Hof ten Dormaal Blond was the first beer I tried from this exciting new brewery from the Flemish countryside in Belgium. In 2009, the Janssen family decided to expand their farm by adding a brewery. The end result is a line of beers that features ingredients grown on the farm for the purposes of being used in their own beers.
Their lineup has continued to expand into more styles and into more adventuresome directions, including a line of barrel-aged beers. This Belgian Farmhouse Blond, however, is more straight forward in its construction.
Appearance: Hazy copper, off-white head, great retention.
Aroma: Grassy, hay, spicy, floral, earthy undertones.
Taste: Light banana, bubble gum, light peppery finish.
Overall Impression: The Blond is balanced and crisp with a nice hop/yeast spice bite on the finish that really adds a nice bit of “zing” to the flavor. It manages to walk that line between being a rustic farmhouse beer and a more elegant blond. This is a great in between beer. It’s got more substance than most Belgian Blonds but isn’t quite as funky as many Saisons. If you enjoy great Belgian yeast character, I’d highly recommend this one. Another great beer by Hof ten Dormaal.
Availability: This small brewery is imported into the US by 12% Imports. Check your local bottle shop to see if they deal with a distributor that works with this importer.
8% ABV
You can read more about Hof ten Dormaal, including my beer reviews, on my page dedicated to them.
