Chimay Gold Belgian Blond Beer Review

Chimay Gold is a Trappist beer made by the Monks of Scourmont Abbey in Belgium. It is also known as Chimay Dorée and was originally brewed for the Monks and their guests at the Abbey. However it is now available to all, but is it any good?

Chimay Gold is rather nice, in fact it’s a great beer. It pours a light gold which is slightly hazy with a one finger white head. The nose is pretty light with a faint malt base and hints of citrus and spice. The taste follows the nose, but with more oomph. A malt base with hints of floral and citrus finishing with a nice bitterness. Love this beer and it gats a score of 4.7 out of 5.0.

No wonder the monks kept this beer to themselves for so long.

Contents

• Chimay Gold Beer Review
• Chimay Brewery
• Chimay Beers
• Chimay Triple
• Chimay Green
• Grande Reserve
• Final Thoughts
  • More Beers

Chimay Gold Beer Review

Chimay Gold is reviewed alongside my wife Lou and son Joe, so there are three views on this beer.

This Chimay beer comes in a stumpy brown 330ml bottle with a gold label with white writing. It weighs in at a sessionable 4.8% ABV. Cracking the top, which of course is gold, it pours a light gold with a one finger fluffy white head. There is a slight haze to the beer, and also some sediment floating around the glass.

On the nose it is pretty light with just a mild biscuit malt base, a little citrus picked up by Lou and Joe, and a hint of peppery spice.

The taste follows the nose with that biscuit malt up front, followed by some citrus and floral notes. Floating around these flavours is that peppery spice followed by a lovely bitter finish.

We all agree that this Belgian Blond is a great beer, Joe liked it a lot and finished his pretty quick, he scores it 4.4 out of 5.0. Lou thinks it is crisp, refreshing and well balanced beer with a bitter finish. Lou scores it a slightly higher 4.5 out of 5.0.

I think it is a great beer with plenty of flavour, an nice pepper spice with a light floral background and that bitter finish. I score it 4.7 out of 5.0.

A cracking little beer which is a little moreish.

Chimay Brewery

Chimay Brewery is a traditional Trappist beer located in Chimay, Belgium. It’s history dates back to the 1850’s when a group of monks move to Scourmont to support the region of Chimay.

They brewed beer with some great success and several years on added the making of cheese too. Not a bad combination beer and cheese. The best point is the profits from their beer and cheese goes to charities and good causes.

There are three key Trappist principles that Chimay Brewery adheres to. One, the products are made within the Abbey. Two, the beer is brewed with the supervision of the monks. And three, most of the income from their products go to helping charitable causes.

Their beer and cheese are recognised as authentic Trappist products and carry the logo on their labels.

I haven’t tried their cheese, but their beer is great and I will seek out some of their other beers.

Chimay Beers

Chimay Brewery does not produce a big range of beers, but they have a solid core range that is loved by many beer lovers.

Here are a few of their beers.

Chimay Triple

Chimay Triple is a strong Belgian Blond beer which weighs in a hefty 8.0% ABV, so one to take easy. I have reviewed Chimay Triple and it is hoppy with fruit flavours of pear and pineapple. This does make it a little sweet up front, then comes a little spice and finally a bitter finish to balance.

It is okay, but not a beer I would seek out.

Chimay Green

Chimay Green is a strong Blond beer, and I mean strong, it weighs in at 1.0% ABV. It is said to be refreshing and fruity with aromas of mint, bergamot, lime and eucalyptus. The taste is said to be mellow and rounded with smoky spicy flavours coming from clove and ginger.

Sounds pretty good and one I will look out for, but just the one at 10% ABV.

Grande Reserve

Grande Reserve is another big hitter on the strength front, weighing in at 10.5% ABV. It is a barrel fermented beer that gets better with age.

A fruity beer with hints of chocolate mocha and some spicy notes thrown in. It can have intense flavours and complex taste which can vary according to which type of barrels are used.

This beer sounds pretty complex and to me would be a sipper, be nice to try one though.

Final Thoughts

As a Traditional Trappists brewery, Chimay offer some solid beers. While I wasn’t that keen on their Triple Blond, I do love this Gold Blond.

A great all round beer that falls in the session bracket, which means I can have a couple or three without any problems. I would definitely recommend it if you like a decent Belgian beer.

If you have tried any of the Chimay beers, then do share your thoughts below. Especially the Gold Blond, let me know how it measured up on your taste buds.