Grimbergen Blonde - Brouwerij Alken-Maes

zeff80

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had the Grimbergen Blonde on tap in Montbelliard, France.
It was great. I've heard that others have been disappointed with it in bottles.
It had nice golden color with a good sized head. It smelled and tasted like any good Belgium should. A slight hop flavor. It was very smooth drinking. I would've had many more but after a Beamish Stout, I was running low on Euros.

I was at an "Irish" pub, in France, with an Italian, a Brit (who only drank Vodka), a Frenchie, and two other Americans. They spelled the pub's name "O'Brian's" not "O'Brien's." And it had Guiness logos everywhere, but no Guiness. A truely strange expericence, but a good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2006 19:15:49 | More by zeff80

davemathews68

Ohio

2/5  rDev -46.1%

05-16-2013 02:44:30 | More by davemathews68

jkball01

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

05-13-2013 16:37:04 | More by jkball01

Keegan

Germany

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

05-11-2013 16:59:00 | More by Keegan

Bill235

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

05-11-2013 00:35:14 | More by Bill235

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

05-10-2013 01:49:56 | More by NightINgale

pkenkman

Estonia

4/5  rDev +7.8%

05-08-2013 19:12:54 | More by pkenkman

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a snifter

Appearance- The beer pours a light to medium golden color with a rather large billowy white head. The head fades relatively quickly leaving a medium level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma of the brew is sweet of a citrus and light fruit aroma of apple and pear. There exists with these smells some nice noted of a banana as well as a moderately strong yeasty smell. Hints of a lightly boozed and vanilla aroma also are there, creating a rather pleasant nose overall.

Taste – The taste begins malty and sweet with a strong presence of orange citrus upfront. As the flavors advance some yeasty and more banana flavors come to the tongue and are quickly joined by some lighter spice flavors of coriander and clove. Toward the end the of the taste the sweeter fruit flavors dwindle and an alcohol flavor mixed with some notes of vanilla hit the tongue producing, for an only 6.7 % abv brew,. a surprisingly boozy triple like flavor is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel-The body of the beer is on the thinner side with a carbonation level that is on the average side. The slightly thinner feel is actually rather nice of the sweet citrus and boozy flavors for the brew ,minimizing the former and complementing the later quite well.

Overall – This is a Belgian style blond I rather like. It finishes on the drier side with more triple like characteristics all while maintaining a relatively smooth but warming flavor throughout the taste. Quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 01:33:21 | More by Darkmagus82

pperez38

California

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

05-02-2013 10:33:41 | More by pperez38

BDF2000

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +28%

04-30-2013 20:03:29 | More by BDF2000

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.8%

04-26-2013 22:51:44 | More by randylangford

Radome

Spain

3.86/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from a 33 cl bottle into a goblet.

A - Beer is a medium golden color and very clear. Head is white, thick and fluffy. It is made up of exceptionally tiny bubbles, which also constantly rise in streams from the bottom of the glass. A very attractive beer.

S - The aroma is dominated by yeast esters--fruit and bubblegum. The fruit comes across as fresh pineapple to me. Otherwise clean and plain. I really don't get any malt or hops, just fruity gum; reminds me of Juicy Fruit brand.

T - The taste is a bit more complex than the aroma. There is some light malt and grain, along with grassy hops flavor. The pineapple and bubblegum are still there, but fainter than in the smell. A hint of alcohol.

M - Medium to heavy body is appropriate for the flavors and alcohol. Light to medium hops bitterness, some light alcohol burn. The carbonation is noticeable but seems smooth due to the tiny size of the bubbles.

O - This is a pleasant, well-made beer. It is not as complex as the best examples of Belgian pales, but it is simple and drinkable while having many of the tastes and aromas you'd expect.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 21:16:06 | More by Radome

WEBBEER

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%

04-17-2013 22:37:14 | More by WEBBEER

intoxabroad

British Columbia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

04-13-2013 11:58:24 | More by intoxabroad

thibratschi

Switzerland

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

03-31-2013 15:47:07 | More by thibratschi

djura

Serbia

3.8/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Golden pale clear color,white foam lasting minute or two,leaving lacing all the way.
S - Light orange smell,cloves and yeast. Pleasant smell.
T/M - Very balanced,good blond. Low carbonation,orange in the mouth,drinkable,bitter finish.

O - Very nice represent of blond ales,could drink it often.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2013 20:00:27 | More by djura

prisdefer

New York

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

03-25-2013 23:12:59 | More by prisdefer

Humorum

Netherlands

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

03-17-2013 11:22:32 | More by Humorum

Chrily

Norway

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

03-14-2013 12:43:44 | More by Chrily

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Corsendonk tulip.

Golden blonde color with good clarity and some visible carbonation in a cascade. I poured it very gently, because I wasn't sure how carefully I had to decant it. Perhaps, the carbonation got trapped beneath the surface. Hardly any collar of foam started up, and almost none was left behind.

Smells sweet. Muscat grape, apple, pear syrup, vanilla, triple sec, and a flamboyant yeast ester. Lots of fruit juice notes. Pretty good, but could stand to be a little drier.

The flavor is boozier and not as sweet, but still heavily fruity. Not the fruit juice overload of the aroma, but estery and scaled back by a chewy breadiness. The yeast isn't loud, either. A little more nuttiness would be welcomed, but not because the beer is too sweet. It's somewhat sweet, but there's a balancing dryness to the finish that's accompanied by some bitterness.

Late spritziness cleanses the palate. The body is a little wet, just over medium. Still, carries too much of the mere 6.7% ABV in the front.

A decent Belgian Pale. Too many other solid ones out there to give this one much praise.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 02:56:07 | More by thecheapies

rale

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

03-13-2013 01:34:10 | More by rale

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.8%

03-11-2013 05:53:34 | More by spycow

Adambeerdude22

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%

03-09-2013 14:54:44 | More by Adambeerdude22

Satyr179

Sweden

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

03-09-2013 09:51:10 | More by Satyr179

csmartin6

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

03-07-2013 23:44:58 | More by csmartin6