherlands

330 ml bottle. Pale body with a white head. Discreet aroma. Rather thin malty, and a bit harsh bitter flavor, also a hint of alcohol. Not particular harmonic IMO.

Bottled. A cloudy orange beer, with a compact and persistent head. The aroma is grassy and a little citric. The flavour is hoppy, very fruity and flowery (grass, lemon, citric fruits). Medium bodied and very bitter finish that lingers in your mouth for long time. Excellent stuff.

Bottle. Hazy deep golden colour with a nice medium mostly lasting head. Good lacing. Bit spicy and hoppy aroma. Refreshing flavour of malt, bit sweet, hoppy, bit spicy. Some bitterness in the finish. Very tasty pilsener indeed!

Bought this in a gift pack in Indianapolis may not have been in the best of shape. Some hops, some bread, would like to have this in better shape some day. Page 121 of Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide only 427 out of 500 Classic Brews to go.

Pours hazy gold-orange with a one-finger white head. Juicy, citrusy aroma, with a good deal of grassy hops. Flavor begins sweet and bready, but quickly becomes an intense hoppiness. Grassy, woody, and bitter aftertaste. Easily as hoppily good as some of the best American IPAs.

A murky dark golden pilsener with a nicely longlasting head. Strong floral hoppy aroma. Refreshing & dry taste, very nice. The mouthfeel is surprisingly heavy. Probably the best pils I’ve ever had. Nice one.

(Bottle, Monk’s Café, Stockholm, 2 Feb 2007) Golden amber colour with huge, lasting, white head leaving lots of lacing. Initially malty nose with notes of gooseberries and lots of dusty hops. Malty taste with notes of citrus, hay, white bread, toffee and lots of grassy hops (Saaz?) in a rather dry finish. Nice and malty pilsener with a lovely hoppy undertone.

Cloudy mirabelle gold and crowned in a beautiful white mousse, Christoffel’s craft spews a viscous geyser of honey and pineapple thereby making an impressive entrance. Wheat, apricot, peach, honeysuckle and floral hops add to the vernal aroma and with but a whiff the glass is irresistibly attracted to my lips. The parching flavor of wheat and dry hops is initially aggressive upon the tongue and surprising in its noble bitterness, but eventually reveals a multitude of unique tonalities. White pepper, bay leaf and thyme contribute an herbaceous taste added to pungent Gouda, pine and apricot. On tap in Amsterdam, I noticed more fruit and a generally more enjoyable palate, but this bottled version is a good substitute. Clearly underrated.