Why Blond Beers are so Popular

Blond beers are also known as gold ales and the color they have varies greatly. There are some whose color is a very pale straw like color and others it is golden blond. What you will notice with them all is that they are clear, crisp and dry, with a slightly bitter taste. Also although they do have some fruitiness to them this is not something that detracts from the beers aroma or taste.

These particular varieties of Belgian beer in fact will have a far higher alcohol content than the more traditional pilsners that the breweries produce. However, these have actually only been produced since the beginning of the 20th Century but their popularity has steadily increased.

Of all the varieties of Blond beer available today the most well known of these is that called Duvel, which when translated into English means "Devil". This particular one is produced by the Duvel Moortgat Brewery which was founded in 1871.

Originally the beer known as Duvel was called the Victory Ale and was produced in 1918 to commemorate the end of the First World War. However, during the 1920's one of the beers more avid drinkers was believed to have referred to it as "a real devil" because it was so potent (8.5% alcohol content) and so the beer was then renamed and that name remains with it today.

This is considered to be the definitive version of what a Blond beer should be and is brewed by the Duvel Moortgat Brewery using pilsner malt, white sugar and Saaz and Styrian Goldings hops. It is all of these ingredients which give this particular beer is very full and distinctive taste.

Leffe Blonde is another of these beers which is popular not only in Belgium but also in France. The taste again is very distinctive with a slight almond undertone to it and although the recipe goes back many centuries it was not commercially produced until the 20th Century. Originally the beer was brewed by the monks of Leffe Abbey until the commencement of the French Revolution, they then had to abandon the abbey and at this time the abbey brewery was destroyed.

The Canons finally returned to Leffe Abbey in 1902 however production of this beer did not commence again until 1952. This time it was to be done on a commercial basis as the Abbey went into partnership with the Flemish brewery of Lootvoet based in Overijse. Although the beer is no longer produced by this brewery but by the Stella Artois one in Leuven the agreement originally set up in 1952 is still in place and the Abbey continues to receive royalties from the sales of this beer.

As previously mentioned the major difference between Blond beers and more traditional kinds of ales and beers is not just the color and taste but its alcohol content. On average most beers and ales will have around 4.5% of alcohol but the Blond beers far exceed this.