Blonde De Chambly - Unibroue

JOaikido

Quebec (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

341 ml bottle.

A- Big white head. Pale golden yellow colour. Clear before the yeast. After the yeast is poured in takes a cloudy, darker colour (dark yello, almost a beige/light brown).

S- Touch of citrus. Dusty yeast.

T- A little dusty yeast and carbonation on the initila taste. Very mild middle, but also very clean. Decent, well balanced bitter finish. Light malt and alcohol flavours come out a bit more as it warms.

MF- Light and effervescent.

D- Good thirst quencher or cross-over beer for those used to macros.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 23:41:57 | More by JOaikido

Otterburn

Quebec (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big chewy white head, that faded away after the first sip. Carbonation is high. The color is golden and its hazy.

Smell: spices, something sweet(fruits), malt, and something herbal.flowers

taste: some fresh herbal aromas, malt.

mf: high carbonation, the brew is quite round
theres a medium aftertaste of herbal,earthy, little bit sour..

drinkability: the brew is ok

its nice from Unibroue to choose a Saison for their blond, because this style is not widely available here. Its a good interpretation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 21:04:38 | More by Otterburn

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Piraat tulip.

Pours a light hazy wheat color with a thin white head. Nose is barnyard and tart and yeasty it's funky and nice.

It's very wheaty and nice, it's got a good tartness and flavor to it. Mouthfeel is rich and sweet, pretty damn drinkable too.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 23:44:19 | More by kingcrowing

Yoonisaykul

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

341ml ml into Brassin d'Hiver tulip

Tried it on tap at the 2010 Mondial de la bière launch but wasn't too impressed. I thought it tasted just like the Blanche which I find too watery.
Bought a 6-pack mostly for the glass but also to try it again. Good move. I find it a lot better now. Maybe my tastebuds weren't as overwhelmed from the Mondial tastings but I think it's more of a bottled versus draft thing.

A- Yellow tint to the thick loose head. Yellow gold liquid with lots of carbonation bubbles goes from clear to very cloudy once you add the yeast. Looks right. Some wispy lacing.

S- Alcohol and banana yeast. Sweet light clove comes up with the temperature.

T- Seems to me like this is mostly finish and after-taste. Not much in the beginning of the sip. Very tasty though. Same as the smell but a bit more citric and watery. A tiny bit of green hop.

M- Full. Medium carbonation that foams up a bit, losing all prickliness. Very dry.

D- Good. Goes right down. Offers some different flavors and textures to keep you interested.

If in a limited selection store or dépanneur, I'd buy another six-pack glass or no glass. This has the potential to be a small hit in Quebec grocery stores.
I kind of rated this like an everyday blonde because I think this is probably what Unibroue is going for.

A- 3.5 S-4.0 T-3.5 M-4.0 D-4.0

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 21:28:43 | More by Yoonisaykul

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy deep blonde color ale with a large pure white foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of clean cereal notes with light citrus floral notes and the usual ester originating form the Unibroue yeast. Taste is quite refreshing with good herbal and citrus notes with a semi-sweet malt backbone and the bready yeast notes form Unibroue. Body is quite full for style with good carbonation. Refreshing and well made without breaking any ground.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 18:18:29 | More by Phyl21ca

StephenRich

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It was an exciting moment for me at the 2010 Mondial de la Biere when I approached the Unibroue tent, and not just because of the beautiful hostesses clad in French corsets. But this was only the second day that Unibroue's newest beer had been available - the Blonde de Chambly. After checking in, I made a b-line straight for Unibroue looking for this new creation.

The Blonde de Chambly is a Blonde Ale with Saison characteristics; really it is a typical Unibroue Blond. All of Unibroue's beers share some similar characteristics. They all have a spicy yeast character to them which can play off as soft and subtle as in this case, or rich and potent as with the Maudite.

I handed over my tickets and in turn received a tall Mondial glass of a pale golden beer which would soon flood Quebec and hopefully Ontario.

The Blond is 5% and will be bottled very soon. The pour from the tap was soft and smooth building a creamy and foamy white head a good inch and a bit above the beer, but it quickly faded with thick lacing leaving only a film on the beer. The Blonde really was exactly that, blond. It glowed in the light with pale straw color and golden light yellow rays of sun. It is not hazy or cloudy like the Blanch de Chambly, but is also not completely transparent.

The nose is delicate and softly sweet showing bright pale malts and ripe fruit and citrus. Hints of green apple, lemon peel and soft hay flutter in the air with a slight hint of floral hops. It is round with warm bread and soft biscuit, and the always fresh and slightly spicy Unibroue yeast.

Here it goes, my first taste of a new Unibroue beer only the second day it has been made available! The Blond is light and smooth flowing in with sweet malts perfectly mimicking the nose. Right away I get soft green apple and lemon zest gently gliding over my tongue as soft and lightly caramel pale malts melt over into my cheeks. It has sweet citrus and muddled light spice floating everywhere in the beer with hints of hop bitter and floral aromas.

It reminded me much more of the Ephemere Pomme rather than the Blanche de Chambly. It was soft and creamy showing me a easy drinking and delicious beer. Warm dough and soft sweet bread was everywhere in the backbone of this beer. The finish was soft, short and clean leaving a hint of spice and zest with a slight tart feeling. It came off very soothing and fairly quenching. I do expect the bottled version to be similar with a greater snap and potentially more spice - as it will be bottle conditioned.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2010 19:19:33 | More by StephenRich

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

341ml bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance - pours a cloudy amber/gold colour with a fair size foamy white head. Appears to be some decent carbonation, and slight lacing. The head didn't stick around for long.

Smell - this beer has a spicy pepper scent with some cinnamon notes. Maybe even nutmeg. Reminds me of a warm cup of apple cider smell.

Taste & Mouth - Low to average carbonation on the drink, larger size bubbles. Sweet at first then the pepper warming spice kicks in. A nice slightly bitter aftertaste. Seems odd to drink a Unibroue beer that is slightly watery..

Drink - Not my favorite style of beer, but pleasantly different from anything I'm used to.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 00:09:14 | More by spinrsx

eat

Quebec (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a milky straw-yellow with a thin cover of bubbly white head. Head and retention could be better. No lacing.

Smells like citrus, Unibroue yeast, a bit astringent, little peppery, light floral hops. It does smell somewhat like a saison.

Nice and peppery. Lemon, floral hops, nice subtle spice blend (coriander, nutmeg, cardamom). Pretty good, if maybe a little on the light side.

Light body and slightly over-carbonated. I'd prefer the body to be at least a bit fuller.

Light and refreshing. Maybe a bit too uninteresting for my taste but this is definitely a great summer beer. I'm enjoying it but as a side note, this is a little underwhelming a release by Unibroue considering they haven't released anything since 17 in 2007. Considering the quality of some of their other beers, this one is a bit of a let-down, even if it is a decent brew and easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2010 20:32:03 | More by eat

flipper2gv

Quebec (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.5

A: Pale yellow opaque color with big white frothy head. Average level of lacing. Good head retention.

S: Much more yeast than other Unibroue beers I've seen but still very very familiar with their other products. Lots of pepper, cloves and coriander, the usual Unibroue signature. Some good level of citrusy hops (surprise here) and biscuit malt. A bit of light honey and floral hops. Super strong and good smell, maybe the best Unibroue smell I've ever had.

T: Biscuit malt and tart pretty much dominate. Some low level of pepper and green apples. A tiny bit of coriander and cloves. Really, dare I say it, watery. Super disappointing after the great smell of the beer. I really don't know what to say...

M: Watery with medium to low carbonation, not very interesting here too....

D: Well, it's super light tasting, so it's easy to drink. Great for summer but that's it.

All in all, very far from what I'm used to with the style, not that interesting tasting beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 01:55:05 | More by flipper2gv

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Bright golden colour. White, pillowy head that only managed about a finger but seems to be sticking around. Effervescent.

S - Really strong aroma without putting my nose to it. Tons of spice. Fruitiness is there too with some yeast.

T - Zesty, yeasty, and the spice pulls through alot.

M - Lightish body leaning towards medium. Not a thin beer by any means. Carbonation is alright in the mouth. Dryness in the finish.

D - A nice drinking saison. Not the best I've had but alright.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 03:15:06 | More by tbeckett

Pabs311

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a hazy golden color with a medium white head that settles leaving very minimal lacing.

S- banana, some cutrus/lemon peel, bread and spice notes are apparent in the nose. not what i was expecting. as mentioned previously, very perfumy.

T- similar to the nose. i get alot of banana up front which fades to a lemon zesty finish. there is also a bready characteristic brought in from the yeast.

M/D- medium bodies with low carbonation. not a bad drinking beer but nothing really exciting.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 00:10:22 | More by Pabs311

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Mondial beer festival. Poured into a La Fin Du Monde tulip. Orange in color with a lovely haze. Intense, Belgian yeast aromas bursting from the pour. Fruity and yeasty with flavors of oranges and lemons. This one is very sessionable, Belgian-style beer, full of flavor. This one is listed as a Saison? Not sure I agree with that category, although I think there are some saison-like qualities to the beer, I would say its not sour/tart enough to be a saison. Declicious, any way you slice it. Unibroue, please send this south...

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2010 04:27:43 | More by KickbacksSteve

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Its not very often you get to be the first reviewer of a new Unibroue beer. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Blonde de Chambly, a new saison launched by Unibroue at the 17th Mondial de la Biere. Here's a short youtube video (en Francais) from the brewery to give you an idea of what the beer's like and how they launched it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VfbT88WdtU

Hazy golden pour with a finger of creamy white head that laced well as it dropped to a cap. Very perfumed aroma, that obviously has similarities to Blanche de Chambly (something that was commented on by other Mondial attendees). Floral, with spice and light citrus notes, its beguiling, but doesn't scream saison. Likewise the flavour is very decent, but not up there with my favourites in the style. It has a lot in character with its blanche brother, but with a slight earthiness and a slightly cleaner finish. I expected some tartness, dryness or funk, but none were really that present. Medium-light quenching body with a medium carbonation.

A pleasant drinker, but an unremarkable saison. Its a very good beer, but not what I look for, and I want a bit more character in my saisons. Perhaps if they had used something other than the house yeast strain it may have had better results.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2010 18:48:20 | More by bobsy