What's Brewing? Blondes, brunettes and beers ... oh my!
Blonde ales have a translucent, bright yellow appearance and are without bitter or malty flavors. Even though they lean toward a malt-like character, they are well balanced, offering a clean, crisp, refreshing taste without any dominating malt or hop characteristics. If you think that sounds a lot like a golden ale or a German Kolsch, you would be correct.
Blonde ales are only subtly different than domestic beers. This style makes them one of the “gateway beers” into drinking craft brews. They're easy to drink because they don't have complex flavors and are lower in alcohol. This makes them appealing to many consumers, especially to those who might normally drink domestic beers and are looking for something new to try. And, it's a perfect beverage for summer weather. Perhaps this style will become the new American classic.
While blonde ales only offer a fraction more in taste and aroma than domestic beers, it's not much. One subtle difference could be that craft brewers don't use a tetra hops extract for bittering like domestic brewing companies use. This extract has absolutely no aroma compared to the natural hop flowers that your local craft brewers are using.
Whether a brewer calls their beer a blonde ale or a golden ale, both taste clean and have a refreshing finish. Today, styles are getting crossed and names we read on bottles can be ambiguous. Brewers are allowed to call their beer whatever they want. Even if they call their beer a “blonde ale” but it ends up looking more like a brunette with yellow highlights, they're allowed. It's their art!
As craft breweries continue to experiment with ingredients and crossing styles that create hybrids, we shouldn't be surprised by slight variations of blonde ales. Ultimately, this experimentation gives us more to choose from and keeps us coming back… much like the singular hole I par after playing a full 18.
Mark Brewer is a Tribune-Review contributing writer and the author and illustrator of Brewology, An Illustrated Dictionary for Beer Lovers.
Southern Tier Brewing Co.
8 Days A Week
Blonde ale (4.8% ABV). Pours a yellow translucent straw color with a fluffy white head. No lacing down the inside of the glass. Light aromas of bread crust and citrus. Slightly sweet taste of malt that lingers on the finish. Light body with a medium carbonation.
Victory Brewing Co.
Summer Love
Blonde ale (5.2% ABV). Pours light yellow with a white fluffy head that quickly recedes. Aromas of sweet malt with a tinge of lemon zest. Subtle tastes of corn, cracker and a light fruity bitterness from hops. Refreshing with a light body and medium carbonation.
Conversion
Blonde ale (4.5% ABV). Pours very light translucent straw yellow color with a white foamy head. Faint smell of citrus and cracker. Well balanced taste with notes of wheat bread, cracker and malt. No bitterness. Light body with moderate carbonation. Crisp, slightly malty finish with a hint of lemon grass at the end.
