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James Blond

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Malt aromas lead James Blond toward a light bitter finish. This Belgian-style blonde is friendly and soft in the mouth. It comes from a newer recipe built on the brewery's Rhakker, and it kept its catchy name because festival visitors reacted so warmly to it. Brewed in Rha in the Achterhoek, close to the river IJssel and three kilometres from the small town of Bronkhorst.

ABV
6.0%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
golden5
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
maltycleanfruity
malty
clean
fruity
honey
Aroma
The nose leads with soft Malz character—biscuity and slightly sweet grain notes dominate the initial impression.
not found:hoppy,caramel,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for James Blond

◎ Appearance

James Blond presents a pale golden hue typical of the Belgian blonde style, with excellent clarity and a bright, luminous quality. A fine white head forms readily and persists with good Schaumhaftung, leaving delicate lacing on the glass. Carbonation appears moderate and well-integrated, supporting the beer's approachable character.

pale goldenbright claritypersistent white head

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with soft Malz character—biscuity and slightly sweet grain notes dominate the initial impression. Subtle fruity esters emerge alongside gentle honey tones, while restrained noble hop aromatics provide a clean, understated backdrop. The overall bouquet is inviting and malt-forward without aggressive intensity.

malzy, biscuitsoft honey notesrestrained Edelhopfen

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and rounded, with a malty sweetness that builds gently across the palate. Mid-palate shows a pleasant balance between residual grain sweetness and emerging bitterness, with light fruity undertones adding complexity. The finish transitions cleanly toward a light, dry bitterness that lingers without dominating, leaving the mouth refreshed rather than parched.

smooth malty sweetnessbalanced bitternessclean, fruity midpalate

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and medium in length, with the light bitter edge gradually fading to leave a whisper of honey and grain. Aftertaste remains dry and clean, inviting another sip.

light, dry bittermedium length
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
80
Appearance
80
Finish
75
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Goblet

The wide mouth and heavy base promote head formation and channel rich aromatics toward the nose. Traditional for Belgian strong ales.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with James Blond

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About Belgian Blonde Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Belgian Blonde Ale?

Belgian Blonde Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Belgian Blonde Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, smooth, light character as James Blond will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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