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Grimbergen Hop Karakter

Belgium·Belgian Strong Golden Ale
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Hop Karakter is a strong golden abbey ale at 8 percent from the Belgian Grimbergen range, refermented in the bottle and brewed with a generous charge of aroma hops. Herbal and floral hop notes sit over a rounded, lightly honeyed malt body, while the house yeast adds ripe fruit and a peppery spice. The bitterness is firm yet refined, the alcohol shows as gentle warmth, and the finish closes dry with a lingering hoppy edge.

ABV
8.0%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber10
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
floralherbalhoppy
floral
herbal
hoppy
fruity
spicy
honey
Aroma
The nose opens with distinct herbal and floral hop character—a refined expression of aroma hops that suggests fresh grass, light florals, and subtle citrus notes.
also:bready,yeasty
not found:juicy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Grimbergen Hop Karakter

◎ Appearance

Grimbergen Hop Karakter presents a luminous golden hue with excellent clarity and bright, lively carbonation. A dense, creamy head forms readily and clings persistently to the glass, laying down fine lacework as you drink. The overall impression is one of elegant clarity and fine conditioning.

luminous goldendense cream headexcellent clarityfine carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with distinct herbal and floral hop character—a refined expression of aroma hops that suggests fresh grass, light florals, and subtle citrus notes. Beneath the hops lies a honeyed, rounded malt foundation with hints of light stone fruit and candied sweetness. The house yeast contributes ripe orchard fruit and a gentle peppery spice that weaves throughout, creating a balanced and inviting bouquet.

herbal hop notesfloral, citrushoneyed maltripe fruit and pepper

◐ Taste

The palate enters with a soft, malty sweetness that provides excellent body without heaviness, followed by a lightly honeyed mid-palate character. Herbal and floral hop flavors emerge cleanly, building into a firm yet refined bitterness that sits comfortably at 25 IBU—present enough to frame the malt but never harsh. The 8% alcohol shows as gentle warmth, integrating smoothly and lending a subtle peppery spice from the yeast.

soft malt sweetnessfirm, refined bitternessherbal hop edgepeppery warmth

◑ Finish

The finish closes dry with a lingering hoppy character that persists gently on the palate. A subtle peppery aftertaste from the yeast remains, inviting another sip without any sense of heat or harshness.

dry finishlingering hopspeppery fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
83
Taste
82
Appearance
85
Finish
79
Serve at 9–12°C

Warmer than most — 12–14°C. The fruity esters, spice and warming alcohol need room to breathe.

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 Hop Karakter

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About Belgian Strong Golden Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Belgian Strong Golden Ale?

Belgian Strong Golden 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 Strong Golden Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same floral, herbal, hoppy character as Grimbergen Hop Karakter will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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