Blond beers are often referred to as gold ales as well and this is because of the color of the drink. The colors vary greatly from a soft straw like color to a much richer golden blond one. The one thing that these beers have in common is that they are clear, crisp and dry and have a slightly bitter taste to them also. Yes they are quite fruity as well but this does not actually detract from the beers taste or aroma.



Compared to traditional Belgian pilsners this type of beer has a very high alcohol content. Also these beers are very popular and it is hard to believe that many have only been brewed since the beginning of the 20th Century.

The most well known and popular of the various different varieties of Blond beer produced in Belgium today is that called Duvel. When translated into English it means devil and this particular beer is produced by the Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat (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.

Duvel beer is the blond beer that other blond beers aspire to be and is made through the brewing of pilsner malt, white sugar and Syrian Goldings and Saaz hops. It is these ingredients combined with the brewing method that given this beer a very distinctive and full flavor.

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 we previously mentioned at the beginning of this article there are many differences between traditional ales and beers and Blond beers. Not only is the alcohol content in them much higher a regular ale or beer has an alcohol content of around 4.5%, Blond beers also have a much richer color and flavor to them as well.