A Blond Christmas beer is not a common style exactly, but Belgium is the home of Christmas beers and there are a few about the place. But I reckon this is my favourite by far!
An inviting dark orange colour, with a clean white foam. Lots to explore in the aroma, with Belgian yeast character, caramel malt and some interesting spicing.
Big rich flavours of caramel malt, some over-ripe tropical fruits and Belgian candy. Then joining in are the Christmas spices – nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon an allspice. As the beer develops, it dries out late, with a satisfying slightly earthy/minerally bitterness.
Interesting Story: When the Tsjeeses beer first arrived in the US, the shipment was stopped by Customs. The US authorities did not think the original label (the one to the left) was appropriate. Photoshop to the rescue, with green sunglasses added plus a certain item removed from the mouth, and all was good again!
A dark and rich Christmas beer, rumoured to be the first one of its style
A rich, spice winter beer is just the thing to warm up on a cold winters night
A lovely rich and decadent Christmas beer from Brouwerij Van Den Bossche
The renowned Christmas seasonal beer from the 'The Mad Brewers' - can stored for many years.
Another masterpiece from Struise, a blonde Christmas Ale full of flavours that come through in layers.
Verhaeghe's special Christmas beer is a blonde ale with wheat and spices
A double IPA from Struise, originally made for De Molen's Borefts beer festival as a tribute to De Molen Vuur & Vlam
More like a traditional quadrupel than the Pannepot; brewed for the Dutch market.
One of the best Belgian beers you'll ever taste - so much flavour it's impossible to describe.
The famous Old Fisherman's Ale from Struise is a spiced strong dark ale
Struise's spiced strong dark ale Pannepot, matured in Bordeaux barriques for a full 4 years
A dark blond quadrupel that has been aged in both St Emilion wine barrels and Kentucky Bourbon barrels
An amber ale brewed with barley, wheat and oats and finished with a little Belgian candi sugar.
A delicious dark quadruple aged for three years in Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels
The Struise Tsjeeses is their blond-amber Christmas seasonal beer, with this 2014 vintage being aged in Bourbon barrels
Another masterpiece from Struise, a blonde Christmas Ale full of flavours that come through in layers.
Struise's winter seasonal offering - a 10% strong blond spiced ale
