Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Brasserie Caracole Saxo Belgian Blonde Ale

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 17, 2007 5:00PM

We're making our way back to Belgian ales after an extended period enjoying the best brews on this side of the pond. The Brasserie Caracole of Falmignoul, Belgium, is an artisanal brewery that dates back to the mid-18th century, when it was the Brasserie Moussoux. Caracole is best known for warming the water used for brewing in a wood-fired oven, and bottling and labeling their beers by hand. Talk about old school. Anyway, they make a wide array of amazing beers for every palate, and this week's "BotW" selection is one that anyone can enjoy.

Saxo blonde ale is one of our favorite Caracole selections. As far as Belgian blondes go, it ranks a close second to Piraat for overall quality, in our opinion. Saxo doesn't have quite the alcohol content as Piraat, but the two beers do share a rocky, craggly foam when the beer is decanted. The creamy head doesn't last long, leaving behind these insane sawtooth lacing patterns on the glass. With Saxo's lower alcohol content (8 percent by volume), drinkers are able to pick up the flavors on the palate better than Piraat. And what you'll get is classic blonde ale: prominent notes of citrus, underlying pepper and spice, and a touch of bread from the yeasting. The spice is dominant on the finish, which is also slightly dry. It pairs wonderfully with Piece's cheese pizza, where you'll find it in bottles, as well as rich fowl and whitefish.

Saxo is an easily drinkable beer that even novices to the nuances of brewing can warm up to. It's a beer with a great character from a brewery with a history of taking their time making it, and one that we feel should be celebrated. Brasserie Caracole Saxo blonde ale is Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week."