Belgian-Style Blonde Ale
Vault Brewing Company

16oz can stamped BELGIQUE 8/21/17 (presumably 28 months old) poured into a stemless wine glass at fridge temp 6% ABV. The beer pours chunky / mildly hazy in a light orange amber color with off white head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring. The aroma is faint with sweet, pale malt and clovey yeast. The taste is tart, clovey yeast over a pale malt body. Minimal bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, past it's prime, but showing glimpses of the positives from previous reviews. Rated to the current average and certainly something I would drink again.

Ah, nothing like The CANQuest (tm) to enliven an otherwise dull, ho-hum day. CAN't you agree? Well, even if not, I am proceeding with MY day which just happens to include CANs of beer!

From the CAN: "Belgian-Style Blonde Ale"; "Drink Fresh, Drink Now."

Aye aye! I Crack!ed open the vent & began a slow, gentle, C-Line Glug into the awaiting glass. I was mesmerized as it formed just under two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with very good retention, finally falling away with great lacing as a reminder of its former presence. Color was solid Gold (SRM = 5) with NE-quality clarity, prompting an impromptu visit from The Gelt Gang of Midas, Croesus & Mammon. Nose had a pronounced maltiness, more biscuit than bread, but definitely malty. Mouthfeel was medium, about on par for the style, but nothing notable nor to get excited about. I liked its slight honey-like tanginess that offset its otherwise unrelenting maltiness. Finish was sweet. I dunno. I knew what I was getting into with the style, but the total package was just too sweet for my refined (ha!) tastes. YMMV.

Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of fruits, yeast. Taste is fruits, malts, yeast, light spices. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.To me, it drinks more like a Belgian pale ale than an American blonde ale.

Poured into a chalice: color is gold, transparent, light effervescence, head is off white with fine bubbles, presented at least 1 inch thick and had to sip to avoid spillage.

Smell is lightly yeasty, then some phenols, clove, citrus; some light malt/biscuit as well.

Taste follows with light yeast, phenols, clove, citrus, malt in the form of biscuit, some light tartness/citrus quality as well, taste starts to dry after a bit.

Mouthfeel is moderate with a good level of carbonation, sweetness and dryness, just a touch full in presence on the tongue which seems slightly off compared to some other blondes.

Overall a good belgian blonde with pleasant belgian yeast aroma/flavor qualities.

 

Vault Brewing Co. "Belgian Blonde Ale"
"One Pint" can, coded "BELGIQUE 10/9/17 09:05:30" and sampled on 12/13/17
$3.19 @ Wineworks, Marlton, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: Hazy golden body beneath a finger thick head of creamy off-white foam. The head retention and lacing seem to be good from what I've seen so far. Unfortunately it's a bit yeasty in the nose but I'm sure that'll pass, I just pick it up very easily in the first few whiffs. Beyond that there's sweetish grainy malt, some mild Belgian-yeast phenols with some very light clove and spice, and a suggestion of citrus (I'm thinking lemon). The flavor follows and it's quite pleasant. There is a light note of lemon, and a subtle tartness that goes with it, and some apple, and grass, and a soft spiciness. Maybe even, and I'm probably imagining it, a touch of banana. The grainy malt is lightly sweetish, and it's balanced by a median bitterness that leads to a dryish finish with some lingering clove, spiciness, grass, and herbs. Once of the better American brewed Belgian-style blondes I've had lately. Looking back the head could have held better but it did alright, and the lacing is OK as well. I don't sense any alcohol. How strong is this? 6.0% ABV, that's not bad. Nicely done then. The body is medium leaning a little bit towards medium-light, and it's gently crisp and smooth with a fine-bubbled moderate carbonation. If that's the trade-off for less head retention I'll take it as the smoothness is quite nice as opposed to some that have more of a bite. Well balanced and rounded, and full of character. Worth trying to be sure.

16 oz can poured into a tulip.

Appearance
Golden blonde. Lightly hazy. Short head.

Nose
Apple, clove, hay, grass, cracker, and bubblegum.

Taste
Golden apple, clove, and cracker. Prominent spicy / grassy noble hoppiness. Hay, bubblegum, and honey.

Mouthfeel
Medium-light bodied, crisp, clean, and off-dry.

Overall
Well executed and beautifully done Belgian Blonde.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First had: on tap at Vault

Poured a slightly hazy golden-yellow color with a thin white head that sank to a tiny ringlet. Aroma of yeast and crackery malts, dry hay funk. The taste followed this, crackery malts, Belgian yeast profile, clove and some light citrus. This isn't really my style, but regardless, this one was not too bad. Light-medium body, moderate carbonation, and pretty good overall. Just not something I'd go back for.

For my first experience of the brew pub in Yardley it was really cool. Nice small feel with a great atmosphere with a jazz band playing. It is tough to compare this beer to others as this was the first blonde ale I have had. The beer was served in a Weizenbier glass. It had a very smooth taste leaving an interesting after taste. The after taste stays with you for awhile after word. It has little to no bitterness and a tip of fruity flavor that could easily just be my imagination. It seemed to be a beer of choice as it was freshly available for tapping. Overall I enjoyed the beer, but was not one would classify as a favorite.