Sandbar Session
North Pier Brewing Company in Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Golden / Blonde Ale Rotating|
Score
7.09
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
12 ounce can into pint glass; no can dating, but is a recent release. Pours slightly hazy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky white head with awesome retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big orange, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, melon, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big orange, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, melon, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of orange, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, melon, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitterness. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.7%. Overall this is an excellent hoppy blonde ale! All around great complexity, robustness and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink with the modestly bitter/resin/drying finish. Not overly aggressive. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Great Vic Secret showcase. Very vibrant, dank, earthy, and fairly juicy balanced hop complexity; solid pale/wheat malt backbone, and no residual sweetness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. Pretty unique hop profile, but still delicious.