Josef Belgian Blonde Ale
Brouwerij Martens NV

Josef Belgian Blonde AleJosef Belgian Blonde Ale
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From:
Brouwerij Martens NV
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Blonde Ale
ABV:
6%
Score:
75
Avg:
3.21 | pDev: 15.58%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
107
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 20, 2018
Added:
Jul 21, 2013
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  17
No description / notes.
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Ratings by chinchill:
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.44/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Very full 330ml bottle of Josef Belgian Blonde from Trader Joe’s served in a Belgian snifter. Pours clear, with no sediment in the bottle. Light yellow-amber body with a white, bubbly head of moderate size and very good retention. Nice lacing.
Light herbal-bready aroma is more floral upon tasting. The flavor is also more hoppy than indicated by the aroma.
Light, crisp body with a semi-dry finish.
Good with food. Good for price here in the U.S.A.
Oct 23, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by DigitGrowler from Kentucky

May 20, 2018
 
Rated: 3.25 by freewill35 from Indiana

Mar 30, 2017
Photo of Makeitadouble
Reviewed by Makeitadouble from Florida

2.18/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
The best thing about this beer is the presentation . Wrapped in Gold foil and accompanied with its own chalice , this beer looks amazing. It pours golden with a light and fluffy head . Unfortunately thats it . The spice is over bearing . Cloves, the beer tastes like your grandmother left the cloven spiced ham in the oven too long and now its dry and spicy . This beer is dry and is not refreshing , however at 6% ABV it gets the job done.
Feb 23, 2017
Photo of kerouac
Reviewed by kerouac from California

3.49/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
This beer reminds me a bit of Bitburger. The smell is a bit more interesting than Bitburger, and the mouthfeel is a bit softer. Pretty much your standard Pilsner, somewhere in between Bitburger and Pilsner Urquell. Not too bad, but nothing to write home about.

Seeing that it was a Belgian Blonde Ale, sold at Trader Joe's, I was hoping for something more similar to Leffe, but Leffe it is not.
Jan 28, 2017
Photo of Profundobaso
Reviewed by Profundobaso from New York

3.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
L - golden hue, thin head that quickly fizzles away
S - clean, light hint of hops, similar to an adjunct lager
T - clean, light, and refreshing, but does not remind me much of a Belgian
F - thin, but easy drinker for a 6%
O - TJ's has a lot of good beer, but this was not one of their best. Nevertheless, good for the price and gets the job done
Jan 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.1 by logicalparadox from New York

Nov 30, 2016
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

2.46/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a light to medium golden amber with a fizzy half finger white head that dissipates instantly to a ring around the glass with no lacing. Not promising. Aroma of light bready malt, a hint of lemon and honey. Profile more like a light lager than a Belgian. Flavor is bready, lightly biscuit malt, clove, light lemon and initially a light honey sweetness. The flavor thins out to a bitter, mildly malty finish; stark and acidic. Medium bodied with sharp carbonation. Wow, this misses the mark in so many ways. The initial flavor is like the aroma, like a light lager, but bitterness and light lemon tartness show up and things go downhill from there. The finish is remotely Belgian, a little tart and lemony with faint fruit flavors, but to my taste not much like a Belgian of any style. I expected a cheap Belgian knock-off, but rather surprised that this was actually brewed in Belgium. Not good and not recommended, even at its low, low price. Trader Joes has some truly awesome, inexpensive Belgians, particularly the Unibroue line, this is not in that category.
Nov 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.41 by Hyptochrons from Massachusetts

Nov 21, 2016
Photo of GregBlatz
Reviewed by GregBlatz from Ohio

3.31/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
This is much more delicate of a Belgian blonde than I was expecting.
I was hoping for some spicy phenolic notes but this is a very clean ale.
So, I think this beer is getting flamed by a lot of reviewers because it doesn't match the style that the label declares it to be. That is fair.
Nose is slight metallic with honey malt as the stronger of the two.
The taste is very clean but the sweetness of the malt is what stands out. Honey and lemon are what I get.
Finishes with a nice bitterness that keeps the sweetness under control nicely.
I love how aldis and trader Joe's(sister companies) provide beers from euro regions and from legit breweries. The price is right also. Just wasn't what I expected.

Revision: OK so I looked up the bjcp for Belgian blondes. This beer is dead on appropriate for style despite what I thought going into it. Notice that it 'may' have spicy phenols but it is optional.

Belgian Blond Ale. Aroma: Light earthy or spicy hop nose, along with a lightly sweet Pils malt character. Shows a subtle yeast character that may include spicy phenolics, perfumy or honey-like alcohol, or yeasty, fruity esters (commonly orange-like or lemony). ... Light hop flavor, can be spicy or earthy.
Oct 09, 2016
 
Rated: 2.94 by Luiz0930 from California

Sep 21, 2016
 
Rated: 4.16 by Samputnam14 from South Carolina

Sep 14, 2016
Photo of nausicaa-taos
Reviewed by nausicaa-taos from Illinois

1.81/5  rDev -43.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.75
I've head mountain dews less carbonated than this. Not a passable pseudo-Belgian by a long shot. Don't try, don't but. Walk out of trader joe's and find a gas station with some natty light. Repulsive.
Sep 02, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by archero from Texas

Aug 01, 2016
Photo of Guppy314
Reviewed by Guppy314 from District of Columbia

2.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
From a bottle bought at Trader Joe's, pours a bright gold with a thin bubbly of-white head. Aroma is subtle (i.e., nearly absent). Tastes are slightly sweet and had to search for the malt and hops. Very carbonated with a light mouth feel. I wanted this to be a light Summer beverage, but it just comes off as unsatisfying.
Jul 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by papat444 from Canada (QC)

May 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Rcaisse from Massachusetts

May 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Michael_Lopez from California

Apr 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by JoeCorleone from California

Mar 15, 2016
Photo of gandres
Reviewed by gandres from Philippines

3.02/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From 12 ounce bottle to wine glass
Appearance: Deep light brown-yellow, white head, not a lot, minimal lacing
Aroma: very fruity aroma
Taste: lightly toasted grains, slight chocolate
Feel: foamy creamy feel
Overall: Overall very good beer
Jan 04, 2016
Josef Belgian Blonde Ale from Brouwerij Martens NV
Beer rating: 75 out of 100 with 107 ratings