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Monastic Ale / 26A

Belgian Single

Unfiltered BJCP Styles Style Profile

This BJCP record is outside the Certified Cicerone® Level 2 beer-style list and is included for Advanced Cicerone® review.

Certification exam alignment
Advanced Cicerone® BJCP Beer Judge Entrance Exam
Source
BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines

Overall Impression

A blond, bitter, hoppy table beer that is very dry and highly carbonated. The aggressive fruity-spicy Belgian yeast character and high bitterness is forward in the balance, with a soft, supportive grainy-sweet malt palate, and a spicy-floral hop profile.

Aroma

Medium-low to medium-high Belgian yeast character, showing a fruity-spicy character along with medium-low to medium spicy or floral hops, rarely enhanced by light herbal or citrusy spice additions. Low to medium-low malt backdrop, with bready, crackery, grainy, or light honey notes. Fruit expression can vary widely (apple, pear, grapefruit, lemon, orange, peach, apricot). Phenols are typically like black pepper or clove. Bubblegum inappropriate.

Appearance

Pale yellow to medium gold color. Generally good clarity, with a moderate-sized, persistent, billowy white head with characteristic lacing.

Flavor

Initial malty flavor is light and has a honeyed biscuit, bready, or cracker character. Grainy but soft malt palate, and a crisp, dry, hoppy-bitter finish. Moderate spicy or floral hop flavor on the palate. Moderate esters similar in character to aroma. Light to moderate spicy phenols as found in the aroma. Medium to high bitterness, accentuated by dryness. The yeast and hop character lasts into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel

Medium-light to medium body. Smooth. Medium-high to high carbonation, can be somewhat prickly. Should not have noticeable alcohol warmth.

Comments

Often not labeled or available outside the monastery, or infrequently brewed. Might also be called monk’s beer, Brother’s beer, or simply a Blond (we don’t use this term to avoid confusion with the very different Belgian Blond Ale style). Highly attenuated, generally 85% or more.

Characteristic Ingredients

Pilsner malt. Belgian yeast. Continental hops.

Style Comparison

Like a top-fermented Belgian interpretation of a German Pils – pale, hoppy, and well-attenuated, but with a strong Belgian yeast character. Has less sweetness, higher attenuation, less character malt, and is more hop-centered than a Belgian Pale Ale. More like a much smaller, more highly-hopped Belgian Tripel (with its bitterness and dryness) than a smaller Belgian Blond Ale.

Vital Statistics

IBU
25 - 45
SRM
3 - 5
OG
1.044 - 1.054
FG
1.004 - 1.010
ABV
4.8% - 6%

Commercial Examples

  • Chimay Gold
  • La Trappe Puur
  • Russian River Redemption
  • St. Bernardus Extra 4
  • Westmalle Extra
  • Westvleteren Blond

Style Attributes

bitter craft-style hoppy pale-color standard-strength top-fermented western-europe

Similar Styles: How to Tell Them Apart

Use these guideline-based sensory contrasts to organize comparative tasting practice.

Both are pale, dry, highly carbonated Belgian ales with grainy-sweet malt, fruit, peppery spice, and optional earthy or spicy hops. Belgian Single is a lower-strength table beer with aggressive yeast, hops, and bitterness; Belgian Blond Ale is stronger, smoother, maltier, and softer in its fermentation character.

Compare with: 25A. Belgian Blond Ale

By aroma

  • Belgian Single has a more assertive fruity-spicy yeast and spicy-floral hop aroma over a low bready, crackery, grainy, or honey-like malt backdrop.
  • Belgian Blond Ale smells maltier and subtler, with smoother citrus-pepper yeast and light perfumy alcohol.

By taste

  • Belgian Single is very dry and hop-centered, with medium to high bitterness accentuated by its crisp finish.
  • It has less sweetness, less character malt, and lower alcohol than Belgian Blond Ale, with no noticeable warmth.
  • Fruity-spicy yeast and hop flavor persist into a pricklier, more bitter aftertaste.

Quick tell: Table strength with forceful Belgian yeast, hops, and a bitter dry finish identifies Belgian Single.

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