Niagara's Best Blonde Ale
Syndicate Restaurant & Brewery
- From:
- Syndicate Restaurant & Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- English Pale Ale
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 76
- Avg:
- 3.17 | pDev: 11.36%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 16
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 06, 2019
- Added:
- Jul 25, 2005
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
76
Okay
76
Okay
This ale many consider to be the closest taste to traditional lager beers. Its a beer that appeals to all beer drinkers.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Cylinsier from Pennsylvania
3.28/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
tap
Pours a clear gold with a with lacing for a head that dissipates to nothing.
Smells of light barley malt with a light citrus note.
Light citrus flavor over a light dry hop and a sweet barley maltiness.
Medium body with a tingly carbonation on the tip of the tongue.
Pretty descent sessionable ale with passable flavor and nice body. Easy to forget but you enjoy it when you're having it.
Feb 07, 2014Pours a clear gold with a with lacing for a head that dissipates to nothing.
Smells of light barley malt with a light citrus note.
Light citrus flavor over a light dry hop and a sweet barley maltiness.
Medium body with a tingly carbonation on the tip of the tongue.
Pretty descent sessionable ale with passable flavor and nice body. Easy to forget but you enjoy it when you're having it.
Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia
3.17/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.17/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Poured on-tap at a TGIFriday's in Niagara Falls and served in a shaker pint. The beer is a pale, maize coloring with increased carbonation and a white, frothy, filmy head. Nose of toasted grain and buttered biscuits. Flavors are smooth and balanced, with a caramel and butter sweet blend, slight roasting, and very subtle hops bitterness at the end. Great lacing as you drink. The beer's body is light, but remains smooth. The aftertaste is toasted and buttery, with a slightly bitter, dry finish, with a subtle, cloying linger.
Jun 29, 2013
Reviewed by Swedes21 from Canada (ON)
2.77/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.77/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Served in a chilled glass
Appearance - beer pours a crystal clear ale colour, very light and refreshing looking. Head is white and does not last long, there is min lacing. some decent carbonation levels.
Smell - typical ale smell, i can pick up some hops, earthy tones and nodes of citrus, not much.
Taste - i didnt find this too bad, some very decent taste. the beer has some good hops, nothing too wild. there is a slight sweetness to this beer as well, finishes clean and crisp.
Mouthfeel - some added carbonation brings the hops and earthy tones fwd. Not much else added, mouthfeel is very smooth.
Drinkability - i throw this along the same lines of coors, bud...etc...good to drink lots of but not a real dominant beer.
Feb 03, 2011Appearance - beer pours a crystal clear ale colour, very light and refreshing looking. Head is white and does not last long, there is min lacing. some decent carbonation levels.
Smell - typical ale smell, i can pick up some hops, earthy tones and nodes of citrus, not much.
Taste - i didnt find this too bad, some very decent taste. the beer has some good hops, nothing too wild. there is a slight sweetness to this beer as well, finishes clean and crisp.
Mouthfeel - some added carbonation brings the hops and earthy tones fwd. Not much else added, mouthfeel is very smooth.
Drinkability - i throw this along the same lines of coors, bud...etc...good to drink lots of but not a real dominant beer.
Reviewed by TheHammer from Canada (ON)
3.06/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
3.06/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
The 3/6 for my OCB mix pack #7 although I suppose 4/6 given I've already had Mill St Coffee Porter. Either way, onward to the review.
Appearance: Umm...I think my beer is broken. It didn't produce any head. I'm dead serious, not even a single layer of bubbles, so pretty much lacing and retention are non-factors. The body is a nice blonde colour, but there is quite a lot of thin sediment hanging around the body. I'm not impressed at all.
Smell: Crisp, as bready malt takes a back seat to mild fruity hops with a touch of floral notes. I suspect this is going to be a very drinkable beer. Warming helps it's case.
Taste: I think they were going for a cream ale here, as a buttery textured beginning with ample sweet bread flavour turns to a nice mixed stonefruit and berry taste that swiftly finishes with some decent floral hops that go a bit overboard.
Mouthfeel: It's good as you drink it, but it leaves a buttery texture in your mouth afterwards with a lingering bitterness that is unappealing. Points also get deducted for the complete lack of head and low carbonation.
Drinkability: It's a little bit watered down but not to the point of being a problem. Really this is designed for the summer though. It's a bit more interesting then most beers but it just seems like it needs a bit more polish. Easy to get down, and could but put back all night.
Final Thoughts: It wasn't bad but there are better offerings out there. I do feel this would be better served as a Cream Ale then a Pale Ale. Apart from the appearance it was ok, but I wouldn't typically seek it out again.
Feb 01, 2011Appearance: Umm...I think my beer is broken. It didn't produce any head. I'm dead serious, not even a single layer of bubbles, so pretty much lacing and retention are non-factors. The body is a nice blonde colour, but there is quite a lot of thin sediment hanging around the body. I'm not impressed at all.
Smell: Crisp, as bready malt takes a back seat to mild fruity hops with a touch of floral notes. I suspect this is going to be a very drinkable beer. Warming helps it's case.
Taste: I think they were going for a cream ale here, as a buttery textured beginning with ample sweet bread flavour turns to a nice mixed stonefruit and berry taste that swiftly finishes with some decent floral hops that go a bit overboard.
Mouthfeel: It's good as you drink it, but it leaves a buttery texture in your mouth afterwards with a lingering bitterness that is unappealing. Points also get deducted for the complete lack of head and low carbonation.
Drinkability: It's a little bit watered down but not to the point of being a problem. Really this is designed for the summer though. It's a bit more interesting then most beers but it just seems like it needs a bit more polish. Easy to get down, and could but put back all night.
Final Thoughts: It wasn't bad but there are better offerings out there. I do feel this would be better served as a Cream Ale then a Pale Ale. Apart from the appearance it was ok, but I wouldn't typically seek it out again.
Reviewed by bryehn from Canada (ON)
3.24/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.24/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Nice full colour label with a 1940s-style pinup girl infront of an image of Niagara Falls. I only note this because most OCB labels look like garbage.
Pours a clear, if not slightly translucent golden colour, with little in the way of head beyond the initial pour and no lacing. Relatively unattractive as a craft beer.
The aroma is quite sweet, with hints of corn or corn syrup and toasted rice. Also comes through as a bit "boozy", but not in a gross way and has the faintest of citrus notes.
The mouthfeel is on the creamy side of thin. It's got a fairly low carbonation feeling, but comes off as refreshing and easy to drink.
I find the taste also has a sweet, toasted malt punch to it upfront, one that reminds me of again corn syrup, but that it has a decent dryness to it as well. Went great with the samosas I had for lunch.
Enjoying it as part of the Winter 2010-11 OCB sampler, but not sure if I'd pick it up on its own.
Jan 10, 2011Pours a clear, if not slightly translucent golden colour, with little in the way of head beyond the initial pour and no lacing. Relatively unattractive as a craft beer.
The aroma is quite sweet, with hints of corn or corn syrup and toasted rice. Also comes through as a bit "boozy", but not in a gross way and has the faintest of citrus notes.
The mouthfeel is on the creamy side of thin. It's got a fairly low carbonation feeling, but comes off as refreshing and easy to drink.
I find the taste also has a sweet, toasted malt punch to it upfront, one that reminds me of again corn syrup, but that it has a decent dryness to it as well. Went great with the samosas I had for lunch.
Enjoying it as part of the Winter 2010-11 OCB sampler, but not sure if I'd pick it up on its own.
Reviewed by spinrsx from Canada (ON)
2.94/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.94/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12oz Bottle
Appearance - The beer pours a clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is almost no carbonation visible, and there really isn't any lacing on the sides of the glass. The head was gone in a flash.
Smell - breads/grains, hops, lemon, hay, corn
Taste & Mouth - There is a low amount of carbonation and the beer feels watery yet creamy on the tongue. The taste is made up of breads/grains, a grassiness, lemon juice, and a honey sweetness. Thee is also a faint hop taste and some corn flavour. The beer finishes with a grassy slightly bittersweet aftertaste.
Drink - Not awful, but not something I would suggest buying.
Dec 15, 2010Appearance - The beer pours a clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is almost no carbonation visible, and there really isn't any lacing on the sides of the glass. The head was gone in a flash.
Smell - breads/grains, hops, lemon, hay, corn
Taste & Mouth - There is a low amount of carbonation and the beer feels watery yet creamy on the tongue. The taste is made up of breads/grains, a grassiness, lemon juice, and a honey sweetness. Thee is also a faint hop taste and some corn flavour. The beer finishes with a grassy slightly bittersweet aftertaste.
Drink - Not awful, but not something I would suggest buying.
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