Blonde beer

In this category, blond beer is a collective term for blond to golden-colored specialty beers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria, with alcohol percentages ranging from 0,0% to over 10%. The BJCP 2021 style guide describes the Belgian Blond Ale style as a golden, moderately strong Belgian ale with a subtle citrus-spicy yeast character, a smooth malt profile, and a dry, soft finish. Not every beer labeled blond follows that style.

Blond on the label, Belgian Blond Ale as style

In Flanders, the beer is called blond, while in French-speaking Belgium it is called blonde. The BJCP 2021 style guide adds a caveat: many Belgian abbey and craft beers are called blond without belonging to the Belgian Blond Ale style. The guide makes no statement regarding Dutch blonde beers. Consequently, this category is broader than that single style. What is stated below regarding the style applies to Belgian Blond Ale and not automatically to every beer on this page.

This is how the BJCP describes a Belgian Blond Ale:

• Color: deep yellow to deep gold, usually very bright.
• Foam: a large, dense, creamy collar of white to off-white that lasts a long time.
• Aroma: light to moderate grain sweet, lightly roasted or cracker-like malt, with fruity citrus esters such as orange or lemon and peppery-spicy phenols in the background.
• Taste: a hint of caramelized sugar or honey-like sweetness, moderate bitterness with the malt slightly more prominent, and a medium-dry to dry, smooth finish.
• Mouthfeel: medium to high carbonation, medium body, light to moderate alcohol warmth.

Which key figures are associated with a Belgian Blond Ale?

The BJCP 2021 gives the ranges for the style in the table below. According to the same guide, most commercial examples are between 6,5% and 7% alcohol, and the style often has an almost lager-like, clean character compared to other Belgian styles.

Property	BJCP 2021, Belgian Blond Ale
Alcohol (ABV)	6% - 7,5%
Bitterness (IBU)	15 - 30
Color (SRM)	4 - 6
Beginning SG (OG)	1.062 - 1.075
Final SG (FG)	1.008 - 1.018

These are style values, not a characteristic of every beer in this category: the products here range from 0,0% to well over 10% alcohol. According to the BJCP, the ingredients of the style are Belgian pilsner malt, aroma malts, sugar or other additives, Belgian abbey yeast strains, and continental hops. Herbs traditionally do not belong in the style; if present, they remain in the background.

How does blond compare to tripel and golden strong ale?

According to the BJCP, a Belgian Blond Ale resembles a Belgian Golden Strong Ale and a Belgian Tripel in character, but is somewhat maltier, less bitter, and lower in alcohol. It shares strength and balance with a dubbel , but is golden in color and lacks the taste of dark malts. The key figures of the three golden styles side by side, from the BJCP 2021 descriptions of Belgian Blond Ale , Belgian Golden Strong Ale , and Belgian Tripel :

Property	Belgian Blonde Ale	Belgian Golden Strong Ale	Belgian Triple
Alcohol (ABV)	6% - 7,5%	7,5% - 10,5%	7,5% - 9,5%
Bitterness (IBU)	15 - 30	22 - 35	20 - 40
Color (SRM)	4 - 6	3 - 6	4,5 - 7
Beginning SG (OG)	1.062 - 1.075	1.070 - 1.095	1.075 - 1.085
Final SG (FG)	1.008 - 1.018	1.005 - 1.016	1.008 - 1.014

The BJCP describes the golden strong ale as a very pale, heavily fermented, strong Belgian ale that is fruity and hoppy rather than spicy, citing Duvel as an example; according to the guide, the style was developed after the First World War by the Moortgat brewery in response to the popularity of lager. Regarding the tripel , the BJCP notes that it is high in alcohol without having a strong alcoholic taste, and that most traditional versions are very dry.

From abbey tradition to post-war style

How old blond beer is depends on what you count. The BJCP calls Belgian Blond Ale a relatively recent development: according to the guide, the style originated after World War II to appeal to European lager drinkers and was first popularized by Leffe, despite references to the year 1200.

The abbey tradition itself is older. Leffe states in its history that the canons began brewing in 1240 and that Abbot Nys and brewer Albert Lootvoet revived that tradition in 1952. The Affligem brewery refers to the abbey that was founded in 1074. Such dates relate to the abbey and its brewing tradition; for the style itself, the BJCP adheres to the post-war dating.

As commercial examples of the style, the BJCP lists Affligem Blond, Corsendonk Blond, Grimbergen Blond, La Trappe Blond, Leffe Blond, and Val-Dieu Blond. In this category are Brouwerij Affligem Blond, which according to the brewery has 6,7% alcohol, Brouwerij Alken-Maes Grimbergen Blond, Brouwerij De Koningshoeven La Trappe Blond, Brouwerij Artois Leffe Blond, which lists Leffe at 6,6%, and Abbaye du Val-Dieu Blond.

This is how you choose within the blonde beer category

The product data in this category provide you with four pointers:

• Alcohol: the products range from 0,0% to over 10%. If you are looking for a low percentage, also check out low-alcohol beer en non-alcoholic beerIn this category, Brouwerij Artois Leffe Blond 0.0, Brouwerij Affligem Blond 0.0, and Brouwerij Lowlander Bio Blond 0.3%, among others, carry the percentage in their name.
• Color: Light blond, Blond, Gold of Copper.
• Fermentation: top fermentation or bottom fermentation; both occur in this category.
• Country: The Netherlands, Belgium or Austria.

Additions are included in the product name, such as Brasserie Lefebvre Barber Speciaal Blond Honing, Budelse Brouwerij Budels Honing, and Brouwerij Egmond Honing Blond. If you want a large 75 cl bottle, you will find it as Scheldebrouwerij Lamme Goedzak 75CL, Brouwerij Dampegheest Alkmaars Blondje 75CL, and Brouwerij Dampegheest Antje 75CL.

Breweries with blond beer in this category include Brouwerij Affligem , Scheldebrouwerij , Brouwerij 't IJ , Brouwerij Huyghe , Brouwerij Dampegheest , Bierderij Waterland , and Brouwerij De Eeuwige Jeugd . If you want to taste styles side by side, place an example mentioned by the BJCP for the style, such as Brouwerij Affligem Blond, next to a stronger golden beer like Duvel Moortgat Duvel or Brouwerij De Hoorn Cornet Sterk Speciaal Blond Bier Eiken 8.5%.

Frequently asked questions about blond beer

How do the blonde beers in this category differ from each other?

Especially in strength, color, fermentation, and origin. Alcohol percentages in this category range from 0,0% to over 10%, the color designations are Light Blond, Blond, Gold, and Copper, and it includes both top-fermented and bottom-fermented beers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria. The BJCP indicators for Belgian Blond Ale, such as 6% to 7,5% alcohol, apply only to beers that follow that style and not to the entire category.

Does the word 'blond' on a label always mean it is the Belgian Blond Ale style?

No. The 2021 BJCP Style Guide states regarding Belgian Blond Ale that many Belgian abbey and craft beers are called blond without being representative of that style; the guide makes no statement regarding Dutch blond beers. Therefore, in this shop, blond is a category name, not a guarantee of style. If you want to know whether a beer fits the style, compare the alcohol percentage and the description with the BJCP key figures: 6% to 7,5% alcohol and 15 to 30 IBU.

Does a strong golden-blonde beer like Duvel also qualify as a blond beer?

In terms of color, yes; in terms of style, no. The BJCP classifies Duvel as a Belgian Golden Strong Ale, with 7,5% to 10,5% alcohol, 22 to 35 IBU, and SRM 3 to 6: a very pale, heavily fermented Belgian ale that is more fruity and hoppy than spicy. A Belgian Blond Ale sits at 6% to 7,5% and 15 to 30 IBU and, according to the BJCP, is somewhat maltier, less bitter, and lower in alcohol. Here, the beer is called Duvel Moortgat Duvel.

Are there also low-alcohol or alcohol-free blonde beers to choose from?

Yes. Alcohol percentages in this category range from 0,0% to well over 10%, and a number of products bear the low percentage in their name, such as Brouwerij Artois Leffe Blond 0.0, Brouwerij Affligem Blond 0.0, Brouwerij Lowlander Bio Blond 0.3%, and Brouwerij Huyghe Delirio Alcoholarm <0,5%. Please note that according to the BJCP, the Belgian Blond Ale style has an alcohol content of 6% to 7,5%; these lighter variants fall outside that style in terms of key figures.

When do you choose a blonde beer with honey or other additions?

Choose a beer like this if you are looking for something different from the classic style. According to the BJCP, herbs are traditionally not used in a Belgian Blond Ale and, if present, remain in the background. Additions are listed in the product name, as with Brasserie Lefebvre Barber Speciaal Blond Honing, Budelse Brouwerij Budels Honing, and Brouwerij Egmond Honing Blond. If you want the pure style profile, the BJCP lists Affligem Blond, Grimbergen Blond, and Leffe Blond as examples.

What is the difference between a blond beer and a dubbel?

According to the BJCP, a Belgian Blond Ale and a Belgian Dubbel have comparable strength and balance, but the blond is golden in color and lacks the flavor of dark malts. The blond has an alcohol content of 6% to 7,5% with an SRM color of 4 to 6, featuring slightly sweet grain malt, citrus esters, and peppery phenols in the background. If you are looking for dark malt flavors, look at the dubbel; if you are looking for the same strength in a golden beer, then look at the blond.