From Brouwerij Huyghe (of Delirium fame) we have this Belgian strong blonde ale known as La Guillotine. It is common for Belgian beer labels to have a darker side – there are lots of references to devils and ways of meeting your demise. So the famous French execution method fits right in.
The beer pours a lovely golden colour, quite clear with the bubbles working hard to get to the top of the glass.
There is a distinctly malty aroma mixed with some yellow fruits like peach and pear and some light spice as well. And this pretty much follows through in the taste.
The malt bill consists of barley, wheat and oats so it is no surprise that there is a good bready malt backbone to this beer. Combining with the light fruits this gives the early sweetness that invites you in.
As you progress you realise that the bitterness builds. Hop additons from Saaz, Brewers Gold and Amarillo offer a pleasant hop bite with a floral, slightly spicy touch.