A new variant on the original Paalsteen theme, a blonde hopped with Citra promoted as the local beer of Sint-Martens-Latem (Belgium's wealthiest municipality by the way, just west of Ghent) but obviously brewed elsewhere, this is apparently a stronger version hopped with Mosaic - and labelled pale blue rather than dark blue. Found in the Delhaize supermarket at the Watersportbaan in Ghent. Huge, foamy, cauliflower-like, busily cobweb-lacing, large-bubbled yet tightly knit and very firm, snow white head on an initially lightly hazed, warm golden robe with apricot tinge and fine strings of sparkling, turning more orangey and misty with sediment, even 'dark blonde' and cloudy in the very end. Aroma of warm biscuit, Betterfood cookies, lychee, clementine, peach jam, drying chamomile, bread crust, wild parsnip, pear blossoms, banana peel, honey, cooked green peas, clove, wet sand, dried but not fried onion rings. Fruity onset, sweetish but the sweetness is partially suggested by the Mosaic aromas; peach, some banana, some pineapple and apricot esteriness with a fine-structured yet sharpish minerally carbonation effect piercing through; rounded core, bready with even more (yeasty) breadiness as the sediment is added, a tad biscuity in its general effect of honeyish residual sugars residing on top of this soft breadiness. Clove-like phenolic accents mingle with the Mosaic, which in this case provides retronasal elements of lychee, honey pomelo and perhaps guava, but in a restrained, I would almost say 'non-IPA' kind of way - so do not expect that, expect a Belgian tripel of sorts embellished with a fancy New World hop variety behaving earthy and spicy enough to fit in the tripel paradigm. That said, I had the impression that the Citra fitted the regular blonde version even better than the Mosaic fits this stronger version - but it could be the alcohol here, providing a slight wryness in the end, disrupting the play of hops and malts. I had the regular one on several occasions and enjoyed it for what it was; this one does not manage to outshine its predecessor for me, but it is still a well-made and perfectly manageable tripel.

Hazy blond colour, white foam. Light citrussy, herbal, a bit flowery, light bitter finish. A bit messy.

33cl bottle shared at HBF 2023. As Latem Smaken. Poured almost clear and golden. Citrusy hops, Belgian yeasty notes, dryness and light spiciness. Crisp.

Bottle 0.33l at HBF2023, Helsinki. Color is slightly cloudy golden with small white head. Aromas and flavors: Fruits, citrus, hops and malts. Some Belgian yeast elements.

17/IX/21 - 75cl bottle @ Nieuwjaarsreceptie Gentse Biervereniging, Hotel Columbo (Gent), BB: 1/VI/23 (2021-1099) Thanks for sharing the bottle!

Little cloudy blond to orange beer, small creamy off-white head, little stable, bit adhesive. Aroma: fruity, citrus, some tropical fruits, bit malty. MF: lively carbon, medium body. Taste: bitter touch, citrus, some caramel malts, bit of alcohol, very yeasty, banana, sugary. Aftertaste: sticky malts, grains, bit sugary, lots of ripe banana, some marijuana, very herbal, rather yeasty and boring. Not getting much of that promised citra hops in here…

Lci

Rather clear blond colour, white foam. Belgian yeast, sweet notes, light bitter, some citrus. Ok.

Citra-hopped new ‘streekbier’ of Sint-Martens-Latem, the famous (as well as very wealthy and chic) artist’s village west of Ghent; named after a street there and developed by four entrepreneurs (I hate that word in a beer context) who thought it was time Latem got a new brewery, after the last one closed down more than a hundred years ago. The beer was created in their own respective homes and garages and commercially launched last year, but no way am I going to believe that they brew everything (more than 7000 l so far) themselves: this is commercially produced by a professional brewery and even if it is not mentioned on the label anywhere (nor on the Paalsteen website or Facebook page), the most likely candidate is once again BeerSelect in Ghent, located about 5 miles northeast of the Paalsteen street in Latem. Had this beer twice, once in a café in Sint-Martens-Latem itself and a second time at home from a bottle bought in a delicacy shop – also in Latem. Egg-white, thick and frothy, moussy, stable head on a lightly misty, warm ‘old gold’ beer with a pretty orange glow and lots of visible sparkling; more cloudy with sediment. Aroma of orange zest, dried lemonbalm, biscuit, dried apricot, mandarin peel, petrichor, some coriander seed, light candyfloss and a dash of pineapple. Sweet onset yet not cloying, peachy with melon and banana notes too, medium carbonated with smooth, slick but – for ABV – quite ‘full’ mouthfeel; biscuity and lightly caramelly malt sweetness with a faint dash of coriander seed spiciness sprinkled on top, but then making a turn for the better and acquiring a confident hop bitterness that stretches out over the finish, whilst producing a bright orange aroma retronasally, obviously coming from the Citra that was used. Belgian blonde is still being done to death these days – for commercial reasons as it is accessible and popular among less educated Belgian beer drinkers – but I have to admit that this one was a pleasant surprise: it has been ‘infused’ with a subtle nod to the global craft beer movement, because even considering how long Citra has been in use now, it is still not that self-evident for traditionally oriented Belgian brewing to incorporate a New World hop variety in your beer. This one does it, and does it right, adding colour and fraîcheur without being afraid of actual hop bitterness. One of the best in the Belgian blonde segment I had in a long time. Now at least be honest and open about where it is brewed, guys!