Keizer Karel Ommegang Blond

Origin: Belgium

Type: Strong pale ale

Color: Straw yellow

Alcohol content: 8%

Recommended serving temperature: 7ºC/44ºF

Brewery: Haacht Brouwerij

Webpage: http://www.charlesquint.be/en

I have decided to write today about one of my most pleasurable discoveries during my trip to Belgium this past month of April, the Keizer Karel Ommegang Blond. 

I had previously tried the Keizer Karel Golden Blond, a pretty nice spicy blond ale with a dry finish, which I quite enjoyed, but which in my opinion pales by comparison. It would be like comparing Christian Bale to Brad Pitt. They are both pretty good in their own way, but there is no question which is better. Especially if you have seen the last Batman movie...

The Keizer Karel Ommegang Blond is a straw colored strong Belgian ale with a quite vast amount of white foam, which furthermore lasts longer than you would have expected. I say more than expected because one would think that a foam that is bubblier rather than thicker would diminish sooner due to its lesser consistency, letting more air through. However this is not the case in this beer, which has one of the longest lasting foams I have seen in a long time.

It has a predominantly citrusy and hoppy smell, which as I have mentioned on other occasions, I find refreshing but at the same time quite deceptive in a beer with a high ABV. This stands true especially for this beer, which at 8% ABV, masks the alcohol quite well in its smell. A background of herbs and spices also comes to help out in this respect and even takes some of the edge off of the lingering citrus, making it an almost a mellow aroma, not overly bitter.

The smells described above are also present in the taste. The predominant taste is also citrus fruits, which comes to envelope your whole mouth from the offset. This is joined by a slight twinge on the lips from the spices and a soft herby and grainy flavor in the middle.

The main difference, however, is that in the taste the alcohol is not quite fully masked. It may still catch you slightly by surprise, coming up as it does unannounced and unexpected from behind the other flavors, but it is noticeable. To me this is not a bad thing, I enjoy a little alcohol taste in my beers once in a while, I feel it gives them a little extra character and this is definitely the case for this particular beer, where the alcohol adds a certain personality by giving an otherwise refreshing citrusy and mellow beer a punchy dry end.

I would add as an additional factor giving this beer some punch, the carbonation it displays, which although not excessive is noticeable and in tune with other traditional strong Belgian ales.

According to the brewery, this beer goes well with seafood and cheese. Nevertheless, from my experience, I feel the added character (read the alcohol) makes this beer pair very well with other, stronger tasting dishes. I personally first tried it with pork ribs and it fully stood up to them and brought out the taste in both of them.

Between the unexpected punch and the unexpected pairing possibilities, there is no doubt this beer is a box of chocolates, full of surprises, and like any good box of chocolates, it is a real treat.