Blue Ridge Golden Ale
Wild Goose Brewery, LLC

Blue Ridge Golden AleBlue Ridge Golden Ale
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From:
Wild Goose Brewery, LLC
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
77
Avg:
2.99 | pDev: 27.09%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
14
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 20, 2007
Added:
Jun 06, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Ratings by mrasskicktastic:
Photo of mrasskicktastic
Reviewed by mrasskicktastic from New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A - A cloudy golden yellow color wiuth a two finger head that vanished in about three minutes. A bit of lacing clings to the side.

S - A bit of a grapefruit pith aroma. It is a crisp delivery. Underneath there is the slightest hint of phenolic band-aidesque aroma.

T - A first there is a faint malty flavor but it is soon joins by a mild grapefruit pith flavor that rounds off to a grassy grapefruit bitterness. It is very weak, but pleasant none the less.

M - Thin and a tad highly carbonation. Incredibly refreshing.

D - Great. This is outstanding as far as quaffability goes. There really aren't any major drawbacks in this category. It is sessionable, good for nearly any meal and something I wouldn't mind having again.
Oct 04, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of BuckSpin
Reviewed by BuckSpin from Maine

3.57/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12oz bottle (Best By of 15707FX) in a classic conical pint glass.

Poured very smooth & very silent. Straw like malts, weak citrused hops, slightly sweet, clean, a crisp morning thick with dew on the nose. A nice caramel quality grows with some air & over all the nose gets thicker, a little more tooth to it. Head was a pencil's worth of loose pearl white foam that faded very quickly to a thin floater and edge ring that laced in lone spots at best. Very pale, golden straw color, a wee bit brassy, crystal clear with some lone bubbles rising quickly & sporadically.

Very light, crisp, clean, semi-sweet & semi-dry, both sharing a cider like appeal and mouthfeel. Incredibly easy to drink, it has a refreshing quality to it that is nice. Hops are mild at best, a little ragged, but overall its very balanced and even keeled. It grows crisper & crunchier on the palate, malts get a little dirty & earthy, more noticeable. It finishes with a very nice, soft bittersweetness, still a little earthy & just a touch of hop bitters....nice. The aftertaste is slightly rocky, bittersweet, kinda chewy, fuzzy in a crushed velvet way.

This was nice. Incredibly easy to drink, this screams lawnmower beer...which is not a bad thing. Would also be a good hot dogs & hamburgers on the grill beer. There is a place for beers like this. I liked it, I'd drink it again, and would love to have a cold 6 pack of this while working outside. Not the best ABA I've had, but a nice one...give it a shot some hot summer day.
Jun 20, 2007
Photo of NJpadreFan
Reviewed by NJpadreFan from New Jersey

2.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Blue Ridge- Golden Ale

From a sampler 12 pack, purchased in Frederick, MD.

Appearance- light fizzy yellow with no head. Looks like Canada Dry ginger ale.
Smell- Light corn and hay. Very sugary sweet smell.
Taste- A first light and sugary. Corn husk and hay. Tastes like smarties candies?!?
Mouthfeel- sweet and bland.

Overall- At first I thought I was drinking PBR but it mellowed out and wasn't really THAT bad. Not a good beer but drinkable!?

-The best bad beer out there!
Jul 17, 2006
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

3.62/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a clear pale golden color with large white puffy head. Smell is nice and malty and very enjoyable. Taste is fruity sweet, and extremely refreshing. Finishes with a bit of dryness, with is a nice ending to this beer. Very drinkable. A pleasant suprise.
Jun 23, 2006
Photo of InDreams
Reviewed by InDreams from Maryland

2.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
First off, what the heck? I had my friend pour this, as I was somewhat distracted, and my first impression was "Did you pour me a Pabst?"

Poured into a standard pint, I saw a half centimeter of white head that disappeared pretty quick leaving a slight rim. Very minimal lacing. Beer was a amber-golden color, clear as water. Given the style, I'd say everything up to this point was fine.

Off hand, the smell was thing that led me to think it was a crappy macrobrew. Not that there was much of one, or that it was particularly abrasive like a can of Shaeffer, but it did not smell like what I'd expect out of an ale, and it definitely strikes you as a macro lager. With a lot of effort, and complete confusion, I suppose I can pick up a hint of citrus and sweet malts, but honestly, that's probably wishful thinking.

The taste was very bland. Hard to distinguish from a tasteless macro lager. Pretty watery, not much of a body to it at all, and not much of a bite from the hops or the carbonation. Slight citrusy twang, minimal hops or malts.

I'd say you could make a good session beer out of this, simply because it's light and inoffensive, but to me, it really doesn't seem to offer much at all.

NOTE: Right after I wrote this I realized that I did not properly address why it was poor in relation to the style. I've had plenty of Golden Ales and Kölschs before, and honestly I feel that the weakness here is really lack of a distinctive smell or taste. Golden ales do have lager aspects about them, but its usually the citrus taste, or sweet maltiness, or carbonation, that sets it apart. This doesn't really have that.
Feb 26, 2006
Photo of pentathlete
Reviewed by pentathlete from Virginia

2.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Cloudy particulates, small quickly fading head, tons of carbonation. Smell is malty sweet with nothing much to recommend it. Taste is where this beer falls short. It tastes eerily like an adjunct lager. Watery, bland hops, soggy cracker through the middle and a finish that wants to be dry but just doesn't have the energy. Just not my thing. I've got a few others from Frederick to try. Hope they improve.
Nov 05, 2005
Photo of sacfly
Reviewed by sacfly from Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +48.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Had on tap at the brewery.

Looks just like it sounds, bright golden/yellow color. Nice inch think white head. Wow, what a nose on this one! Maybe it’s just the brewery freshness, but the nose is a strong, everlasting light pine and citrus. Was told (by the brewer) it is from glacier hops.

The taste is light and malty, and lightly fruity. Just what I would want in a hot summer day session brew. Hops are nearly gone in the flavor… Must be a ton of aroma hop additions but very light on the flavor additions. Crisp clean aftertaste.

Unimpressed by this product in the past, but this new version is great. I hope it is nearly as good in the store bought bottles!

Met the new brewer… that may explain the dramatic improvement in many of the Blue Ridge/Wild Goose line up. If you haven’t had them recently, find a place to get some fresh ones… (caution!: I still have yet to see a freshness date… beware old bottles)
Sep 21, 2005
Photo of yeagerbm
Reviewed by yeagerbm from Pennsylvania

4.02/5  rDev +34.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
This is a good beer from a solid local brewery that I really enjoy. This beer delivers all I could expect from a blonde ale. The color is golden with a thin white head. This beer and most others from FBC could use some head improvement but are otherwise good to great beers. The smell and the taste are basic but delicious with a solid malt flavor and gentle citrusy hop finish. The mouthfeel is very full and smooth without being over carbonated. This beer is a great example of the style which shows a flavorful and subtle balance between pale malt flavor and refreshing hops. If you are comparing this to the latest IIPA or Imperial Stout it may come up short, but for a thirst quencher that packs in the flavor this one can't be beat, especially for <$6.00/six-pack.
Jun 04, 2005
Photo of elsinore
Reviewed by elsinore from Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
No freshness date on the bottle or case.
Mostly decided to try this because it was on deep discount at my favorite packie ... which is good, as I would have been sorely disappointed if I'd paid full price.

As noted before, it doesn't smell like much. Head doesn't hang around long. Taste is mild, malty and grassy, with a disappointingly small citrus tang of hops at the finish.
Best part of the beer, IMHO, is the color, a pleasant dark gold .... if only I drank with my eyes.
(Oh, and I also gave this beer a decent score for drinkability. It would be easy to finish quite a few in a session, if you really wanted to.)

In this world dominated by the Big Three, I hate to blast any small brewer trying to make a go of it. But this is a beer so undistinguished, I genuinely would not recommend it to anybody, which is pretty rare.
OK, I'll be kind and make one exception: If they serve this stuff at the ballpark in Frederick (where it's made), it might be a nice accompaniment to an evening at the yard.
Mar 04, 2005
Photo of Dithyramb
Reviewed by Dithyramb from Maryland

2.46/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bought a few different Blue Ridge brews the other day. I haven't had them since college, and wanted to review some locals for the site.

Labeling is still pretty stoic. Not amateurish, just plain. No born on or freshness dating to figure out when this puppy was made.
Pours a hazy yellow with tepid carbonation. Not even a sticky ring of lace.
Some yeast notes and a muted malt aroma profile
Taste was weak and watery. Not hop profile to speak of, except for a light flowery bit on the back end. Malts were chalky in nature.
Mouthfeel was especially weak, but it might be a nice refreshing beer, if out and about in 100+ weather. Drinkable only because of its blandness.
I could see this being a nice transition beer for someone changing over from the darkside. Other than that, stick with the fine porter that they make.
Feb 07, 2005
Photo of WVbeergeek
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

1.49/5  rDev -50.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
Pours a hazy golden orange with a white thin head dwindles down to nothing in seconds, wow I am glad I have never invested in cases of the Blued Ridge. This beer smells faint slightly nutty with a bready yeasty character. Flavor is a harsh blend of confused malts and nasty yeastiness I think this one possibly could have turned but there's not best by date. Mouthfeel is slightly creamy with an overall lighter body, not too exciting can't make up for the aroma and taste anyway. Drinkability never again not into shitty micros like this one.
Sep 19, 2003
Photo of aaronh
Reviewed by aaronh from Pennsylvania

2.02/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Pours a hazy, golden color with a minimalist white head that fades more quickly than a Pittsburgh Pirates late-inning lead. A slightly sweet malt aroma is about impressive as the Bucos' relievers ERA (at a HUGE 5.0+). The taste is very disappointing and actually nearly pitiful. Is this the same brewery that makes Blue Ridge Porter? A chalky malt taste with virtually no hops, save for a hint of citrus that might be hops. I might as well me drinking crystal light lemonade or something. Mouthfeel is watery. I think this is colored, flavored water actually. My can of Old German was much more satisfying than this. And you could drink a good bit of this on the sheer fact that it feels like water, but any respectable beer drinker wouldn't. The other beers are decent, this is horrid. Buy the Porter if you can find it, but try to avoid the Golden Ale. Tastes like something else that's golden. An utter disappointment. Like the Pirates most days. I can't believe this comes from the same brewery that makes the Blue Ridge Porter. Nor can I believe the Bucos are next door to the Stillers. I thought winning was contagious. Not so for this beer, either.

FWIW, I've rated Bud Ice, Coors Light, and Iron City higher than this beer! That's how poor this one is.
May 23, 2003
Photo of DarthMalt
Reviewed by DarthMalt from Virginia

3.82/5  rDev +27.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5
This a "micro for the masses" shot in the dark.

This beer looks like something I would make--loose, cottony head, that dissipates quickly and a chill--hell, make that, plain old hazy body that's always 1 or 2 SRMs darker than you want it to be. Smell is sulphury Kolsch/lager...for this ale. Taste is real malty and light (super-dextrinous here, almost DAB territory). Hops do finish off well, and citrusy, like they say.

Great session beer, like the blurb says too. No problem sockin' 12 of these puppies away on a late spring evening.

A.B.V. - 4.7%
Dec 14, 2002
Photo of packetknife
Reviewed by packetknife from Idaho

2.55/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Crystalline with a fluffy white head, it faded faster than I'd like. You can smell the hops clearly. It tastes rather lousy though, like I'm chewing long grass shoots. Rather dissapointing as I paid good money to get it.
Jun 06, 2002
Blue Ridge Golden Ale from Wild Goose Brewery, LLC
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 14 ratings