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Christoffel Blond
A great Blond for your daddy!

Launch of Winefind.ca
The system is foolproof and easy. If there is a wine that interests you, just click on the name and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database telling you if the wine is in the LCBO system. If it is, it will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details on the wine along with a store search. While the number of bottles in each store is updated every night, you should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is also provided). It is that simple!
Note that all the items recommended below are connected with the LCBO database.

It’s true; I am a very fussy drinker. Indeed, I have erroneously been called “snobbish” for rarely indulging in local brews. Certainly, you wouldn’t catch me guzzling most of the bland mouthwash that passes for beer south of the border. And well, to be honest, that includes a lot of the same lame Canadian stuff. Sure it’s a matter of taste, but lets face it, mediocre beer is like bad art – tasteless.

At one time, I would report on each new brew appearing in the monthly Vintages release. Then one day, much to the chagrin of beer lovers and importers everywhere, Vintages management arbitrarily decreed that no more beer would soil their pristine shelves. And so dark days fell upon the brewers of malt, oats, barley, wheat, rice, etc. Well maybe not rice - Vintages still sells sake. It was a disastrous move because without the spotlight of visibility in the Vintages catalogue, of course along with my published reviews, sales floundered. It was, as they say, out of sight – out of mind. Great new brews were now scattered anonymously into the multitude of general listings. And much more evil, my beer tasting days were over.

Well it just so happened that last week I was in the LBO lab tasting and low and behold, I came across a most delicious brew. It got my palate twitching, like a bolt of lightening. It came in one of those small brown bottles with a rubber-ringed ceramic top. It had a slightly hazy, light golden yellow colour with a touch of copper. The nose initially had a sweetish, gently honeyed, floral air but as it sat in the glass it began to take on richer, lemony, roasted malt notes. On the palate it was solid but bright, rich but not overly heavy with honeyed, gently malty, Wheatabix flavours followed up by a tinge of bitter chocolate and hint of sour lemon on the finish. In other words, it reflected an almost Zen-like harmony with a creamy and yet still refreshing texture. It was like a symphony where every perfectly tuned instrument added just the right tonality.  

“What could this brew be?” I wondered. I hadn’t had anything as tasty for a long time. I stared at the brown stubby bottle. It looked very official. Beneath the impressive coat of arms were the words Christoffel in large black type and just beneath Blond in red. “Ah, Christoffel Blond” (cspc 696955) I muttered quietly, demonstrating that it definitely pays being able to read. The small letters at the bottom revealed that it was a “Product of Limburg.” Well that was a stumper. I had never heard of Limburg. Perhaps it’s related to Limburger, I thought, although there was absolutely nothing cheesy about this brew. And so I kept searching until I discovered that it was made by the Bierbrouwerij St. Christoffel in the former coal mining-town of Roermond. “Eureka, it’s from the Netherlands,” I sputtered while downing the last few delicious drops.

Of course, this Blond was like no other – enough to please any discerning daddy! My eyes focused on the words “double hopped beer.” Now I can’t remember the last time I had a double hopped beer. I knew, however, that serious research lay ahead so I stopped at the LCBO to pick up several bottles at a mere $2.50 a pop (330 ml). Further examination revealed that it was brewed exclusively from water, malt, hops and yeast.

Meanwhile, I pulled out my copy (another great Father’s Day gift) of the Ultimate Beer by Michael Jackson (ISBN 1-55144-197-7 click here to see the book on the Chapters-Indigo website) and went to the section entitled Aperitifs: Extra-Dry Pilsner Lagers. There on page 126 I saw a picture of the beer in question. It was described as “one of the world’s hoppiest Pilsner-style beers.” I had expected this beer to go back to some twelfth century monk, but no – it was named after the town’s saint – St. Christopher. Discovering that Leo Brand, the brewer, only founded the facility in 1986 was enough to make me go to the fridge for a third bottle.

One quirk regarding Christoffel Blond is that the alcohol has been creeping up slowly but surely. In my 1998 edition of Ultimate beer it was only 5%. According to Rubaiyat Wines & Spirits, the Ontario agent, it jumped to 5.5% last year and is now hitting 6%. It made me want to shout “enough already, it tastes great so keep it there – don’t change.”

The reason I have gone to such lengths to describe a $2.50 brew is because Christoffel Blond is a wonderful refreshing departure from my daily wine routine. And the reason people are not running out to buy it is because most writers fail to provide much beer coverage. With so much promotional money being channeled into promoting wine, what chance does a small brewery have with something that sells for a mere $2.50 a bottle?

Another problem relates to the fact that the LCBO only ordered 300 cases of 24 for its beer program. How do you launch a great beer based on a single order? This lack of LCBO continuity means that no matter how good the brew, we are out of luck in terms of getting it on a regular basis. Hopefully the LCBO will do the right thing and make sure this winner stays on its shelves!

Perhaps the best thing about Christoffel Blond is that can you drink half the bottle and cap it, put it in the fridge and enjoy it later in the day (I can’t believe I said that). Failing at the last task, you also get a terrific container for storing olive oil, etc. No recycling needed. Click Here to go to winefind.ca to find which LCBO stores have this brew in stock.

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June 2003 InStore Discovery

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
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