Archive for the 'Musketiers' category
Troubadour Blonde
Lately, it seems that I’ve gotten tied up in beacoups craft brews and extreme brews from the US of A. However, it’s occasionally nice to step back across the pond and sip on some of these centuries old recipes that come from the likes of England, Belgium, Germany, etc. You have to figure that beers that have been around since before the US of A was even conceived must have something going for them. Now, in all honesty, I don’t know if the Troubadour is THAT old. But, it is an old Belgian brew, and so I was happy to pull it out of the fridge tonight with an eye to getting back to the old school.
This blonde pours a hazy amber-ish blonde. Honestly, it’s quite a bit darker than I expected, but a lovely hue. The aroma of this is musky and actually a bit sour. It’s a burly blonde in aroma and packs more punch than one would expect. In the mouth, this beer is again a bit of a surprise. There is just the slightest burn on the tip of the tongue. This burn subsides and gives way to a wild sourness on the tongue that, while not so crazy as a flemish ale, is quite a surprise. On through the mouth, there is a slight citrusy sourness reminiscent of orange peel, but without too much of a fruity essence. Finally, this ends with an aftertaste that is still musty and lingers with a bit more citrus. Overall, it isn’t what I expected from a blonde. However, the wildness of the flavor is interesting and light enough to be a lead in to even ‘wilder’ beers. Also, the musky flavors in the beer lend it an ‘old’ essence, as though this beer has been patiently waiting for a drinker for quite some years, and it feels like a bit of an event to be the one to drink it. The unique yeasts and flavors of these Belgian ales are inevitably a treat.
