Belgian Blond Ale
Belgian Blond: a golden, smooth, moderately strong ale with soft spice from its yeast, popularised by Leffe after the Second World War. Strength, bitterness, glass and examples.
A Belgian blond pours deep yellow to deep gold, clear, under a large creamy head that leaves lace on the glass. You taste grainy-sweet malt first, a hint of honey or caramelised sugar, then a gentle orange or lemon note and a little pepper from the yeast. The bitterness sits just behind the malt, and the finish is smooth, soft and dry.
Where it comes from
Some labels claim a history back to 1200, but brewers created the style after the Second World War, to win over drinkers of European Pils. Leffe made it popular, and wide distribution keeps it popular. Flemish speakers write Blond, French speakers Blonde. Many monastic or artisanal beers carry the word Blond without following this style.
Brewers use Belgian Pils malt, some aromatic malt, sugar, an abbey-type yeast and continental hops. Most commercial examples sit at 6.5–7%. It often tastes cleaner than other Belgian ales, almost like a lager.
How to serve it
Pour it at 7–10 °C into a tulip glass. It goes with sweet and sour chicken, a Brie, and a light angel food cake.
Next to its neighbours
It matches a Dubbel in strength and balance, in gold and without the dark malt. Next to a Tripel or a golden strong ale it is maltier, less bitter and lower in alcohol.
Belgian Blond Ale in numbers
- Classic example
- Leffe
- Original gravity
- 1.062–1.075
- Final gravity
- 1.008–1.018
- Food
- Sweet and sour chicken; Brie; angel food cake
- Classic examples
- Leffe Blond; Affligem Blond; Grimbergen Blond; La Trappe Blond; Corsendonk Blond; Val-Dieu Blond
- BJCP style
- 25A Belgian Blond Ale
Sources
Checked .
- 25A. Belgian Blond Ale, 2021 Beer Style Guidelines — Beer Judge Certification Program
- Belgian-Style Blonde Ale — CraftBeer.com, Brewers Association
