Hoppy Blonde

The beer pours a clear and bright golden color with a loose, foamy white head with great retention. In the aroma I get a light sweet bready malt and a moderate amount of hops. There is some tropical mango and citrus in the aroma that dominates, but also a very slight hint of herbal hops in this mix as well. The aroma is otherwise inviting and light. The flavor is easy drinking, with some light sweet malt up front, a nice moderate bitterness in the middle to clear the sweetness followed by a juicy hop flavor, which has a bit of fruity mango and some citrus edge as well. The mouthfeel is medium-light, which is right for the style and the carbonation is moderate. The light body does not give way to a lot of creaminess, but that’s OK in my book. In the end, what you are looking for in a good American Blonde Ale is a nice balance between the malt and hops, with the malt possibly even edging out the hops. But the key is that it should be soft and drinkable, which this beer is. The hops are fruity and refreshing, and the malt is light and not overly sweet and has no perceptible caramel in it, which can lead to a lot of sweetness on a hot day. Aside from it being slightly more hop-forward than it needs to be, I think it’s a very good beer.