Achel 8 Blond

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappistenabdij De Achelse Kluis
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Hamont-Achel, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

A very solid and respectable beer. Pours pretty, cloudy orange with a large head. Esters, caramel and fruitiness feature predominately. Some gentle balancing bitterness. Some spice in the flavour, a little more and some complexity could have lifted this beer out of the good and into the great.

This brew pours a hazy golden color with a medium rocky white head that diminishes slowly. Rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of bananas, yeast and spice. Light to medium body with flavors of banana, malt, yeast and sweet spices. The finish is yeast and citrus with a lingering fruity aftertaste. Decent overall.

Farbe etwas trübe, aber ein üppiger Schaumberg ziert dieses Bier. Geruchlich hefig, leicht fruchtig. Geschmack hefeartig und aromatisch, mirabellen-like. Dann treten scharfe Nuancen auf den Plan, die auch den Abgang bestimmen. Hier spürt man auch etwas vom Alkohol. Das Achel Blonde wirkt auf mich einfach zu schwer. Geschmacklich ganz ok, aber kein Dauerbrenner.

Bottle poured into tulip glass. The pour produced a HUGE head that was messy and took forever to subside without even being too vigorous. Nice and golden, straw-like color. The nose reminds me of a typical Belgian: nice yeast up front with some citrus (grapefruit, kumquat) and a hint of honey. Nice taste with, again, a yeasty bread-like taste upfront with some citrusy fruits. Good stuff.

Pours beautiful into a trappist glass. The color is a faint orange, which is rather hazy with an eye-catching thick puffy head. The lacing comes late, but sticks to the side of the glass, reminding you of how much your last sip was. The scent was surprisingly intoxicating. Scents of sweet yeast, and vanilla with slight grapefruit undertones tickle the senses. Honestly it smells like sugar cookies! The flavor is right up there with the hype, sweet and mellow with a touch of bitterness. The first scent is a slight vanilla, which transitions to nutmeg with a slight citrus aftertaste. The slight ember of the alcohol is very welcoming and pleasant. Your mouth is left with a taste of bread - particularly sweet honey bread. I love this beer and is one of my favorites! I can’t wait to enjoy it again!

Golden blond, slightly turbid, large stable white foam crown. Tutti-frutti aroma: fruity hops, spicy yeast, ripe oranges, sweet malts. Citrus tones in flavor, semi-sweet with a spicy, slightly tart, slightly bitter finish. Compared to other trappists it’s rather simpler. Actually, it seems a little trite at first, but it gets a lot bet after a little while. Be patient.

Cloudy gold, medium off white rocky head. Had some flocculent yeast particles floating around, and I poured it pretty carefully.Wonderful citrus and yeast aroma. Medium mouthfeel, slightly resinous but quite pleasant. Ligthly sweet malt flavors, with lemon, spice, and a a slight sourness overall. Finishes a little sour, not actually dry or bitter, but nicely refreshing.

11.2oz bottle in a Trappist glass. Pours opaque darker golden with a fluffy, cream-colored head. Aroma of spicy yeast, floral hops, and caramel malts. Flavor very smooth of the malts, yeast, and hops in perfect balance. Average texture. A really good Belgian beer - one of my favorites.