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Grimbergen Belgian Pale Ale

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A modern Belgian pale ale that pairs the Grimbergen house strain with late and dry hopping. Citra, Simcoe and Centennial go in towards the end of the process and are steeped cold, laying notes of grapefruit, lime and tropical fruit over the riper, rounder notes and clove-like spice from fermentation. The malt base of barley and wheat stays light, so the body is smooth and the bitterness restrained. The finish is dry and clean, with citrus, tropical character and spice lingering.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Country Winner · 2019
World Beer Awards
★Country Winner — World Beer Awards
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
citrusycleantropical
citrusy
clean
tropical
clove
spicy
fruity
Aroma
The nose leads with bright citrus notes—grapefruit and lime—layered over ripe tropical fruit character from the late and dry hopping.
also:hoppy,malty
not found:juicy,caramel,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Grimbergen Belgian Pale Ale

◎ Appearance

Pale golden hue with bright clarity and a fine, persistent white head that clings to the glass walls with good retention. Carbonation is lively and even throughout, visible as a steady stream of fine bubbles rising through the clear body.

pale goldenclearfine lacingwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with bright citrus notes—grapefruit and lime—layered over ripe tropical fruit character from the late and dry hopping. A subtle spice emerges beneath, reminiscent of clove and white pepper from the Grimbergen house yeast strain, with the wheat and barley malt providing a soft, clean base that does not overpower.

citrus, grapefruittropical fruitclove spiceclean malt

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and well-balanced, with tropical and citrus notes unfurling across the mid-palate without harsh edges. The malt backbone remains light and rounded, allowing the hop character to shine through with a restrained bitterness that sits comfortably at 25 IBU. The spicy phenolic notes from fermentation weave throughout, building toward a clean, dry conclusion.

balancedsmooth bodytropical, citrusrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and crisp, with lingering citrus and tropical notes fading to a pleasant spice-tinged dryness. Clean and refreshing, with no lingering harshness or sweetness.

dry finishcitrus lingerclean
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
76
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 Grimbergen Belgian Pale Ale

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About Belgian Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Belgian Pale Ale?

Pale Ales balance malt sweetness with moderate hop character at 4.5–6% ABV and IBU 20–40. Approachable with floral, citrus or earthy notes over a biscuit malt base.

Finding a similar Belgian Pale Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, citrusy, clean character as Grimbergen Belgian Pale Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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