Zingende Blondine
Brouwerij 't Gaverhopke

Zingende BlondineZingende Blondine
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From:
Brouwerij 't Gaverhopke
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
Ranked #93
ABV:
9.8%
Score:
87
Ranked #16,812
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 10.34%
Reviews:
42
Ratings:
89
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 04, 2023
Added:
Mar 19, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  9
Also called "Singing Blonde".
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by WindedIndian:
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Rated by WindedIndian from Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

Feb 16, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.85 by TheBigBoy from Pennsylvania

Jul 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3 by mmilyko from Nevada

Dec 03, 2022
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Brought to me courtesy of the Rare Beer Club (whom I always wince at their S&H charges, but they always seem worth it upon drinking their selections... and Zingende is a very satisfying case in point.)

Before I give my brief and humble review, I should note that Rare Beer Club's two page write-ups also are worth their markup (and S&H costs.)

Poured into my St. Feuillien goblet... but Duvel's tulip may have been more appropriate primarily because of the pepper. While Blondine's Looks are a bit disappointing (the yeast is not active), it Smells like a Peppa champ followed quickly by honey and fresh tree fruits. Tastes add some juicy-fruit (vaguely reminding me of my North American favorite, Apex Predator.) In the finish, the yeast reasserts its pepper and clove-ish quality; largely having the last say. In my mouth, exceptionally full and warm despite its limited foam and bubbles. Had with steamed corn-on-the-cob and a veggie burger with both honey mustard (a great pairing) and some BBQ on the side (a less successful experiment), Zingende did its job. And I want more.

As for my micro-review of Gaverhopke, I very much want more of their brews and more of Blondine. Zingende is only my second from Gaverhopke, so it is too early to call them brewing geniuses... but they probably are. (The first was their BSDA five years ago that I rated 10.5% above the BA average and the same as StoneTrippin' my mentor half my age.) But, Blondine impresses me beyond my advanced years. Both ales impress me with ratings 9 % above the BA average. On their website, I start to see why: they brew for quality and QOL, tying in family and food. Power to that. A votre Sante'!

5/29/23 Memorial Day. Got another copy from RBC, this time in their Belgian Bliss Box. Shared this copy with family. Worked well with appetizers. But decided Blondine was too spicy to have with a common dinner that included potato salad.
Aug 25, 2022
Photo of dd53grif
Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan

3.91/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A Rare Beer Club offering. Pours a gold color with a bubbly head that lasts quite a while. Aroma of sweet banana. Taste is spicy; peppery and slightly bitter at the finish.
Jan 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by smithj4 from New York

Dec 12, 2021
 
Rated: 3.98 by metter98 from New York

Dec 12, 2021
 
Rated: 3.98 by dbrauneis from North Carolina

Dec 12, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by RBorsato from Virginia

Nov 17, 2021
Photo of mwilbur
Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from 750 mL bottle into tulip.
A: Pours a slightly hazy light golden yellow hue with 1-2 inch bubbly white head fed by active carbonation jets. Good retention.
S: Banana and clove, white pepper, herbal mint, with honeyed and lightly toasted malt.
T: Honeyed malt, clove, fresh white pepper, herbal mint, and dry cracker malt.
M: Light body. Fresh and lively with nice effervescence. Malt sweetness with mildly dry and bitter elements. Slightly oily feel.
D: An interesting beer with layers of malt and pepper with some fruit and spice notes. Well crafted/constructed brew.
Nov 14, 2021
 
Rated: 3.52 by desint from Belgium

Nov 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Sep 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.04 by Dougwillhike from New Jersey

Jul 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.88 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

May 23, 2018
Photo of schoolboy
Reviewed by schoolboy from Ohio

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
It's hard to fault this beer, yet you want to find fault. It is a bit large.

It opens foamy and fairly dank. It is large from the get go. I think this bottle was nicely aged at the store. It is a rich, alcoholic yet not boozy experience.

This unapologizing monster is one I would never refuse. Gimme more.
Dec 27, 2016
Photo of teromous
Reviewed by teromous from Virginia

2.15/5  rDev -44.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
No bottle or import date.

Appearance: The head is short and fizzy with a white appearance. It appears momentarily and then vanishes as fast (or faster) than the head on a soda leaving nothing behind. The body of the beer is a hazy dark gold and orange color. A lot of sediment is left in the glass before the bottom of the bottle is reached.

Aroma: The beer smells like sour grapes. Nothing else on the nose.

Taste: A massive tart flavor up front that scorches the taste buds like sucking on a warhead. It has a bit of an apple cider and white wine character to it. If I tasted this blind I doubt I would recognize it as a beer. To the beer's credit it does have an interesting fruit-like flavor but it is overwhelming as a giant sour bomb without any nuance or subtlety.

Mouthfeel: It has a very abrasive tartness. Raspy and rough across the palate.

Overall: I found myself having to score gradients of bad on this beer. As a sour beer it gives you a sour character and not much else. As anything else in the realm of Belgian ales or beers in general it leaves much to be desired. I checked the website and they mention that "The first taste is sweet but soon you become aware of a hint of ginger." (translated) This does not describe the beer that I had at all. I would not drink it again and I would not recommend it.
Jun 25, 2016
Photo of Reegze79
Reviewed by Reegze79 from Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Big Belgian Blonde....hazy, straw-orange hue, no head retention....classic Belgian ale nose and a really sweet, malty taste. The 9.8% really comes through nicely. Definitely a sipper
Dec 26, 2015
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
crazy crazy bottle of beer, anytime you spend a lot on a single and it gushes like crazy on you, its disappointing, but rarely does the little beer left in the bottle make the whole thing worth it, and in this case it does. never really seen one like it, it just keeps on gushing and gushing, tons of yeast in this thing floating around, from chunky and white, to small and speckled, to dark and congealed, its odd and kind of gross, unless you get off on this sort of thing like I do. the head is super tall of course, pure white, and comprised of medium sized bubbles all stacked up on top of each other, and there are brown flecks of yeast in the head, like a cinnamon latte or even a vanilla bean ice cream. it smells like vanilla for sure, and has the sweetness and yeast complexion of a Belgian tripel, but isn't quite as dense and evolved on the grain front. the yeast is awesome, and there is plenty of sweetness here. the booze is really well hidden, and notes of honey and pie crush come out, with sweet lemon curd and jasmine flowers as accent notes. very Belgian, very old world, but also very innovative. I just cant believe its as strong as it is, so well hidden here. id like to try some of their other stuff, but you just don't see it around very often...

edit: new labels on the large bottles now, half a decade or more later than the above review, its honey and malty compared to a lot of these, has a high ferment ester profile, pear and apple and spice, and hits in some ways like a duvel and in others like something trappist, its gloriously high quality, bottle conditioned superbly, and really stands out to me, now more than ever, as a beacon of what the style is all about. better now in the large format from rare beer club than i remember from the stubby so long ago, have to raise a few scores...
Jul 15, 2015
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
330 ml bottle into tulip glass, best before 12/2014. Highly carbonated gusher upon opening. Pours murky bright orange color with a 3 finger fluffy off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a large amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of lemon, lime, orange peel, pear, apple, pepper, herbal, floral, grass, candi sugar, and herbal/yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good complexity and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, earthy hops, and light pale malt notes; with good strength. Very bright aromas. Taste of big lemon, lime, orange peel, pear, apple, pepper, herbal, floral, grass, candi sugar, light honey, and herbal/yeast earthiness. Good amount of earthy yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of lemon, lime, orange peel, pear, apple, pepper, candi sugar, light honey, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a short bit. Nicely dry finish. Damn nice complexity and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, earthy hops, and light pale malt flavors; with a great crisp malt/yeast balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Very high carbonation and light-medium bodied; with a very smooth, crisp, and foamy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian strong pale ale. All around great complexity and balance of bright fruity/spicy yeast, earthy hops, and light pale malt flavors; and extremely smooth and crisp to sip on for the high ABV. With the combination of the difficult over carbonated pour and murky appearance, I was expecting this to taste old and malty; but it tasted spot on. A very enjoyable offering.
Mar 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by DruC4 from Michigan

Mar 04, 2015
Zingende Blondine from Brouwerij 't Gaverhopke
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 89 ratings