Trappist Westvleteren Blonde - Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

1.7/5  rDev -60.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Review from Inaugural Issue of Beeradvocate Magazine.

The least sought-after of the Trappist Westvleteren beers. This bottle was purchased in 2003 at Café in de Vrede--which is across the street from the monastery--and has been cellared since. Poured into a silver-rimmed Westvleteren chalice, the beer pours a dirty blonde, tainted by a bit of chill haze. Head is very tight and creamy, settling to an eternal milky-colored, ringed lace. Surprisingly malty in the nose, with a unique honey-on-toast aroma, and undertones of toffee and grass. Palate is insanely creamy, with a light body and silky mouth feel. A quick and sharp citric acid enlivens things, fading into a soft rind character. Faint honey notes pull through a pale sweetness of malted milk. Finish is bone-dry, with a lingering wet, husky, tannin flavor, some medicinal phenols, and notes of wet paper oxidation coming forth as the beer warms.

After having a 3-year-old bottle, and a 25-year-old bottle a couple of years back, we don't recommend aging this beer at all. Everyone, please stop. It's obvious that much of the hop character has been muted, with oxidation taking over the beer and creating new and unwanted flavors. Drink it fresh, with its clean bitterness and thirst-quenching bliss intact.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2008 18:28:46 | More by BeerAdvocate

Jason

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

33 cl slender brown bottle with a freshness date of 17.10.03 (Oct 17th 2003), no label. Just the cap denotes what brew this is

Appearance: A lace worthy of no other, cloaked within the glass it sits there and forces respect. Its pale colour shows a light haze but a very active carbonation.

Smell: Sweet grassy herbal aroma, hints of honey and faint tobacco come to mind.

Taste: Lightly coarse hop rakes across the tongue as well as some herbal phenols, fresh grain flows deep even into the eternal dryness. Bitterness and dryness are most of the traits but do not overwhelm, small burst of hop leaf flavour in the end.

Mouthfeel: Perfectly complexly layered smoothness, crispness need only to clean the palate for the next sip but goes even further by invigorating the taste buds as well. Moderate body.

Drinkability & Notes: This one is off the charts as far as a session brew for me, I simply could drink this all night. By far one of the best beers I have run into and would travel (and have) far for.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2003 15:07:42 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: brown bottle, no label, green cap. Poured into a proper Westvleteren chalice @ the Kulminator in Antwerp, BE.

Appearance: A rich, slightly chill-hazed, golden coloured beer with a creamy laced head, ample stick and stay.

Smell: Gentle, sweet, wet grass / hay aroma. Perfume-like and floral.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Wants, tries to be smooth and creamy upfront but turns coarse and a bit harsh. Bitter snap. Loads of hop flavour, from cheese to herbal, spicy to slick and oily. Notes of hay and grass mingle with the strong hop tannins. This is one crisp beer, with a dry grain (husk) finish. There is a malt backbone, albeit a light one, but overall this is a highly attenuated beer. More dry tannins and hop residuals ride out the finish, with hints of yeast.

Notes & Drinkability: Definiately one of my favourite Belgian beers. I simply can't get enough of this dry and bitter beer, which is not too typical of Belgian beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2002 15:20:56 | More by Todd

DoubleJ

California

4.46/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a Westvleteren chalice by the staff at Cafe In de Vrede, on to the beer;

An electric blonde shade colors the beer. There is a little visible sediment which sits at the bottom of the glass. Visible bubbles and a poofywhite head adds texture to the look. The aroma is somewhat straightforward and fun; bringing the aromas of farmhouse, lemon, and fresh grass.

What a vibrant taste! A lot of fresh cut grass and fresh hops are hitting the palate. It's not all hoppy though, as notes of hay and wool crawl through the dominance and create a little attraction to itself. It's a lighter medium bodied beer, with a somewaht creamy feel, with a crisp and bitter aftertaste.

Is it possible that Westvleteren Blonde is overlooked? This is simply an outstanding blonde which is easy to drink, but doesn't receive the same kind of love as its siblings. If you're at In de Vrede, you want to start your engine with this.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 23:24:15 | More by DoubleJ

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-18-2013 21:13:55 | More by Photekut

DStoked

Ohio

5/5  rDev +17.4%

05-14-2013 18:40:00 | More by DStoked

geedub11

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -12%

05-12-2013 08:55:20 | More by geedub11

Michigan

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-11-2013 13:14:17 | More by Michigan

safaricook

Netherlands

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-11-2013 08:43:48 | More by safaricook

GRUUMSH

Belgium

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-11-2013 08:12:49 | More by GRUUMSH

Nolen12

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-30-2013 03:34:40 | More by Nolen12

jkball01

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-30-2013 03:06:07 | More by jkball01

JupiterJesus

California

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

04-28-2013 08:37:34 | More by JupiterJesus

GRG1313

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-27-2013 09:40:58 | More by GRG1313

BTPete

New York

4/5  rDev -6.1%

04-19-2013 23:14:09 | More by BTPete

deebo

Minnesota

4.34/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On first trip to Belgium in late 2010. A road trip from Bruges to the cafe next to the Monastery on a pilgrimage for the quadruple but lets start with the Blond first. Appearance is cloudy with a light foam. Looks like an unfiltered wheat. Aromas of wheat with an estery banana note. Taste is smooth with a nice balance of wheat and a hop end note. Mouthfeel is complex and rich for a low alcohol beer with a medium level of carbonation. Super drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 03:29:02 | More by deebo

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -17.8%

04-15-2013 03:19:27 | More by Rhettroactive

Ant4711

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-05-2013 18:05:57 | More by Ant4711

Mnmaverick

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

04-05-2013 16:48:52 | More by Mnmaverick

CStrife187

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

03-31-2013 20:23:21 | More by CStrife187

tbryan5

Louisiana

5/5  rDev +17.4%

03-30-2013 21:39:09 | More by tbryan5

BAsbill

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

03-30-2013 04:11:04 | More by BAsbill

aztraz

Sweden

4/5  rDev -6.1%

03-29-2013 17:29:30 | More by aztraz

Nesued

South Carolina

4.61/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Lovely golden color, nice head formed upon the pour. Yeast sediment present. Good carbonation that continues to be refreshed as

Smell: A clean, grassy aroma. Light and bright nose. Some spices and yeast add to overall floral profile.

Taste: Toasty malt presence is added to what is found it the aroma. Subtle grassy hop contribution that does not overpower the balance.

Mouthfeel: Just enough linger on the tongue. A crisp and clean light cleansing allowing proper prep for the next sip.

Overall: What a pleasure. A well-made brew for such a soft style. As others of said, drink this as fresh as you can get it. Overshadowed by it's bigger brothers, but a beer that should not be overlooked. Wish I could get more, for it would make a great table beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:54:56 | More by Nesued

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

03-23-2013 19:28:23 | More by Sparky44