Gaverhopke Zingende Blondine

Brewed by ’t Gaverhopke
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Stasegem-Harelbeke, Belgium

A bottle 0.33L tasted at One Pint Pub. Mild nose. Pale head. Slightly sour pale golden yellow colour. Fruity slightly sweet taste.

33cl bottle at home: Hazy gold brew with small particles. A tall yellowed head fades to a creamy film. Sweet aroma of Orange blossoms, citrus peel, and mixed summer fruits. There is a sugary malt quality with some light toast in the distance. Some spices, like cardamom. Lightly tart character that is faintly lactic hangs out in the back. Flavor is initially pale malt before a wave of sweet and tart fruits push in. Definite tartness hanging out under some sugar. Strength makes itself known with sweet alcohols running through the summer fruit jam and lemon zest. A little slick. Touch of light caramel drizzled around the outside. sprinkled with a pinch of cardamom. Light tannic notes add some hint of bitterness in the back of the throat. Medium-long citrussy grain finish with some dark dried spices. A bit much going on in both aroma and flavor.

A.K.A. Singing Blond. Pours a fogged in orange gold with a thin creme head. Mild sour nose. Fruit is also there. At first when I poured it I wanted to say it was apricots. But alas we have moved on to minor funk. Flavor is superb. Smooth. Mature fruit tones and sweetness. A slightly firm acidity barely appears. Minor funky. It’s all mixed and mashed together beautifully though and seems to go funky on my mouth one time and then fruity the next. Just clings to the next bit of character and you get a real smooth ride of flavor. Feel has a carbonation that bites too much at the tongue, but it isn’t enough to interfere with the flavor. Damn. This is good. I mean, really good.

330ml bottle (One Pint, Helsinki, Belgian Weeks 2009) - shared with various - thanks!
Aroma’s a mess - some rotten fruit, some rhubarb, some sour herring. Anna even spots grappa. Taste however, is a very sweet graininess. Some fruity sourness too, and a touch of veg. However, on swallowing, there’s masses of hops - very biting and noble. Very long finish of biting hops. Yeast mellows it wonderfully, giving it a milkier graininess, and there’s no hint of alcohol at all.

Bottle 33cl.
Clear sparkling light to medium yellow color with a average, frothy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, white to off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, toasted, sour - vinegar notes, light hoppy, light to moderate yeasty. Flavor is moderate sweet and bitter with a average duration, and some vinegar notes. Body is medium to light, texture is watery to oily, carbonation is soft. [20081129]

Trade with Fonefan. It is a warm orange-golden beer with a lot of sediment creating ”snow” in the glass, and the head is white and creamy. The aroma has notes of yeast, sour berries and malt. The flavour has both sweetness and sourness, notes of yeast, malt, alcohol and the finish is sour and slightly fruity.

A hazy yellow/golden colored beer, with a thick white head. The aroma of malts, fruits, a lot of citrus and hops. The taste is sweet malty, fruity, hops. And a little alcohol in the back. Als a little sourness, when the beer gets warmer. The aftertaste is sweet with a little bitter. It gives a warm feeling.

Bottle at the brewery. Hazy old gold, thin beige head. Tripely barley wine. Sweet coating of the teeth. Bit of nougat/honey/sweet nut maybe. I quite like it. Alcohol is a little obvious. But I like the sweetness.