Val-Dieu Blond - Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu

Haybeerman

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy golden blond color. Poured a 3 finger foamy white head with good retention to a half finger dollop. Lots of sticky lace.

S: Light fruits dominate; pear and white grapes with citrussy notes. Biscuty malts. Pepper finishes it out.

T: Consistent with smell with light-colored fruits and citrus. Biscuity malts more predominent with dry straw. Long, light bitter to balanced; white pepper and lemon rind.

M: Light body. Moderate carbonation. Slightly coating and sweet ahead of smooth carbonation and dry bitter.

D: Easily drinkable and moderate ABV made this really enjoyable. Light, flavorful and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 16:19:49 | More by Haybeerman

mralphabet

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

11.9 oz bottle pour into St. Bernardus goblet

A: Pale golden, cloudy and full of nice little bit of yeast. About a fingers worth of head that settles to a ring and nice little floating clouds. Very nice lacing.

S: Sweet, with nice juicy citrus note, and a hint of light pepper.

T: A nice mix of sweet and sour citrus, little spicy and the end. Very balanced, with a little yeast and hops hanging in the aftertaste. Very nice mix over all.

M: I thought the carbonation might be pretty high when I opened and poured it and I was right. Very crisp and fizzy in the mouth, but all of that calms down as it warms. As it settles in the feel is warmer and smoother. As I finished it the feel was downright wonderful.

D: Pretty low ABV for a Belgian brew, with all the great Belgian feel and taste. I could drink this all day.... Wonderful beer.

Give this one a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 03:36:09 | More by mralphabet

DmanGTR

New York

2.78/5  rDev -28%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Review from notes on 9/9/09

A - poured a golden blonde with a short lived white head that diminished to a thin cap. Lovely Belgian lacing. Quite clear as well. 4.0

S - light pilsner malts, biscuits, apple cider, and that signature Belgian fruitiness. Hint of pears and white wine. 3.5

T - A bit one-dimensional for a beer, let alone a Belgian ale. Pilsener malt, slight hops, acidic, and light fruits. Not much else. 2.5

M - light bodied, highly carbonated to smoothness. Crisp and dry. 3.5

D - No wonder it's only $3.99. This was disappointing. 2.0

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 18:50:37 | More by DmanGTR

Rayek

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Val-Dieu glass.

A: Hazy gold with minimal carbonation. A dense, yet small white cap has excellent retention. It slowly recedes to a 1/4" pillow of foam that sticks the whole way down the glass. Leaves nice rings of lace.

S: Very fruity. Aromas of pear and green grape really stand out. A light coriander spice and a mild mustiness round things out.

T: Nice and light, but still complex. The pale fruits from the nose carry right into the flavor. They're joined by a straw like malt flavor. Bitterness is mild, but well balanced. It has a spicy pepper and coriander kick. Finishes with a mild lemon tartness.

M: The light body is dry and has very fine and smooth carbonation.

D: I was through my glass in a flash. Drinks lighter than its already fairly low ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 01:31:24 | More by Rayek

taigor

New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into regular glass.

A - Poured hazy straw color with huge head that dissipated slowly leaving signifficant lacing around the glass.

S - Yeasty scent upfront with floral and citrus hints.

T - Sweet upfront followed by bready yeast taste and some fruit aftertaste.

M - Light bodied with very high carbonation.

D - Very good and very drinkable beer even with carbonation being high.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2010 20:15:31 | More by taigor

adamette

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Live review. Poured from the stubby dark brown 11.2 oz. bottle that I bought, along with the cool thick walled snifter with a very nice gold and blue "Val-Dieu" label on the side of it and two other Val-Dieu beers as a part of a gift set from Reider's Market in Painesville yesterday for $9.99. Since about $3.33 per beer is close to a reasonable price one really gets the cool snifter free. "Best by" date of 30/01/11. Poured, of course, into the Val-Dieu snifter. As a side note, the cap announces: "Blonde" but the front label has: "Blond." Oh well, even the brewer could not decide on a spelling.

A Creamy white 3 inch head fills the snifter to the top over a light straw and translucent body with strings of bubbles rising up from the bottom. Kind of basic look really but I do like the abundant head. 3.5 After pouring beer from the bottom of the bottle the look changed enough that I think that I should comment. The body was much more opaque after pouring from the bottom of the bottle and a very fine sediment was seen floating evenly throughout the body. 4.0

S Yeast grains predominate and a muted malt presence is there as well. Minimal but pleasant smell. 3.5

T Nice light Belgian blonde taste of light malt, some yeast grains. Basic but pleasant taste. 3.5

M Carbonation is high and makes it dance across the tongue, an effect that I really appreciate in this style. The ABV is moderate making it not such a huge beer either. 4.0

D Good. I found the bottom of the snifter without any trouble and the ABV and feel lend it to easy drinkability. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 03:23:54 | More by adamette

rootbeerman

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured into val-dieu glass

A: pours cloudy dark yellow, not much head due to very conservative pour into the seemingly small branded glass. swirled to form a thin white head that actually hung around a bit.
S: sweet malt, sort of sourdough starter like yeast
T: again with the sourdough, sweet bread/cracker. lemon, slight fruitiness. im tempted to have a taste with the yeast stirred up. (yeast adds too much of the bready flavors)
M: light carbonation, crisp but with slight carbonation bite on the front of the tongue.
D: simple, would be good next step for someone new to beer

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2009 08:39:54 | More by rootbeerman

ShadesOfGray

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a short 11.2 oz bottle into my Val-Dieu chalice. Pours a hazy golden color with a white 1 finger head. Head disapates to a decent layer of froth over the beer.

Aroma is rather distant. Wheat, citrus, oak, earthy...overall though...pretty faint.

Medium body, creamy...solid blond ale. A little oak, citrus, grapefruit...mellow.

Creamy and sticky lacing slowely slides down the glass as you drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 03:07:14 | More by ShadesOfGray

Tone

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, golden color with lots of suspended sediment. 2/3 inch head of a white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of yeast, sweet malt, hops, and citrus (slight banana). Fits the style of an Belgian Pale Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with a high carbonation level. Tastes of hops, sweet malt, citrus (banana), and slight yeast. Overall, a smooth and easy drinking pale ale with a good body.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2009 02:20:55 | More by Tone

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brown 33cl bottle obtained from the brewery, stored a little longer than I intended, best before 2nd Apr 2009, drank 20th Aug 2009. Poured into a Corsendonk branded, stemmed tulip glass.

Very pale yellow, cloudy too, good white foaming head sat on top. I left the sediment in the bottle and drank it later, even so the beer had a true misty hue to it. The head had good retension and lacing stayed on the glass throughout the tasting.

Aroma was typical Belgian Blonde, yeasty and hay notes.

The taste is also typical (good quality) Belgian Blonde; crisp, sharp and refreshing.

The 6% sits nicely and suits the feel of the beer, other Belgian Blondes can go over the top with alcohol content, this is just right.

Impressed, I thought my slight ageing might effect the taste and review, if it has, then it's enhanced the enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 17:38:18 | More by BlackHaddock

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another fine brew thanks to brewandbbq.

Pours a barely closy yellow with a thin white head. Smooth flavor that maintains nice sweet tones that don't go overboard but stay consistent. Not overly complex, but definitely nice. Feel is smooth on liquid and the carbonation is actually coming off as soft. That is the biggest thing I have noticed on this beer: the carbonation. Definitely softer and more refined than any American production of the same style. Shows how know-how and experience can trump passionate zeal. A very east drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 22:05:03 | More by RblWthACoz

farrago

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Solid one finger of pure white foam, as if spooned onto the top of the beer, the lacing clings tenaciously without losing its appearance of delicacy. Simple yellow gold to zinc in color, mostly transparent, attractive without makeup. The nose unfolds green apple, pear, peach fruit as well as a brush of banana and coconut, sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice nuances, the floral side brings out zesty lemon notes, the grains and bread understated and not really more than a complement. In the mouth it's light-bodied with added presence via the churning foaminess. As tactful as ever, gossamer floral dew pairs with lemon and orange mist, just ripened peach, apricot, pear, melon fruit flavors and then a finishing grapiness. The yeast and white bread accents barely baked, warm and sticks to your fingers. As it finishes, stone and stream water parts cleanse the palate, the flavors washed away as the foam eventually peters out too.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2009 23:58:59 | More by farrago

morimech

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy golden color with a smallish white head that quickly faded to a thin cap. Moderate amount of sticky lacing is left on the glass. Has a light fruity aroma, slightly vinous, and some spice coming from the yeast. Overall a pleasant aroma but it is a bit weak. The flavor is a bit weak as well. It is nicely balanced but it does not pack a lot of punch. Light fruit and cloves. Sweet finish but rather underwhelmed by the flavor. Light body with abundant, but not harsh carbonation. The ABV is getting up there for a session beer. Maybe a fresher example would of impressed me more.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2008 23:40:45 | More by morimech

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear, aside from all that little yeast flecks, effervescent body with a tall, airy, white head.

Smell: Tangy-scented, sweet-smelling bouquet with notes of citrus, spicy hops, yeast, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, bananas.

Taste: Pale, pilsner maltiness with a big sugary, honey-hinted sweetness. Spritz of tangy lemon juice, maybe even a bit of lime, and heck, maybe some tangerine in there, too. Hints of unripe bananas. Spicy Noble hops with a mild bitterness. Slight yeastiness. Crisp, fruity, sweetish finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Well carbonated, like drinking a Sprite.

Drinkability: A lively, sweet, but still refreshing Belgian ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2008 00:45:57 | More by ChainGangGuy

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy golden color with a thick white head that slowly dissipates leaving no visible lacing. Has a somewhat crisp, fruity aroma with hints of grape, apple, light raisin and pear. Flavor consists of these same light, crisp fruits with a sweet dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 06:27:39 | More by corby112

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy pale golden with an excellent head that sticks around as a cap and leaves some slight lacing. The smell is somewhat light and lemony with some clove throughout. Tastes nicely balanced with a very nice lemony, creamy freshness. There are some lightly biscuity malt notes with some residual sweetness that comes through. Its not too much, though, and it is smooth and creamy, and light, and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2008 23:27:37 | More by Georgiabeer

KeefD

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this one in a variety 3-pack with a free glass. Poured into a Val-Dieu chalice a bright hazy golden color with a small head and light lacing. Plenty of fine particulates floating around, which I can't help but love. Smell is fantastic. Fruity, spicy, floral, hints of coconut and pineapple. Flavorful taste. Plenty of dry Belgian yeast presence, hints of apple, slight spiciness, mellow, well rounded. Sweet and fruity up front, spicy int he middle, and dry on the finish. Good carbonation, somewhat crisp and very refreshing. Very nice. I enjoyed this one and can't wait to jump into their Dubbel and Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2008 17:30:31 | More by KeefD

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drank with dinner At Penguin Pizza last Saturday. Poured from the bottle into a Unibroue tulip glass. Nice white fluffy head. School bus yellow color. Smell was a bit bready. Taste was interesting, as I got a weird but good hint of grapefruit. This added a nice spicy (citrus) note to the taste. Not a beer that I could drink a bunch of, but one that you can just sip and enjoy the Belgian goodness. An interesting take on a pale ale by this brewery. It works.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2008 00:02:30 | More by morebeergood

Portertime

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

After falling in love with the triple, I had to try the blonde. Had this one chilled in my Duvel chalice. Poured a cloudy dark goldish color with a hefty head. Smell was of a nice hefe wiesse actually, yeasty, wheaty, banana, raisin. Taste was also wheaty, with sour apple undertones. Not as spectacular as the triple but a nice blond.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2008 21:35:03 | More by Portertime

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a hazy pale gold with a 2 finger foamy and sticky white head that had a great retention and left a patchy lacing. There were some visible floaties as well a strong visible carbonation.

S: some candi-sugar, yeastiness of cloves, bananas, and sour citrus hops.

T: citrusy with sour fruit (green apples), oranges and a light fresh breadiness. There was some honey, cloey sweetness with a light nuttiness. before finishing with a spritzy carbonation bite and dried fruitiness.

M: lively from the strong carbonation, citrusy, sour, light, and tingly.

D: A nice drink, easy, smooth with a dry finish and definitely quenches the thirst per style.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2008 22:29:55 | More by beerthulhu

semihobo

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 fl oz stubby bottle, best before 26/12/08.

Pours a dark aged-parchment yellow, with tiny little bubbles rocketing upward. The head has excellent texture and retention and leaves dense sheets of velvety lacing on the walls of the bulb. This is why it's hot.

Smell is most noticeably candi sugar and clove, but there is a decent hop presence as well, with some spice to round things out.

Tastes of figs, cloves, and rum-washed fruit. Instead of the darker fruits normally associated with Belgians, tastes more like apple -- this brew reminds me of a good Riesling. Definitely sweet. Fruits and spices recede on the finish to leave only modest hop flavor with cake-like malts.

Creamy carbonation, medium bodied. Bubbles tingle as the swallow starts but back off out of deference for taste.

A very pleasant ale, and a beaut to boot. Gets a little too sweet as it warms -- couldn't drink more than a 11.2oz of this without a break. Val-Dieu Blond is repping Belgium hard, in a good way.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2008 03:27:06 | More by semihobo

avalon07

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle to a tulip glass. Had a yellowish color and a cloudy texture, rich with sediment. Didn't have much of a head, but possessed decent lacing.

This had a citrusy smell, along with yeast and some spices. A nice aroma.

Orange, yeast, hops and something else sweet I couldn't put my finger on. It was this particular element that kind of put me off. I like sweet beers, but this was a little much.

The carbonation rate was good, not overwhelming at all. Had a nice finish, but, as I said, a little to sweet on the aftertaste.

Overall this is a drinkable beer. It's certainly more complex than most blonds. It's just that one element in the taste that keeps from rating it higher.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2008 14:41:37 | More by avalon07

watchnerd

California

3.23/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Run of the mill Belgian style blond, with all the expected characteristics (yeasty, citrusy, quaffable) of the style, but not particularly noteworthy in any way. A good basic stock blond for every day drinking when you don’t need to impress anyone. If you’re in North America, one of the better domestic blondes may be just as serviceable, and cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 06:58:52 | More by watchnerd

Patrick999

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 ml bottle, a birthday gift from my brother.

Poured a cloudy gold into a tulip glass. Nice head, but really excellent lacing. Beautiful and classy-looking beer.

Smell is a bit understated, like a pilsner with some Belgian yeast, unsurprising given the pilsner malts and Saaz hops in this beer.

Taste - wow, quite nice. A little spicy phenolic kick with copious sweet pilsner malt and gentle hops. Reminds me of a less intense Duvel.

Mouthfeel, drinkability - well carbonated, but doesn't seem filling in the slightest. A little sweet but never cloying. Sits well on the tongue and easy in the stomach. Exceptionally easy to drink - if I was to session a Belgian ale, this would be a fine choice indeed. Big-time props to my brother for picking this out for me; it's right up my alley.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2007 21:09:23 | More by Patrick999

psinderson

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled poured into traditional glassware.

Appearance: Dark golden color with a medium white head. Some minimal lacing.

Smell: Citrus and yeast with a bit of grain presence and a malty background.

Taste: Citrus dominates. A good earth hop flavor with a mild hop finish. Clean finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, good carbonation.

Drinkability: Nice clean, smooth finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2007 19:48:59 | More by psinderson