Meer over Blond
Which blond are you looking for?
- Belgian blond (Belgian Blond Ale, usually 6.5–7%): Belgian pilsner malt with aromatic malts and sugar, continental hops and a Belgian abbey yeast. Cleaner than many other Belgian styles, often almost lager-like, with plenty of carbonation.
- Light monastery blond: the light table beer of monasteries is called Belgian Single by the BJCP (4.8–6%), but is sometimes simply called Blond.
- Strong blond: Belgian strong blond (usually 7.5–10.5%) is very pale, dry and firmly bitter, with fruity yeast notes, often pear. You can read about the difference with tripel in the Beer School.
- Fuller: a tripel resembles a blond, but is stronger and more bitter.
- Without alcohol: see alcohol-free.
As a style, Belgian blond is young: according to the BJCP it emerged after the Second World War, to appeal to drinkers of European pilsner. The American Blonde Ale (3.8–5.5%) is a completely different style with the same name. You can read more about the spiciness from Belgian yeast in the Beer School article on yeast.
What you'll find at Hoptimaal
Mainly blond beers from Belgium and the Netherlands. Breweries you'll come across here: from Belgium De Dolle Brouwers, Omer Vander Ghinste, Deca, De Brabandere and BOMBrewery, from the Netherlands ROTT., Gallivant, Big Belly, JELSTER and Kaapse Brouwers. In the top 10 you can see which blond beers customers are buying most often right now. For every beer you'll see the current Untappd score.
Serving
A good starting point: Westmalle recommends drinking Trappist beers like its own at between 6 and 12 °C, because too cold suppresses aroma and flavour and the alcohol can dominate when the beer is too warm. Drink from a glass rather than from the bottle: according to Westmalle the aromas are then released better and the head stays stable. You can read more about the style in the Beer School article on blond.
Frequently asked questions
How strong is blond beer?
That varies. According to the BJCP, Belgian Blond Ale has 6–7.5% alcohol, usually 6.5–7%. But on labels, blond among the Trappists alone ranges from 4.8% (Chimay Gold) to 10% (Chimay Green, a strong blond). So check the alcohol percentage.
What is the difference between blond and tripel?
A blond is maltier, less bitter and less strong: usually 6.5–7% alcohol, against usually 7.5–9.5% for a tripel. A blond has about the strength and balance of a dubbel, but is golden in colour and lacks the dark malt flavours.
Is an abbey beer the same as a Trappist?
No. An abbey beer carries the name of an existing or former abbey, but is usually made under licence by an ordinary brewery. A Trappist beer with the Authentic Trappist Product label is made in the immediate vicinity of the abbey, under the supervision of monks or nuns. More in the Beer School article on Trappist.
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