Westvleteren Blond

Brewed by Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus
Style: Belgian Ale
Westvleteren, Belgium

Had this one while sitting in the sun on a beautiful day at In De Vrede while waiting to pick up my two cases of Westvleteren 8 from the Abbey. I’d already had the 8 and the 12 and since it was hot out, the Blonde was the obvious choice. I don’t know when it was bottled but I’d guess it was less than a month old. It has a pale straw colored cloudy body with a one inch white head initially that fell fairly quickly. It smells very yeasty and malty with some fruitiness that reminds me a bit of a hefe with some banana and maybe apple. The flavor is not at all what I would have expected, but it is indeed good. It was much hoppier than I would have expected with both hop bitterness and flavor. It had a bit of spiciness to it as well and then finished with a malty finish. I think I got some noble hop aroma in there but I could be wrong. It is fairly light bodied. It could have been the situation, but it seemed like the perfect summer drink.

Pours a bright shade of blond, fairly transparent. Fluffy white head and lacing. Big complex nose with hints of fruity esters, bread, and lemon zest. Flavor very similar. Coriander,& orange up front slight hop flavor on the finish.

12 ounce bottle from theisti
Pours crystal clear bright blond, with a fluffy snow white head.
The nose is quite floral and dusty.
The flavor is mostly clean, but there’s the slightest bit of tartness in the finish.
Light body. Highly carbonated. Dry finish.
Good to know the the monks are drink well, even while mowing the lawn. Thanks Tim.

This one came a long way, so it was with reservations I cracked this one open. Still, looks lovely. Pours a very light golden with vague orange tones, like hazy grapefruit juice, not too much for a head but slowly a solid soapy film appeared and covered the beer, leaving tiny blobs of lacing. The nose is flowery and delicate, with some lemongrass, some slight hay, rich yet light sweet malts, and some tempered fruity esters thrown in for good measure. On the palate the beer seems to simply disappear, very smooth and drinkable, everything seems in near perfect harmony. Very versatile, starting lemony and grassy before the light malts come in to balance a very mild yet observable leafy hop finish. Super drinkable, which is sad since this is the only one of these I have.

Bottle at Kulminator. How do you improve upon a blond ale? Let those monks at Westvleteren make it, that’s how. After a couple solid days of 8’s and 12’s, I was pleased to see the Blond at Kulminator. Needing to complete the trifecta, I was pleased. Light, fruity and perfectly balanced. This could be my session ale if the monks weren’t so stingy about it. (For the record, I think those monks, and what they’re doing, is awesome. I just want more beer because I am selfish and like their beer.)

330ml bottle. Shared by Matty - cheers - you’re a saint! Light cloudy wheat-beer appearance. Very tight, creamy textured, white head. Perfumed floral aroma (alas we used the wrong type of glass that didn’t flatter the aroma). Mellow floral light fruity taste - slightly appley, but not sweetly so. In fact, it fills in with a dry and sharp hoppy middle taste which stays for the finish which was long but quite subtle. Slightly soapy from the yeast/hop combo, which was the only downside from an otherwise an excellent high quality and delicate brew.

Garrafa, em Bruges (BEL), em novembro de 2007. Dourada clara, com creme branco consistente e persistente. Notas de limão siciliano e azeitona. Carbonatação média. Suave. Blonde diferente das demais. Tem personalidade, mas nada de complexo. Boa drinkability.

Bottle sampled with Fatphil and Anna- Golden in appearance which is slightly hazy. The aroma is very inviting indeed and is sweet, blossomy with a hint of peaches and citrus. Peaches and hints of apples in the sweetish taste which is hoppy with citrus and peaches becoming more evident in the delicious aftertaste. The appearance was different when I had it in the past and affects my mark slightly but it did not have an adverse effect on the taste. Superb.