Category Archives: Blonde

La chouffe Belgian blond bier

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La chouffe Belgian blond bierSo, the story of this brewery goes a little differently than most Belgian breweries. Not so much different as in flavours and brewing techniques, but more modern. 2 brothers-in-law set off on their quest to start brewing their own beers in the 1970’s (Don’t get us wrong, that is still much longer than most Australian breweries, but has nothing on breweries such as Leffe or Chimay which have been brewing since the 13th century). From there, plenty of awards ensued but it was when they teamed up with Duvel that it started going gangbusters and now they export to over 40 countries. Respect.

So, we served this in a wide-rimmed chalice. The heavily clouded amber/orange pour arouses a fluffy 2 finger crown that gradually reduced but persisted at a dense 7-8mm. Excellent head retention and that allows for some heavy lace trails to cling to the glass. What the olfactory’s detect instantly is that lovely candy-like sweetness. A bit like strawberry hearts. Some lovely herbs and spices are also flowing through, we get clove, pepper and a hint of coriander that blend so nicely with the musty, fruity yeasts. Pleasant aroma. In the mouth it’s well rounded that offers a good coating. Nicely weighted, not too heavy which allows the moderate carbonation to have some effect. Medium body. Tonnes of flavour happening here. Slightly complex. Upfront the taste buds enjoy a delicious fusion of herbs, spices and hints of banana as the palate is warmed with a good dose of alcohol (8%). The mid takes on more sweetness with a touch of grain and honeyed malts that lead to a dry, fruity finish. Decent length. For a relatively young brewery these guys are putting beers out that could easily sit among some of the best on the Belgian market. Kudos to you, good sir’s. We loved it.

Brasserie du Bocq ‘Gauloise’ Blond

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Bocq brewery gauloise blondeThe Gauloise was the first beer brewed by the Brasserie du Bocq in 1858. At the time, Martin Belot, the brewery’s founder drew his inspiration from the many Gallo-Roman sites in the region to create an authentic beer representative of Gallic brewing know-how: The “Gauloise”. Gauloise – pronounced ‘gol waz’ – or Gallic in English has a few meanings. There is a connection to Celtic people that lived in Gaul, which is now known as a region of Northern France and Belgium. Ok, enough history now on with the review.

Served in a beer tulip. The bright golden appearance reveals heavy suspended sediment when held against the light. Very active carbonation, streams of bubbles rise up to form the fizzy one finger head which steadily reduced to a thick halo around the edges of the glass. Reasonable lacing. Plenty of apple cider and fresh pear aromas emanating initially. Maybe just a slight hint of vanilla bean too. A very subtle touch of coriander creeps in as honey, grainy malts and doughy white bread fill it out. All very restrained but there to be enjoyed. In the mouth its silky smooth with moderate carbonation. Well weighted too, producing a creamy texture that coats the palate nicely. Minimal grip. The fore-flavour offers a doughy mix of bread and grains with a mild honey-like sweetness. As this carries forward a subtle note of coriander develops, leading on to the malty, yeasty finish. As it draws out it does become a little sweet, not enough to be cloying but the exit could have done with a bit more balance. A bit of a shame about the level of sediment too, it was so thick we couldn’t finish off the remainder of the beer. Not a bad Blond by any standard but we certainly have had better.