Tasting Notes: Jenlain Blonde
Brewery: Brasserie Duyck
Location: Jenlain, France
ABV: 7.5%
Version: 330ml bottle
I'll admit my exposure to, and knowledge of, French beer is very limited. I'm fairly sure I could count the number of beers I've had from there on the fingers of one hand, and those were quite some time ago (the beers, not the fingers, although they are getting on a bit too), so I'm not even going to attempt to compare this one with others from the country. Brasserie Duyck don't have an English version of their website as yet, but RateBeer can always be relied on to provide some background info. Basically this is a stronger version of the original Jenlain Blonde, which was previously 6% ABV and is now called Jenlain No 6. No surprises when I say I haven't had that incarnation, so again no comparison will be made.
Despite being called Blonde, this is quite a dark beer, the rich golden colour enhanced with an amber hue. The aroma is much as I was expecting, very similar to a Belgian Blonde, with light fruitiness and a touch of grass and malt. Those fruity notes are present in the taste as well, mainly orange with some pear coming through. It's also quite sweet, a bit too much so for my tastes, but overall it wasn't too bad. While I don't think I'll be getting this particular one again, it certainly hasn't put me off sampling more French beer. There's bound to be some out there I'm going to like, so suggestions will be gratefully received.
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I remember having this (or was it the 6 per cent version?) quite a lot in Carcassone and thinking that, for a beer that strong, there wasn't much to it. Made a change from bloody 1664, though.
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So is it fair to say the French aren't really a nation that embraces the hop? Do they just let the Belgians get on with it and then import the good stuff? Or is there a thriving underground craft brewing scene that no-one has reported on yet?
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We have yet really to have a truly exciting French beer. There are quite a few that are interesting or pleasant, but not much that's mindblowing and, yes, I think they probably do tend towards sweet and sugary. (I'm thinking of this and Pelforth.)
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I certainly have no lasting impression of any of the earlier French beers I've had. Other than the ubiquitous 1664 I'm hard pushed to even remember the names of them - a quick browse over Beers OF Europe selection reminds me I've had Ch'Ti Blonde, Kasteel Cru and Desperados. But familiarity with the names is as much as I can recall.
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