Murray's Sassy Blonde
Murray's Craft Brewing Co.

Murray's Sassy BlondeMurray's Sassy Blonde
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From:
Murray's Craft Brewing Co.
 
Australia
Style:
Belgian Blonde Ale
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.34 | pDev: 20.96%
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
19
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 03, 2012
Added:
Feb 16, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by rec:
Photo of rec
Reviewed by rec from Australia

3.22/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
The pour reveals a blonde-copper body with spritely one-finger head. The carbonation seems almost champagne-like.

The aroma is grassy and bares notes of fresh fruit and some subsequent acidity.

The taste is a little lack-lustre... quite "watery" and rather flat, despite how energetic the pour implied it would be.

The "Sassy Blonde" is smooth with some mild bitterness and a good dose of hops.

Easy to drink, but hardly comparable to true Belgian blondes, and not something I'd re-purchase.
May 06, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 1 by pin from Australia

Aug 03, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by DrNo from Australia

Jan 12, 2012
Photo of Stew41
Reviewed by Stew41 from Thailand

2.54/5  rDev -24%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Pours slightly weird; fizzy soft drink like with massive bubble action through the body and a think head (think creamy soda). Nose shows spice, pepper and a touch of citrus. Light weight and elegant. Flavours are very good early with plenty of sweet malts and more spice but the palate weight falls away at an alarming pace. Malt flavours thin out considerably and there’s not much left at the finish apart from a very mild hop note.
Jul 29, 2011
Photo of tobeerornottobe
Reviewed by tobeerornottobe from Australia

4.43/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A: Brilliant clear golden colour with surging carbonation rising to a wonderful dome of creamy head containing lots of densely packed small bubbles.

N: Fresh grassy Belgian blond characteristics, fantastic for the style.

T: Wow, such a refreshing and pleasant taste. Slight butterscotch flavours but very mild, like a summer meadow with some acidity too.

M: Light but highly appropriate to the style.

Overall, just so nice and so well balanced. This is a great beer and to me it says summer party freshness. It's great that these kind of beers are available in Australia.
Oct 17, 2010
Photo of mulder1010
Reviewed by mulder1010 from Australia

3/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A 330 ML poured into a SA Perfect Pint

A-- Good thing I read the reviews in the first place. Massive over carbonation. The beer just jumped out of the bottle and all over the place. Got a huge head in the bottle. Think more than in the glass. What did settle was a cloudy straw yellow with a huge 3-4 finger bright white head. Once it settled it was a solid 2 finger head with a lot of sticky lacing. Not sold on the carbonation part though.

S-- A bit of a biscuit smell and reasonably aromatic. Sweet and spicy. Needs a bigger nose as a bit thin.

T-- A hoppy biscuit taste with some lemon in this.

M-- Hops really stand out but still a bit watery and thin. Grapefruit and lemon in the mouthfeel. Very carbonated and gets filling quick.

D-- First Murrays I am not really impressed with. A little too thin and not very complex. Then again it is a beer at 4.5% so should not expect much and also readily available in Sydney so that should be saying enough. Find the other stuff from Murrays and you will be more than happy and impressed with what they make.
Feb 23, 2010
Photo of laituegonflable
Reviewed by laituegonflable from Australia

3.85/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Biggest bottle explosion I've ever had. Fuck! Beer went fucking everywhere. So pissed off but managed to salvage most of a glass.

Pours a very cloudy apricot colour with beige fluffy head, inconsistent, but with a nice whipped look. Lacing is pleasant, if not immensely sticky. Fair amount of carbonation. Pretty nice, actually.

Certainly smelled nice when it was gushing all over my desk. Still smells nice now. Pleasant fruity characters to it, a fair tropical character with mango, apricot and a hint of pineapple, some piney notes on the hops as well, and a very slight musty character. Smells light, sweet and pleasant.

Taste is also nice, with fruity characters creating a sweet but slightly tart front palate with pear and apricot esters. Descends into a more dank, hoppy finish with an incredibly dry and musty finish, with elements of dust and musk, a nutty hint around the edge and a mild woodiness, almost like a nutshell. Nice Belgian tomatoey yeast oversees the transition to the finish, giving this an interesting acrid character overall.

Feel is smooth and fuzzy, very full with firm evidence of malt. Excellent considering the low ABV and the balanced sweetness.

This is a very well constructed ale, with an almost perfect balance between flavours. Finish is long but not overwhelming and the sourness of the yeast counteracts the sweet malt admirably. It's drinkable and inoffensive; I would love to see Murrays tackle a Belgian strong pale ale and really hammer these flavours home.
Aug 17, 2009
Photo of IHasaFlavaFlav
Reviewed by IHasaFlavaFlav from Australia

3.73/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Hazy golden brown body, white head that reduces to a solid ring, with plenty of lacing.

S - Slightly confusing aroma, bits of malt and bits of hop, everywhere.

T - This beer is hard for me to understand, I enjoy it but the flavours are a bit confusing. I get a toasty almost smoked flavour from the malt, and then some hopiness comes through.

M - Carbonation is good, mouthfeels a bit sticky afterwards.

D - I like this with a meal, not really a session beer.
Aug 16, 2009
Photo of LittleCreature
Reviewed by LittleCreature from Australia

3.72/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance - 3.5
Poured a finger of cream coloured head over a slightly hazy amber to copper body.

Smell - 4.0
A promising aroma of sweet, rich caramel malt, fruit and light spice.

Taste - 3.5
A good balance of rich, sweet malty flavours and dry hop bitterness. Flavours of caramel, grain, apricot and light spice, slightly metallic aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - 3.5
Light to moderate carbonation, feels quite light in the mouth.

Drinkability - 4.0
At just 4.5% ABV, it has appreciably less alcohol than most Belgian style beers, and as such, is more drinkable than most.

OVERALL - 3.65
I could be wrong, but I think this beer was brewed with more than a nod towards the great BPA, DeKonnink. Not quite as smooth and drinkable as DeKonnink, but a worthy adversary nonetheless. I'd buy it again at the right price.
May 28, 2009
Photo of Jeronimo
Reviewed by Jeronimo from Michigan

3.2/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Comes in a brown bottle with an attractive label (which is what led me to buy this in the first place).

On pour, a half inch head which dissipates in a minute or two. It is a pleasant hazy gold color. Light lacing.

Has a grassy aroma, faint sweetness, I expected a little more richness or spiciness for a Belgian beer.

Taste is a little sweet in the front, followed by non-descript bitterness at the end. Somewhere in the middle is a very small hint of the belgian taste I am after, but only if I'm looking for it. The taste is dominated by the one note bittering at the end.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin, carbonation is fine.

I can see how this could be a pale ale, but I think it needs a bit more sweetness to be classified as Belgian in my book.
Apr 28, 2009
Photo of juju7
Reviewed by juju7 from Australia

3.33/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A nice coppery authentic Belgian pale ale look. Unfortunately it's all downhill from there. Some nice caramel malt, candied orange, hoppiness and that familiar sticky Belgian yeast strain but gets let down by an overly light body lacking in weight. Slightly sweet and and not unpleasant but feels like it coulda been shoulda been better.
Apr 19, 2009
Photo of koolk
Reviewed by koolk from Australia

3.06/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Vibrant orange in colour, it pours a small white head that has some good retention.

Aroma is overtly raw hop - grassy, herbal and tea leafy. Appears to be some yeast derived aromas in there as well, but they are swapped by the sticky hops.

Palate is thin, watery, drops away quickly and has the same overtly hoppy flavours found on the nose - ice tea & weed - feels like sucking on a hop pellet. Some more fruit on the palate, but lacking any strong maltiness.

Lacking body and texture. Is fairly just overly hopped, I sure don't see how this is a BPA.

Disappointing.
Aug 19, 2008
Photo of aussielars
Reviewed by aussielars from Australia

3.68/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Poured with a decent slowly disappearing head. Very lively effervescence with
a fresh fruity aroma tinged with malt and herb.

Very refreshing with a nice hop balance. Nice bitter after-taste with a hint of citrus. Could there be a bit of Simcoe or Amarillo hop in this beer? Quite low on carbonation.

Overall, a very refreshing beer that's very drinkable.
Feb 10, 2008
Photo of Kulrak
Reviewed by Kulrak from Australia

3.61/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a darkish orange color with a centimeter of creamy white head that is sticking to the glass, lacing it, and not going away anytime soon. Doesn't really look like a blonde to me, too dark. Smells like a blonde, though. Light malt scent but mostly clean smelling. The taste is sweet and malty, with a slight hoppy bitterness there, just enough to finish somewhat dry. There's also some yeast flavor there, sort of like a belgian blonde. Not surprising, since it says it's their take on belgian blondes on the label. The mouthfeel is tingly on the tongue, and fairly heavy, but not really creamy. Overall, it's a nice beer, but maybe I got my hopes up when it said 'belgian' on the back label.
Nov 27, 2007
Photo of lacqueredmouse
Reviewed by lacqueredmouse from Australia

3.32/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Amber gold body capped with a white filmy head. The head disippates very quickly, leaving a collar. Decent lacing.

Belgian yeast is definitely prominent on the nose, hints of caramel, candi sugar, and a few fruity esters in there too. Nice. Light but true to style.

Taste is a let down, though, quite flat, with not much richness or character. There's hints of sweet caramel malt, and a grainy, earthy character there, but it's pretty weak and definitely disappointing after what the nose suggested. Mouthfeel is also very flat, almost to the point that you wonder whether it's carbonated.

It's not bad overall, and makes a decent drinking beer. Nice to see an Aussie brewery trying something like this.
Aug 27, 2007
Photo of belgbeerdrinker
Reviewed by belgbeerdrinker from Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
a: clear golden color with good carbonation, medium head that becomes a thin ring around the edges, no real lacing
s: belgian-like yeast with spicy aromas
t: spicy, bitter hoppy taste throughout, with yeast undertones, with a lingering finishing
m: crisp with plenty of carbonation, light to medium body, a little too bitter
d: not a bad belgian blonde, easy to drink, just wouldn't go out of my way to look for another
Jun 15, 2007
Photo of brendan13
Reviewed by brendan13 from Australia

3.8/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Decent sized head that quickly falls to a thin whisper. Nice golden colour.
Aroma of candy and light spices...possilbly saaz hops.
The pale malts come through with the taste, as well as a bit of sweetness and spice.
Definately a drinkable beer that seems pretty true to style.
I guess they are testing the waters buy having this and their pale ale as the only beers available in bottles (apart from their barley wine).
I can't wait to get my hands on some grand cru & DIPA.
Apr 28, 2007
Photo of revdrjbob
Reviewed by revdrjbob from Australia

3.05/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Nice to see an Aussie brewer stepping out on a limb. Poured this Blgian into a goblet glass, pale gold in colour with a foamy white head. Slightly cloudy from the bottle conditioning(!), and there's a thin layer of yeast left in the bottle. Nice. Working well in the glass, plenty of lace left as I consume.

Aroma: Malt, banana, yeast, hints of vanilla, and little hop aroma - possibly Saaz? Layers of apricot and a slight spicey note.

Taste: Sweet and dry. That's what I get first, follwed by a crisp maltyness, and a slight even bitterness. Slightly spicey, not really all that stand-out-ish, maybe it's too cold, dunno. Hints of banana from the yeast again, slightly wheaty. Spritzy and well carbonated, finishes dry with a pleasant bitterness.

Not too bad.
Feb 20, 2007
Photo of vancurly
Reviewed by vancurly from Australia

3.85/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Amber, some bubbling, white rocky head. Almost a dead ringer for the Nirvana Pale.

Initially a fruity, pear-like aroma. A fleshy/stinky/gamey note, but there is some spicy profile and subtle notes of specialty malts...

Complex flavours.... biscuits, musk candy, definitely some yeasty esters that remind me of Belgians, but not as sweet or cloying as a lot of Belgians. Late green apple skin aftertaste.

It's a good BPA for a warm climate.

Finishes crisply, with lingering hops, and a medium bitterness.
Feb 16, 2007
Murray's Sassy Blonde from Murray's Craft Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 19 ratings