Bitter Blonde
South Shore Brewery

Bitter BlondeBitter Blonde
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From:
South Shore Brewery
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.61 | pDev: 12.74%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
11
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 16, 2014
Added:
Mar 14, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by 1Nrwyscotch:
Photo of 1Nrwyscotch
Reviewed by 1Nrwyscotch from Wisconsin

3.41/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bomber poured into a pint glass.

A. Amber color with a couple of fingers of off white head which leaves some lacing.

S. Some earthy vegetation and not much else.

T. A little bit of malt and really light with a fairly bitter finish.

M. A light bodied with a little carbonation.

O. A very easy drinking beer with a light flavor and some pleasant hop bitterness on the finish
Dec 27, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.68 by Fusebuddy from Wisconsin

Aug 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

Sep 23, 2013
Photo of wiscokid920
Reviewed by wiscokid920 from Wisconsin

3.94/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle poured into Snifter

A - Thick fluffy head with nice retention and lacing. Opaque and color, but definitely not the blonde I was expecting. More of an amber bronze which had me puzzled. Only knocks on the score here is that I was expecting a blonde, but nonetheless it's a good looking brew.

S - Toasted bready/biscuity malty notes with sweet caramel. A nice fesh wet-hopped aroma with green and citrus undertones.

T- Very malt forward. Toasty rich and nutty. Slight bittering effect but very subdued compared to the malt sweetness.

M- Very smooth, light-bodied, clean and fresh. A refreshing brew.

O- This offering definitely took me for a loop. Wasn't at all what I expected it to be. It didn't have the blonde characteristics I was expecting and the Malt presence out did the hop characters which greatly surprised me granted this was classified as a Strong Bitter. Nonetheless, it's a tasty take on an English-style ale. A delicious brew that I'm glad I tried
Mar 08, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Zachtheporter from Wisconsin

Mar 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by bitter from Wisconsin

Jan 15, 2013
Photo of pweis909
Reviewed by pweis909 from Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Unlike the others who sampled this, my bottle was pretty lack in carbonation. There was barely a hiss when I cracked the bottle and it the foam was thin and quickly gone. The beer has a murkey tea color to it. Both color and carbonation are reasonable for a bitter.

The label says the beer is wet hopped. There is a noticeable but not overwhelming hop aroma, but mostly I get caramel. The caramel comes through in the taste, which is slightly sweet but falls short of cloying. There is a lingering bite that I attribute to the hops, but it is not really bitterness. Something slightly vegetal? Perhaps I am letting the label bias my judgement.

There is a slightly resinous slickness (hops, or bias again) in the mouth. The lingering bite mentioned above is slightly prickly - surprising for something so low in carbonation. The beer feels a little filling; I wouldn't drink more than 1.
Dec 08, 2012
Photo of BeerFMAndy
Reviewed by BeerFMAndy from Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle poured into a nonic.
4.5% ABV, no date.

A - Thick lace remains adhered to the pint after the tall ivory head disappears, towering over the not-so-blonde bronze amber-colored beer. Crystal clarity makes it easy to see that there are very few carbonation bubbles rising to the surface of this beer.

S - Toasted wheat bread and flakey biscuit with light nuttiness showcases the maltiness upfront with some sweeter caramel notes following behind the bread, all of which lead nicely into the faintly wet-hopped aroma. Fresh green and citrus notes trail along the back end. This beer doesn't invoke the same "wet-hopped" harvest feeling that most of the season do.

T - Malt hits up front again, covering the tongue with a sweet but dry Munich-like flavor that transitions quickly to Vienna-like toast and rich nuttiness, far overlapping any hop characteristics.

M - We've already established that South Shore's Bitter Blonde isn't quite blonde; additional it's not quite bitter either. Low IBUs don't quite stand up enough to shine over the beer's elevated maltiness, which gives it a balanced but lingering sweetness, I find. Incredibly smooth, light-bodied, and mildly dry, the clean finish encourages another sip.

O - Ignore the confusing name of this beer and focus on the beer itself and you'll find a smooth, malty, and nicely balanced English-style pub ale quite worthy of sessioning. Nuttiness and bread notes cover up much of the faint citrus hop characteristics, but a trace of balanced earthiness remains. Delicious!
Nov 08, 2012
Photo of bishopdc0
Reviewed by bishopdc0 from Maine

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Big thick head served on nitro. It was served terribly the bar tender left almost 4 fingers of head in a standard pint glass. I like head but this was to much. That said the beer is pleasant a light hop and honey aroma the beer is golden but despite the name its bitter is very lite the flavor is malt to start and a slight honey taste is prominent it hoppyness is good
Nov 09, 2010
Photo of Strix
Reviewed by Strix from Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Clear golden/light orange with a decent head that leaves some lacing.

A bready and herbal smell, slight citrus hop note.

Pale malts with herbal and citrus notes, and a hint of hoppy grapefruit that really picks this up. Somewhat dry, yet crisp. Lacking the tea-like notes that I often get (and dislike) in ESBs.

Medium mouthfeel, well carbonated. Feels crisp, maybe from the grapefruit note.

This was well-balanced and quite drinkable. A subtle standout. I'd have this again for sure.
Dec 24, 2009
Photo of tavernjef
Reviewed by tavernjef from Minnesota

4.32/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Dirtyish pale golden yellow/amberish color with a finger high head of firm white froth of whipped consistency, lacing coats in ghostly thin sheets. Aroma has a nice dry malt nose encompassing a good earthy woodness and some heavt grass tones which alos has a welcoming herbalness to it. A bit of sweetness of dull fruits appears as it warms. Very well rounded, fairly strong, and complexing nose. Taste is nice and milding, good malts attached with refined light dryness of hops biting just a nudge that adds in some of the wood and grassy herbs noted in the smell. Good use of pale malts in this offering, pleasant drying through and through. Feel is close to medium with a light fluffy texture yet has that slight rough bitterness associated with the ESB style. Calm, mild, savory, and quenchable. A pretty nice ESB.
Mar 14, 2004
Bitter Blonde from South Shore Brewery
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 11 ratings