Holy order

Mount Saint Bernard is England's only trappist brewery. Until recently it had only produced one, rather decent, beer: a dark ale. While abroad last month, I discovered that they have a second beer under the Tynt Meadow brand, and brought a bottle of it home.

Tynt Meadow Blond is a very light 5% ABV, and pours a darkish honey colour, hazed up but missing a proper head. Belgian blond ales are usually fruity and floral; this is quite a different creature, being dry and fizzy: almost lager-like. Indeed, the hops taste grassy and Germanic, laid on to a northern-pilsner intensity. Equally vibrant is the crisp, snappy pale malt flavour: cream cracker meets floury bap. Both hops and malt are able to present themselves so clearly because it seems the yeast is entirely neutral, bringing none of the abbey-ale esters I lazily assumed would be part of the deal.

While this isn't at all the beer I thought I was going to get, it's very pleasant drinking. I like, too, how much of a contrast it offers to their original beer, definitely not the same thing but without the colouring. Fair play, brothers.