Abbey Blonde
General Lafayette Inn & Brewery

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From:
General Lafayette Inn & Brewery
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Belgian Blonde Ale
ABV:
6.7%
Score:
89
Avg:
4.03 | pDev: 7.94%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
13
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 14, 2010
Added:
Mar 17, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by raven3131:
Photo of raven3131
Reviewed by raven3131 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Cloudy yellow look in the pint glass with a nice creamy white head. Slight hop nose with a little apple - doughy experience. Very drinkable and could hold up well as a session beer. Enough spice in the finish to accompany some light fare (we had muscles) very well. Supposedly this beer is going to be available in bottles according to the website but we'll have to wait and see...
Jun 25, 2008
More User Ratings:
Photo of morimech
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota

3.47/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a murky golden color with a small white head that quickly went away to form a thin collar. Just wisps of lace is left on the glass. Has a malty aroma that gives a caramel tone to the beer. Hints of pepper and lemons as well. The flavor is sort of a weak Duvel. Starts slightly sweet with hints of lemon and pepper. The yeast does not lend that much spice flavor in this beer. Finishes dry. No sign of alcohol. All the elements of a great tasting beer, but it lacks strength of charactor. The body is a bit thin. This might have something to do with the relatively weak flavor. Carbonation and texture is good. A good intrepretation of a Belgian beer. Just short of being really good. If this is the same batch, Batch 1, as the other reviewers, this beer might be well past its prime.
May 14, 2010
Photo of TheFightfan1
Reviewed by TheFightfan1 from Pennsylvania

3.92/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Keep with me i am trying to do this mentally I had no paper to jote down notes.
Poured a hazy golden color with a nice white heading that stick's around to the very end. The smell is very spicy peppery even. A very nice smell of bitter hops. Taste is very much the same bit more of a boozy sugary taste is left in the mouth. Mouthfeel is decent a very sugary carbonation that fills the mouth, medium bodied, A little too spicey and heavy to make a session beer but a good taster.
May 31, 2009
Photo of mikereaser
Reviewed by mikereaser from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - pours a hazy golden orange color with a big whispy white foam that left plenty of sticky lacing

S - aroma of lemon, coriander, grapefruit and some spice

T - citrus fruit flavor up front with the yeast making an appearance along with a peppery zip

M/D - nicely carbonated and easy to drink. Nice fluffy white foam and great taste. This is definitely one to try.
Apr 30, 2009
Photo of joepais
Reviewed by joepais from Maine

4.53/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to Dim again for another great Pennsylvanian brew.
12 oz bottle poured into a tulip WOW this thing reminds me of a Duvel big with fluffy head hazy straw colored body with tons of carbonation coming from the glass ok enough this thing gets a 5 an American beer that looks like a Duvel

Big yeasty aromas coming from the glass spices include pepper and sage. There is also a citrus component as well in the nose
This flavor is the closet I have come to a real Belgian in an American brew. The mouthfeel is dry and it has tons of carbonation. Sour grapefruit, pepper, coriander and candy sugars are just some of the things I taste it is a very complex brew.

If you can't tell I am excited to have tried this brew, a real sleeper in my book. I could easily drink a few of these at a bar, at one sitting thanks again Dan
Mar 13, 2009
Photo of DannyS
Reviewed by DannyS from New York

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a tulip glass, poured from a 12 oz. bottle

A - A lovely orangehue toped with a gigantic head that slowly dissipates into a nice half-inch foamthat stays around forever. So far so good

S - Very spicy. A much more Boisterous nose than other Belgain Pales. Lots of yeast, hops, and warm spices.

T - The only problem is pronounced alcohol. It tastes more boozy than some brews with higher ABV. Otherwise, this is a nice hoppy, spicy, slightly sweet brew.

M - A smooth feel with little bite accentuated by a dry finish. Leaves a bready aftertaste.

D - It's very drinkable despite the apparent alcohol. I could go through a couple of these while sitting around the bar

Overall - A good choice from the Foodery. A satisfying, full bodied, and very flavorful Belgian Pale
Mar 10, 2009
Photo of AltBock
Reviewed by AltBock from Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
12 oz. bottle with a pale pea green label that has the General himself on horseback raising his sword to the sky. To the immediate left and right of the General is the signature of the brewmaster and brewer. Below that is the name of the beer and a factory made stamp that says "Small Batch 1." To the far left of the label is the Government warning and barcode and the far right is the address and a paragraph about the beer.

I poured this Belgian Pale Ale into my Corsendonk Tulip. When poured, this beer was a beautiful murky golden tangerine orange with a few traces of sunshine yellow along the sides and the bottom of the beer. Sitting on top of this golden brew was an everlasting 1 1/2 to 2 inch tall head of pure white foam. This head of foam had no where to go and it showed. It took about 4 to 5 minutes for it to recede to a point where i could actually taste the beer. When it did recede, it left behind a good 1/2 an inch skim of white foam and a huge amount of sticky white streaks of lace. I loved what this beer had to offer in the appearance department. I guess I can say it was beer eye candy.

The aroma was just as great as the kick ass appearance! The aroma was rich and complex with the scent of fresh citrus fruits. This citrus fruit jumble consisted of lemons, coriander, tart grapefruit, and blood oranges. There was just a huge array of fresh citrus fruits in the nose. Hiding behind the citrus fruits was a pinch of sage, a small dash of black pepper, and a hint of dried floral hops. I truly couldn't get enough of this great aroma. It was a pleasure of mine to smell this beer.

I didn't think this beer couldn't get any better, but then I got to taste the beer. Let me tell you that the taste was just as complex as this beer's rich aroma. The taste was full flavored and slightly dry with fresh citrus fruits. It's too bad there weren't as many citrus fruits in the taste as there was in the aroma. The citrus fruits in the taste consisted of a little tart grapefruit, a hint tart lemon, and a splash of blood orange. Following the citrus fruits was a pinch of sage, a smidgen of lightly toasted malts, a dash of black pepper, a subtle touch of yeast, and then this complex Belgian Pale Ale ends with some crispy floral hops. What a great taste! I will have to look back at my notes, but I'm pretty sure this is by far the most complex American Belgian style of beer I've had so far.

This was a medium bodied of beer with a long lasting full flavored slightly dry aftertaste of citrus fruits, sage, yeast, toasted malts, and floral hops. You gotta love an ever lasting aftertaste! Well, that is if it's as good as the aftertaste in this beer.

I know I've said it before, but what a great American born Belgian style of beer! It was hard for me to put down this top notch Belgian Pale Ale. A six pack or even a case of this beer won't last long. So far, I've only had two of General Lafayette's bottled beers and I've been equally impressed by both of them. Keep up the good work General Lafayette!
Feb 14, 2009
Photo of BARFLYB
Reviewed by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle into a La Choulette tulip glass. My 2nd General Lafayette offering in a bottle.

A- GL Abbey Blond comes out with a hazy light orange to golden color. This pale Ale/Blond has a nice white head that's frothy with good staying power. A nice amount of lacing stay's on the glass. I was careful with this pour and still got some yeast in the end.

S- A nice aroma of sweet fruits with some sour twang which was unexpected. Some apple and pear. Yeast is apparent with some pepper and sage spices in the background. Some hops creating a nice floral aroma.

T- Up front i get some of the fruits apple, pear and some banana. The yeast also is a front runner creating a doughy biscuit aspect. The pepper is the more dominate of a few spices. The sour component in the taste is what throws me off and keeps me wanting more. A good representation of the style.

M- Medium with some carbonation.The sweet & sour mix works well, and i was able to keep this on my tounge for a while. The sourness stayed with me for a while and created a slight pucker affect. This blond ale is on the dry side.

D- I'll have to try this on-tap to see if there are any major differences, but this bottle was fine and i could go for another. Wouldn't want to drink this everyday or even weekly although i will seek it out again.

I'm glad GL is bottling some of their offerings now and await more.
Jan 19, 2009
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A 12 oz bottle.

A: The pale ale is more of a muddy brown color, showing off some of the lighter autumn color spectrum. The ale is generally hazy, clearer only at the mouth of the glass. Not much head either.

S: The nose is very dry; Belgian yeast has sucked the sweetness right out. Coriander and candi sugars add pepper and sweetness.

T: Nice and dry, the ale practically forces you to take another sip. Biscuity malts support candi sugar and pepper flavors. The pepper is the more dominant aspect. The dryness of the yeast brings the spices together, accentuating the flavors nicely.

M: The mouthfeel is lively, jumping from spices to yeast and back again. The first bottle that I had was infected with a buttery diacetyl flavor but this one restores my faith.

D: A bottle or two would be my max. The dryness would be too much after that.
Jan 03, 2009
Photo of ckeegan04
Reviewed by ckeegan04 from Texas

3.94/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Hazy, golden orange color. Thick, foamy white head. Excellent retention. Beer leaves chunky lace on the glass. Near perfect looking beer.

S - Fruity esters with a slightly musty aroma. Some peach and banana come to mind. Definite aroma of Belgian yeasts. A touch of spice underneath. Aromas as a while are very mild.

T - Very spicy initially before a wave of sour fruit takes over. Very tart taste of peaches, apricots, and a little lemon zest. Spiciness lingers throughout with a nice peppery taste. Finishes bittersweet. A very unique combination of flavors, and they pull it off.

M/D - Medium bodied and very well carbonated. Flavors linger in your mouth and the sourness carries through long after the drink.
Dec 08, 2008
Photo of LunaChick
Reviewed by LunaChick from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
What a nice suprise.
Pours golden--slightly hazy with a very minimal head that gives way to a slight ring in the glass. Aroma of doughy yeast, apples, spice. Flavor starts with a crisp spice of clove and nutmeg and blends in to a very doughy yeast with hints of fruits--apples, peaches and ends with an interesting hop bite that is not at all bitter. A slight sour aftertaste but more sweet-sour making is pleasant. Medium bodied with little carbonation the spice stays in the mouth. A very drinkable brew at 6.7 abv and definately something I can drink over and over.
Sep 08, 2008
Photo of Foxman
Reviewed by Foxman from New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
It pours a hazy corn silk yellow, pretty much the color of the name. A fat finger of foamy white head lasts for a reasonable while. Braille ruled lacing touches the inside of the glass.

The aroma's first note is of yeast, with a small smidgeon of sourness playing off crisp green apple esters. The grain sweetness is peachy and doughy all at once. An earthy hop note spices the air at the margins.

Upon tasting, the grain sweetness swings to the outside and speaks of peach and, of all things, potato bread. The yeast again asserts, this time more with a pear note that is tart and joined by a moderate swirl of funk that moderates the whole. Hops are present here more as a mitigating bitterness that crisps and dries into a clean, lingering finish. It is unusual, but the unique edge is a positive.

Medium bodied, the drop-off from creamy to watery is pretty marked, and it flows off abruptly.

It's not often a beer with what would appear to be unlike parts blends as capably as this one does, ending up with a pleasing, clean session beer. The ABV is mainstream, it the drinkability is a plus. This one goes to show that there are times when being outside the box is a refreshing place to be.
May 19, 2008
Photo of DarkerTheBetter
Reviewed by DarkerTheBetter from Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
This beer poured a slightly foggy peach color with a little film of white that managed to leave a streak of lace down the back of my pint.

Smells of spicy and sour musky yeast backed up with a pear and apricot sweetness. There’s a slight dry and sour yeasty funk here too that blends in with a dry woody hop. This works well with the sweetness.

Tastes of a doughy and creamy yeast that falls to a bitter birch bark and sour milk dryness but has a bit of apricot to balance it out. Interesting… When I slow down to pick out the flavors, they seem a bit odd, but upon a casual “session sip“, I think this beer’s purpose becomes more evident.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a light carbonation that doesn’t seem to move around all that fast.

So, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that this beer is a Belgian blonde and English pub ale hybrid due to the creamy yeast and what I’m guessing to be a British hop variety. This one’s probably the best hybrid of it’s kind that I’ve ever tried. That, and it goes down remarkably easily.
Mar 17, 2007
Abbey Blonde from General Lafayette Inn & Brewery
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 13 ratings