Belgian Blond
New Limburg Brewing Company
- From:
- New Limburg Brewing Company
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Belgian Pale Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 7.6%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.76 | pDev: 6.38%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Aug 17, 2020
- Added:
- Dec 01, 2015
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
This Belgian Blond Ale derives its unique fruity and spicy character from its yeast, most notably citrus, pear, and slight peppery notes. It is sweet upfront and finishes dry with a noticeable alcohol warmth. Despite its high alcohol content, it is still surprisingly refreshing and easy-drinking. This beer is unfiltered and bottle conditioned, having undergone a secondary fermentation in the bottle, providing natural carbonation and allowing the beer to develop in complexity after packaging.
It is brewed using mostly pilsner malt and a generous dose of sugar to really dry the beer out, like a typical Belgian. It’s hopped with Saaz from the Czech Republic and German Hallertauer to provide bitterness and a slight noble hop flavour.
It is brewed using mostly pilsner malt and a generous dose of sugar to really dry the beer out, like a typical Belgian. It’s hopped with Saaz from the Czech Republic and German Hallertauer to provide bitterness and a slight noble hop flavour.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by octortus from Canada (ON)
3.5/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
500 mL Bottle. ABV 7.1%
Appearance:
Aroma:
Mouthfeel:
Flavour:
Overall:
Review: 214
Aug 17, 2020Appearance:
Aroma:
Mouthfeel:
Flavour:
Overall:
Review: 214
Reviewed by eberesford from Canada (ON)
3.77/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Clear straw coloured(I left the yeast in the bottle) with large frothy but stable head and moderate lacing. Aromas of yeasty esthers and pepper. Flavour: lemon, stone fruit, spice, peppers. This beer is on style for what it claims to be if a little unrefined.
Oct 10, 2018
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.52/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Sept 3 2023
Dec 11, 2017
Reviewed by -steve- from Canada (ON)
3.76/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I don't know a lot about this brewery. This is the first brew I've picked up by them. Have to give them props for bottle conditioning this ale.
L: Pale, hazy, straw colored beer with thick foamy head that recedes slowly but does not disappear for a good long time.
S: Definitely has that Belgian ale smell. Funky, fruity.
T: Lemon zest, spicy, dry finish. Tastes like a wheat beer (I guess the Saaz and Hallertauer are giving it that characteristic.).
F: Tart and bubbly across the tongue. Astringency.
O: Refreshing summertime brew. Great effort.
Aug 12, 2017L: Pale, hazy, straw colored beer with thick foamy head that recedes slowly but does not disappear for a good long time.
S: Definitely has that Belgian ale smell. Funky, fruity.
T: Lemon zest, spicy, dry finish. Tastes like a wheat beer (I guess the Saaz and Hallertauer are giving it that characteristic.).
F: Tart and bubbly across the tongue. Astringency.
O: Refreshing summertime brew. Great effort.
Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)
3.77/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
This style is often messed up, especially in Ontario. One after another, ridiculous claims are made. This one is actually a decent attempt. True, something is amiss and the watery-metallic taste is somewhat off-putting after a while. But all in all, from the nose to the core flavours, this brew is strong enough to merit something near but not quite 4.
Jul 30, 2017
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.91/5 rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.91/5 rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
500 mL bottle from the LCBO; dated Feb 2 2017 and served well chilled. This is the first New Limburg product I've had the opportunity to try.
I poured this one as gently as possible (as directed), but still wound up with two fingers of foamy, sparkling white head. As if that wasn't enough, the bubbly effervescence within this translucent, golden-blonde liquid continued to push it even further upwards over the next five minutes - producing a rounded hump of meringue-like foam, nearly a full inch above the rim of the glass. Legendary retention: Duvel, eat your heart out! The aroma is yeasty, with a good mix of fruity esters and spicy notes - I'm picking up zesty, lemony citrus, banana, white grape and apples, with some grainy malts and table sugar sweetness. There's also a hint of peppery spice, as well as a touch of grassy, floral hops, and maybe even some cilantro. Things are looking up so far.
A solid blonde ale, though I may have a few nits to pick towards the end of this review. Grainy pale malts and sugary sweetness are constant background presences, with fruity flavours of banana, pear, apple and lemon zest mingling on the taste buds mid-sip. The yeast-derived spiciness makes itself known on the back end, with notes of pepper and clove intertwined with a grassy hop finish. Aftertaste is a bit yeasty/persistent; I'd prefer a drier conclusion, but this is a minor complaint. The alcohol isn't much of a factor, though it does warm the bottom of the throat after a few gulps. Light-medium body, with aggressive carbonation that starts off harsh and biting, but softens slightly as you slowly sip your way through the glass; it remains fairly crisp and prickly throughout.
Final Grade: 3.91, a B+. New Limburg's Belgian Blond is as authentic-tasting as domestic Belgian blonde ales come. This is a style that many Ontario brewers tackle, but is only occasionally done justice - many of those are mere imitations of the top tier stuff that gets shipped here from Belgium. New Limburg's take on the style is much closer to what I'm looking for, with its yeast-forward flavour, dominated by fruity esters and spicy phenolics. My only complaints are that it is a little over-carbonated, and there is a bit too much residual sweetness for my preferences. Still, it's a very good beer, and I am shocked that it came out of a one-horse town like Simcoe. If you enjoy Belgian pales, this is worth a try.
May 29, 2017I poured this one as gently as possible (as directed), but still wound up with two fingers of foamy, sparkling white head. As if that wasn't enough, the bubbly effervescence within this translucent, golden-blonde liquid continued to push it even further upwards over the next five minutes - producing a rounded hump of meringue-like foam, nearly a full inch above the rim of the glass. Legendary retention: Duvel, eat your heart out! The aroma is yeasty, with a good mix of fruity esters and spicy notes - I'm picking up zesty, lemony citrus, banana, white grape and apples, with some grainy malts and table sugar sweetness. There's also a hint of peppery spice, as well as a touch of grassy, floral hops, and maybe even some cilantro. Things are looking up so far.
A solid blonde ale, though I may have a few nits to pick towards the end of this review. Grainy pale malts and sugary sweetness are constant background presences, with fruity flavours of banana, pear, apple and lemon zest mingling on the taste buds mid-sip. The yeast-derived spiciness makes itself known on the back end, with notes of pepper and clove intertwined with a grassy hop finish. Aftertaste is a bit yeasty/persistent; I'd prefer a drier conclusion, but this is a minor complaint. The alcohol isn't much of a factor, though it does warm the bottom of the throat after a few gulps. Light-medium body, with aggressive carbonation that starts off harsh and biting, but softens slightly as you slowly sip your way through the glass; it remains fairly crisp and prickly throughout.
Final Grade: 3.91, a B+. New Limburg's Belgian Blond is as authentic-tasting as domestic Belgian blonde ales come. This is a style that many Ontario brewers tackle, but is only occasionally done justice - many of those are mere imitations of the top tier stuff that gets shipped here from Belgium. New Limburg's take on the style is much closer to what I'm looking for, with its yeast-forward flavour, dominated by fruity esters and spicy phenolics. My only complaints are that it is a little over-carbonated, and there is a bit too much residual sweetness for my preferences. Still, it's a very good beer, and I am shocked that it came out of a one-horse town like Simcoe. If you enjoy Belgian pales, this is worth a try.
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.45/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.45/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
500 ml bottle served cold into a pint glass. Purchased from the LCBO for $3.95 CDN. This rendition indicates 7.1% ABV.
Appearance - Pours a beer with great clarity and topped with a decent lasting finger and a half of white head. Sparse lacing at the edges but loads of carbonation rise to the top in the centre.
Smell- Very yeasty, hints of sugar, leafy hops and a metallic twang that detracts from the otherwise impressive aromas.
Taste - Yeasty with lots of coarse grain flavors, a slight pepper and lemon bite too.
Mouthfeel - Smooth and well carbonated, lacking the super dry and crisp finish of the best.
Overall - A passable Ontario rendition of a Belgian, but better beer abounds. Worth a try, but prefer the Dubbel they released as far as Belgian styles go from this brewery.
Feb 07, 2017Appearance - Pours a beer with great clarity and topped with a decent lasting finger and a half of white head. Sparse lacing at the edges but loads of carbonation rise to the top in the centre.
Smell- Very yeasty, hints of sugar, leafy hops and a metallic twang that detracts from the otherwise impressive aromas.
Taste - Yeasty with lots of coarse grain flavors, a slight pepper and lemon bite too.
Mouthfeel - Smooth and well carbonated, lacking the super dry and crisp finish of the best.
Overall - A passable Ontario rendition of a Belgian, but better beer abounds. Worth a try, but prefer the Dubbel they released as far as Belgian styles go from this brewery.
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
3.37/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.37/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Acceptable as a blond, but very yeasty. What people put as their first beer in the LCBO. Deep yellow and very fizzy. Some give character and depth to the style, but that takes know-how.
Feb 05, 2017
Reviewed by AdamJensen from Canada (ON)
4.27/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a tulip glass from a bottle dated May 27, 2016.
Initial pour provides a considerable amount of head with a little lace retention with a cloudy straw colour. Delicious smells of banana and spices. Very crisp with a good amount of carbonation. Very refreshing on a hot summer day. Excited to have a local brewer with delicious Belgian offerings.
Overall a great beer that would be a go-to for the style.
Jul 10, 2016Initial pour provides a considerable amount of head with a little lace retention with a cloudy straw colour. Delicious smells of banana and spices. Very crisp with a good amount of carbonation. Very refreshing on a hot summer day. Excited to have a local brewer with delicious Belgian offerings.
Overall a great beer that would be a go-to for the style.
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