Blond beers are also known as gold ales and the color they have varies greatly. There are some whose color is a very pale straw like color and others it is golden blond. What you will notice with them all is that they are clear, crisp and dry, with a slightly bitter taste. Also although they do have some fruitiness to them this is not something that detracts from the beers aroma or taste.
These particular varieties of Belgian beer in fact will have a far higher alcohol content than the more traditional pilsners that the breweries produce. However, these have actually only been produced since the beginning of the 20th Century but their popularity has steadily increased.
The most well known and popular of the various different varieties of Blond beer produced in Belgium today is that called Duvel. When translated into English it means devil and this particular beer is produced by the Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat (Duvel Moortgat Brewery) which was founded in 1871.
This particular beer when first produced to commemorate the end of the First World War was named the Victory Ale. However, during the 1920?s its name changed after an avid drinker of the beer described it as ?a real devil?. This was believed to be in reference to the alcohol content of the beer which is 8.5% and the name was then changed to what it is known as today.
The Duvel beer is considered to be the definitive version of all Blond beers and contains pilsner malt, white sugar and both the hops from the Saaz and Syrian Goldings plants. It is these ingredients along with the brewing method that provide this beer with its very distinctive full flavor.
Another of the blond beers which is sold not only in Belgium but France also is the Leffe Blonde. Again it comes with its own distinctive flavor that has a slight almond taste to it. Although for many centuries it was brewed at the Leffe Monastery for the monks but during the French Revolution the monks were forced to abandon it and their brewery was destroyed.
The Canons finally returned to Leffe Abbey in 1902 however production of this beer did not commence again until 1952. This time it was to be done on a commercial basis as the Abbey went into partnership with the Flemish brewery of Lootvoet based in Overijse. Although the beer is no longer produced by this brewery but by the Stella Artois one in Leuven the agreement originally set up in 1952 is still in place and the Abbey continues to receive royalties from the sales of this beer.
As previously mentioned the major difference between Blond beers and more traditional kinds of ales and beers is not just the color and taste but its alcohol content. On average most beers and ales will have around 4.5% of alcohol but the Blond beers far exceed this.
These particular varieties of Belgian beer in fact will have a far higher alcohol content than the more traditional pilsners that the breweries produce. However, these have actually only been produced since the beginning of the 20th Century but their popularity has steadily increased.
The most well known and popular of the various different varieties of Blond beer produced in Belgium today is that called Duvel. When translated into English it means devil and this particular beer is produced by the Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat (Duvel Moortgat Brewery) which was founded in 1871.
This particular beer when first produced to commemorate the end of the First World War was named the Victory Ale. However, during the 1920?s its name changed after an avid drinker of the beer described it as ?a real devil?. This was believed to be in reference to the alcohol content of the beer which is 8.5% and the name was then changed to what it is known as today.
The Duvel beer is considered to be the definitive version of all Blond beers and contains pilsner malt, white sugar and both the hops from the Saaz and Syrian Goldings plants. It is these ingredients along with the brewing method that provide this beer with its very distinctive full flavor.
Another of the blond beers which is sold not only in Belgium but France also is the Leffe Blonde. Again it comes with its own distinctive flavor that has a slight almond taste to it. Although for many centuries it was brewed at the Leffe Monastery for the monks but during the French Revolution the monks were forced to abandon it and their brewery was destroyed.
The Canons finally returned to Leffe Abbey in 1902 however production of this beer did not commence again until 1952. This time it was to be done on a commercial basis as the Abbey went into partnership with the Flemish brewery of Lootvoet based in Overijse. Although the beer is no longer produced by this brewery but by the Stella Artois one in Leuven the agreement originally set up in 1952 is still in place and the Abbey continues to receive royalties from the sales of this beer.
As previously mentioned the major difference between Blond beers and more traditional kinds of ales and beers is not just the color and taste but its alcohol content. On average most beers and ales will have around 4.5% of alcohol but the Blond beers far exceed this.
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A hugely popular variety of blond beer is Trappist Beer which is brewed by Trappist Monks. As outlined above Duvel Beer is another popular choice of brand which other brewers aspire to because of its fine quality.
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