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Brigand

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Brigand honours the rebels of the Peasants' War of 1798 and was the brewery's first blonde specialty beer. A bottle-refermented strong blonde under a creamy head, it is full-bodied with robust bitterness and a slight maltiness; a subtle aroma of Western European hops, lightly dry-hopped, sits on the nose. Wheat in the brew gives a dry finish with a gentle bitterness. 9 % ABV.

ABV
9.0%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Clean, dry bitterness
SRM
golden5
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
wheathoppynoble hop
wheat
hoppy
noble hop
malty
fruity
honey
Aroma
The nose leads with subtle Western European noble hop character—refined, slightly herbal, and restrained.
not found:juicy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Brigand

◎ Appearance

Brigand presents a pale golden hue with excellent clarity and a bright, luminous quality characteristic of the style. A thick, creamy head forms on the pour and clings persistently to the glass, leaving fine lacing with each sip. Fine carbonation maintains the foam structure throughout the tasting.

pale goldenbright claritycreamy headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with subtle Western European noble hop character—refined, slightly herbal, and restrained. Beneath this sits a gentle maltiness with hints of honey and light grain sweetness. A faint note of wheat adds complexity, while the overall aromatic profile remains delicate and balanced rather than assertive.

noble hopshoneygrain sweetnesswheat undertone

◐ Taste

The palate is full-bodied and dry, with robust bitterness that arrives early and persists through the mid-palate. The wheat contributes a clean, crisp quality that prevents heaviness despite the 9% ABV, while gentle maltiness provides backbone without dominating. The interplay between dryness and subtle hop bitterness creates an engaging complexity.

full-bodiedrobust bitternesswheat-derived crispnessdry character

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and clean, with gentle bitterness that lingers without harshness. A whisper of warmth from the alcohol remains in the background, adding depth to the aftertaste.

dry finishlingering bitternesswarm alcohol note
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
84
Appearance
85
Finish
80
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 Brigand

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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 full-bodied, dry, bitter character as Brigand will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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