Grimbergen Blonde

Grimbergen is the brand of a number of Beligian abbey beers.The brand stems back to the town of Grimbergen where beer was first brewed in 1128 at the abbey built for St Norbert of Xanten.
I stumbled upon Grimbergen Blonde (6.7% abv) in a sidewalk cafe on the Boulevade Grenelle, Paris not far from the Eiffel tower.
The beer is similar to other mass produced abbey beers such as Leffe blonde although it contains more of a burnt sugar element and is slightly darker in colour. The usual taste of coriander is present in abundance and works well with the lingering bitter aftertaste. More concerning though is that it was served up in a pint glass! Luckily I had not had anything else to drink, as pints of double strengh Belgian beer is usually a recipe for me to fall asleep. I have seen the rest of the range in Tesco, so I may pick up a few bottles for comparison in the future. Website: www.grimbergenbier.be