Blonde

Bottle at home (Waitrose, Sunningdale). Mid golden with a thin white head that collapses to nothing. Nose is pale malt, lemon, lavendar, floral notes, touch of honey. Taste follows, light sugars, grain, hops, floral notes. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, a little dry in the finish. Average.

Brown 500ml bottle, best before 10th Feb 2011, drank and reviewed 24th Jan 2011. The rear label claims it can be used as a light, thirst quenching alternative to a lager or you can liberate the complex flavours of an ale, depending on what you want, just serve it at different temps! I’m reviewing a cold one, so it should lean towards a lager! Poured into a straight sided UK pint sleeve. The beer in certainly on the blonde side, light amber more than a strawberry or golden blonde, but blonde it is. The thin white head became a wisp and collar very quickly, a pity. The initial smell was of a honey sweetness and treacle like malty molasses. That all sounds overly sweet, but wasn’t really sickly, just huge hints of those aromas. To be fair, the smell changed as the beer warmed, becoming less sweet and more fruity and Ale like. The smell sweetness turned semi-sweet with no hop feel what so ever, the malts being mild in flavour but giving the sweetness. I prefer sweeter beers, but I couldn’t take to this for some reason. Strange beer, not a huge disappointment, but not what I was expecting. It didn’t turn into an ’Complex Ale’ as it warmed in the glass either. A crossdresser of a beer, not in my eyes, just a beer that doesn’t know what it is!

Cask (Maidenhead Inn JDW, Basingstoke) - Golden with a white head. Malty and fruity aroma with a faint hint of spice. Fruity and hoppy taste with notes of malt and tea.

Gravity cask at the Bree Louise. Clear gold with a slight foam. Doughy malts on the nose, some straw, orange citrus and honey. Nice flavor, pretty well balanced, doughy malts, slight corn and butter, cereal, straw, some bitterness of citrus. Light bodied with fine to average carbonation. Good condition. Crispy malts on the finish, along with light grass and citrus and subtle earth. Good beer.

(Cask at Bree Louise, Euston, London, 8 Aug 2010) Golden colour with brief, white head. Fruity nose with peaches, citrus and biscuity malt. Fruity taste with notes of apricots, citrus, slightly biscuity malt and hints of soap. refreshing grassy bitterness in the finish. Rather light body, balanced sweetness. Tasty and refreshing.

From cask at Bree Louise. Pours clear and golden orange with a small white head. Aroma is mild fruity hoppy. Slight malty flavoured. Lingering fruity, slight bitter and dry bitter. Lasting fruity impression into the finish.

Cask gravity at 1st K&ES Railway BF 2009. More gold, than blond, lasting beige head. Had a sip of someone’s the previous event and the hop on the finish really surprised me. Today, it’s hoppy, bit of butter and then this stinging gingerish hop on the finish. Slightly yeasty. Not always a fan of Rebellion beers, but I found this very drinkable, not overly showy, but surprisingly good.

Cask at GBBF08. The aroma is slightly sour. Hazy golden colour. OK rough hoppiness, slightly sour, hint of fruit.