Westvleteren Blond

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

Straight out of a fridge at the Bishops Arms in Umeå. appearence - might have had a touch of chill haze, but a yeasty pale straw yellow colour with a fine head that slowly disappeared, leaving fine lacing that stuck around. Aroma - Complex, with herby, slightly peppary hints, lemon and honey. Flavour - the drinking man’s trappist - begins with some faint malt and a touch of herbs and phenols, which is all quickly and rather rudely pushed aside by a powerful hoppy finish, with a puckering bitterness that can be felt all the way back home (it’s a 30 minute walk from the pub). The lack of richness that you usually associate with Belgium beers only makes this example more noteworthy and more drinkable! Palate - wonderful, tingley carbonation at the tip of the tongue, followed by a smooth middle and a powerful hop kick in the throat at the end. Who said you can’t have it all? Overall - one of the most suprising Trappists I’ve drunk to date, not least because this is a beer that you could drink more than one bottle of without being wasteful. Of course you’ve got to find another bottle first, and when you do be prepared to spend $27.50 to buy it (this is, after all Sweden). But you get the general idea...

12oz bottle courtesy of sk8viking. Thanks, Rene! Pours the color of apple juice, golden yellow and clear, slight effervescence from the bottom; white head with good retention and lacing. The nose is exquisite: vinuous, honey, belgian sugar, and hints of spice. Medium mouthfeel, slightly viscuous and sugary: plenty of bread and yeast, a touch of honey, spice (reminds me of De Dolle’s Stille Nacht, upfront); long finish with (interestingly) the sweetness bottoming out - dramatic shift in the finish, ending yeasty and somewhat dry.

Bottle bought at BeerMania, tasted with a Westvleteren glass together the other two :-) It has white foam and hazy, golden colour. Quite dry and a slick feel. Good balance with a long finish. A good belgian blond but the other two are better.

Bottle, shared at The Kulminator and also shared at Waagstuck, Antwerp, Belgium, 05 and 06-10-06. Poured a warm golden colour with a good white head, quite a hoppy nose with some yeast but I felt that the aroma was actually quite delicate. Some light honeylike flavours and a little citrusy fruit and quite crisp, not fantastic but not bad at all.

Bottle. White low but lasting head. Hazy yellow body. Sweet and fruity aroma. Alcohol dominated dry hops flavor

Hazy golden/yellow color with a white head. Yeasty, flowery citrus aroma. This one falls short alittle. Grassy, malt, and spicy flavor. Finishes clean, crisp, and dry.

Bottle at The Beer Weekend, Brussels. Had high hopes with all the hype of Westvlet. and was not let down. Glad I went for it when I did as I got the last one for the day. Poured a pale cloudy yellow with ample head that left spotty lacing as I dove straight in. Hoppy nose with citrus hints. Grapefruit, coriander and orange notes. So easy to drink, was clean and crisp with good carbonation. Went down a treat with the Chimay cheese selection. Everything you could hope for in a good blonde bier.

Aroma: yeast, coriander, duvelesque, pear, lavender, vaguely liquorice-like, some orange... Appearance: cloudy, greytinted apricot yellow-orange with some white head in an assymetric array. Flavor: pretty dry, hoppy, soft, pinelike, very rustic, not as sweet as expected, good surprise. Palate: rough, smooth but wonderful. Perfect co2.