Beer Styles #76 - Belgian-Style Blonde Ale

Belgian-Style Blonde Ale

Description (Courtesy of Beer Advocate)

Belgian Blonde Ale
The Belgian-style blonde ale is typically easy-drinking, with a low but pleasing hop bitterness. This is a light- to medium-bodied ale, with a low malt aroma that has a spiced and sometimes fruity-ester character. Common aromatic ester characteristics include banana, pear drop, apple, honey, roses. Sugar is sometimes added to lighten the perceived body. This style is medium in sweetness and not as bitter as Belgian-style tripels or golden strong ales. It is usually brilliantly clear. The overall impression is balance between light sweetness, spice and low to medium fruity ester flavors.


-Color – Pale to light amber

-Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures

-Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt aroma and flavor is low.

-Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present to low. Noble-type hops are commonly used.

-Perceived Bitterness: Very Low to mediumlow

-Body: Low to medium

-ABV: 6.3%-7.9%

-Glassware: Tulip

Examples

Leffe Blonde
Abbaye de Leffe S.A., Belgium

ABV: 6.6%

Notes: Age-old expertise and the combination of pale malt, water, hop and yeast lend Leffe Blond its subtle taste and golden colour, which manages to catch and reflect the light. Hints of vanilla and clove infuse the beer with an even smoother flavour, which best expresses itself in a Leffe chalice, simultaneously allowing the soft, fresh essence of this beer to unveil its true elegance.




Devotion
The Lost Abbey, California

ABV: 6.0%

Notes:

AROMA
Designed to be a hop driven beer, the aroma presents mostly European variety hops with underlying notes of fresh hay and grassy fields. There is a very low level of yeast phenols present and much of the subtle spice come from the aromatic hops.
TASTE
A lighter bodied beer that immediately makes an initial hop impression followed by a brief thinning layer of malt

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