Hollywood Blonde
Great Beer Company, The

Hollywood BlondeHollywood Blonde
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Great Beer Company, The
 
California, United States
Style:
Kölsch
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.38 | pDev: 15.68%
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
25
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 28, 2018
Added:
Aug 20, 2003
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jwc215:
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

2.99/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
No freshness date:

Pours semi-hazed golden with a thin white head that immediately disappears. Forget lacing.

It has some floral/light spice, yet "kolsch" is out of my mind, replaced by "typical/run-of-the-mill blonde ale (at best).

Taste follows the nose, with yeasty/chalky/dusty notes and a hint of floral notes and some sweet grain. It's a bit perfumy, in a subtle way, as it warms.

It is light-bodied and pretty crisp.

It's a one and move on beer. A typical blonde with some movement towards a kolsch because of light floral notes in the back.
Jan 07, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.96 by RDW from Nebraska

Jun 28, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Alpha309 from California

Nov 27, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by Knobpolisher from California

Oct 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by TheAmazingRand0970 from California

Jul 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by StoutSnob40 from California

May 18, 2013
Photo of UCLABrewN84
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California

2.94/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
On tap at Yard House in Northridge, CA.

Pours a clear gold with a foamy bone colored head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, and some super sugary fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with a super sweet fruit flavor on the finish. There is a very mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and somewhat sticky mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty poor beer that is way too sweet and sugary to be drinkable.
Mar 14, 2013
Photo of BigBry
Reviewed by BigBry from Canada (AB)

3.47/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Catching up on more reviews from notes. On-tap at the Yardhouse in LA (good looking tap handle too).

Sun yellow color with with foam. I wouldn't call it a head as it has disappeared with our waitress. The aroma is sweet grains and wet hay smell.
Light, crips flavor. Refreshing bready malt, more grassy hops at the end.
Clean mouthfeel and aftertaste, mild flavor, good drinkability on a warm patio.
Not the best Kolsch, but decent offering as a 'house brand'.
Nov 03, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by LJWalker from Indiana

Sep 12, 2012
Photo of DoubleJ
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
I can't tell you how often I've seen this beer on-tap at the Yardhouse. Yet every time, I pass up this beer. To my surprise, this beer is bottled too, and even more to my surprise was seeing a single bottle for sale. Let's get this "nagging" tick out of the way. On to the beer:

A hard pour brings out a head that is ½ inch thick with modest retention and a body that is colored sun yellow. The aroma possesses a sweet grainy and hay smell, which for the style isn;t bad at all.

The first split second I thought that this was going to be an easy, refreshing option. With the note of stale grain, it kills the mood. While this kolsch does retain a light character that is crisp, and solid hay flavors, that stale grain note suggests this beer may be a bit older than I think. It's too bad that there's no sell-by or bottled-on date on the bottle. Bittering towards the end and into the aftertaste with a little splash of malt.

As it stands, it's an okay beer with the potential to be more.
May 17, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by BeerCigar from California

May 05, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by ATADakaCHAD from California

Dec 21, 2011
Photo of glid02
Reviewed by glid02 from Georgia

3.58/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had this on-tap at a solid seafood place on Seal Beach after seeing Beachwood BBQ was closed.

Pours a clear light golden color with a one-finger bright white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of light malts with a hint of grass and floral hops.

Tastes good. Mild light malt flavors with a small amount of citrus flavors. Ending is crisp.

Mouthfeel is good. It's a bit on the thin side with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without much problem but I'm not sure about another.

Overall this isn't a bad beer but it's far from being something I would seek out.
Jul 27, 2009
Photo of Dogbrick
Reviewed by Dogbrick from Ohio

3/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottle from Park Lane Liquor in Lancaster, CA. The beer is a clear golden-yellow color with a thin bone white head that dissapears pretty quickly. Spotty lacing. The aroma is mildy malty with some sweet fruit in the background. Light, clean body with flavors of light hops, citrus and sweet spice. The finish is mildly fruity and dry with notes of fruit and peppery hops. Pretty average and uninteresting for the most part.
Mar 14, 2008
Photo of JDV
Reviewed by JDV from Texas

2.83/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Rich golden pour in a kolsch glass and a nice puffy lasting white head atop. Smell is very light when cold, and is just of mild grassy grain. Nice sweetness with some metallic flavors that stuck out. A light mustiness, and a touch too much sweetness, actually. Not enough crispness to the mouthfeel and it comes off a little flat. Decent for summer, but not great, nor one to seek out.
Feb 22, 2008
Photo of ojclark
Reviewed by ojclark from California

3.05/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Grainy, corny aroma that dissipated very quickly. Very clean and clear yellow/gold color. Basically no head and only a trace of lacing on the glass. Unbalanced flavor in favor of sweetness with some fruity/corny overtones. Fairly well carbonated with a medium body that coated mouth for a few seconds and gave way to a sweet aftertaste with a touch of hops. Easy drinking, but flavor becomes cloying pretty quickly.
Feb 17, 2008
Photo of MuenchenerKindl
Reviewed by MuenchenerKindl from Germany

3.63/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a pint glass, the liquid is a rich gold color with good carbonation. The head is about 2 fingers fluffy white that leaves some lace.

The smell is ok lightly bready, mild hops.

The taste follows nice biscuit taste but lacks real life.

The mouthfeel is ok body is good but it could be crisper with more bite in the carbonation to clean things up.

The drinkability is good, a fine brew. Prosit to IntriqKen for the extra. MK
Oct 04, 2007
Photo of jeffjfindley
Reviewed by jeffjfindley from California

4.04/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Rich antique golden ale, with a one finger head that gives way pretty quickly. Smell is pilsener crisp, but with a very pleasant honey element. Taste follows suit with no surprises, and gives you a nice hop bite at the end. Mouthfeel is creamy at the onset, thins a little, but leaves a pleasant hop tingle on the back of the tongue. Highly drinkable.
May 25, 2007
Photo of DogFood11
Reviewed by DogFood11 from California

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured into a tall pils glass it has s spritzy head and loads of carbonation. Orange body.

First pull and my thoughts are that this is packed full of flavor for such a delicate style. Not sure how thats going to work but at least it has something to think about. Zippy Zippy. This has quite a hop punch that lasts throughout the offering. Lemony, Orange zest jumps on the bandwagon. Malt bill is there but with all that going on its more of an afterthought. It comes through strongest at the end to round it out and give some element of balance.

Notes: Pleasantly surprised. This is a beer I've passed up for years but will now make it part of the rotation.
Apr 14, 2007
Photo of goschool
Reviewed by goschool from California

3.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I'm generally bored by this style, but I found this one pleasantly refreshing.

Appearance: The pour is pale gold topped by a creamy white head that all but fades.

Smell: The soft nose has granny smith apples, pears, lightly-sweet doughy malts, and a tiny hop aroma.

Taste: Grains enter the mix amongst the aforementioned fruit and doughy malts. The hop presence, which are equally floral and spicy, plays a larger role in the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel: Light body with low, but prickly carbonation.

Drinkability: It's a nice beer to beat the 90+ degree November heat here in Los Angeles.
Nov 23, 2006
Hollywood Blonde from Great Beer Company, The
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 25 ratings