14/VIII/25 - on tap @ Loods 35 (Zele, BE), BB: n/a (2025-783)

Clear gold blond beer, creamy dense white head, stable, adhesive, falls down eventually, leaving a nice lacing in the glass. Aroma: a bit malty, lots of banana, yeasty esters, fruity, some honey, a hint of vanilla. MF: ok carbon, medium to full body. Taste: a little malty, slightly sweet, good bitterness, pretty refreshing, honey, malty, some banana, a bit herbal, green pears, yeasty touch. Aftertaste: slightly sweet, vanilla, honey, a little grassy, some alcohol, caramel, a touch of saffron, pleasant bitter finish, spicy, peppery touch, some bread dough.

Rated as Chimay 175, before it became available bottled as Chimay Blonde. At the time of reviewing, a new and only temporarily available blonde celebrating the 175th birthday of the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont, even though brewing there only commenced twelve years later; initially only to be found from tap, not bottled, in a selection of beer-oriented pubs throughout Belgium and France, plus an even more limited selection of partners in other countries. I had mine from tap at Trollekelder, located right across St.-Jacobs church in the heart of Ghent’s nightlife area. Thick and frothy, snow white, moussey, Brugse Kant-like lacing, very stable head, clear yellow-golden robe with pale apricot tinge. Aroma of green pear, unripe peach, cold cooked potatoes, white bread, grass, cold pasta, moist white pepper, field flowers, banana peel, coriander seed, clove, minerals. Clean, sleek onset, quite restrained in sweetness for the genre, hinting at unripe banana, green pear and apple peel, but marred by overly strong, numbing carbonation, adding a sharp minerality throughout; rounded pale malt core, cereally and simple, acquiring a grassy and floral hop bitter note which bitters adequately without overpowering, so that everything in the end remains well in balance: the ‘green’ fruitiness, the minerality, the pale malts and the hops. Altogether dryish and quenching, though not particularly festive; I hope the 175th birthday of the actual Chimay brewery in 2037 may inspire the abbey to come up with a more opulent and celebrational brew, but that is still quite far away from now, of course… Anyway: too bad for the overcarbonation, otherwise enjoyable for what it is, namely a blonde of medium strength holding the middle between Chimay Dorée and Chimay Triple (also flavour-wise). In that sense I have a strong feeling that it has been inspired by Westmalle Duo, which was released in spring, also in limited quantities and also only from tap…

Old rating - Just realised that the Rouge & Brune are the same as stated here (& confirmed on Chimay web site) as I've had them several times. Outstanding Dubbel.

Old rating - A 330ml bottle brought some years ago in France & consumed at home, pouring into a tulip glass. Pours a dark brown colour with a white head. Aromas of malt & banana bread. Tastes of malt, banana bread, caramel, spice & earth. Smooth medium body with the alcohol noticeable. Mild bitterness on the finish. Outstanding.

Old rating - A 330ml bottle brought home from Belgium in 2015 and stored in my cellar. Opened on last Christmas day & poured a amber colour with a white head. Aromas are a combination of floral & grassy hops, sugar, malt and spicy yeast. The taste is sweet malt with some floral & grassy hops and mild bitterness. Medium bodied with effervescent carbonation and pleasant warmth near the finish. Very good

0,33 l bottle. BB 12/2027. Cloudy orange golden in the glass, nearly two finger white foamy head. Sweet fruity caramel aroma. Taste starts with a dry soft grainy bitterness, herbal spices, malt, sugar. Low carboanted. Soft alcoholic. Nice.

One of those beers that one sees in every beer shop and supermarket. Having said that a decent Belgian Tripel. Bottle at home.