Wild Heart
Starr Hill Brewery

From the neck of the bottle, in blue lettering: "PKG ON 06/03/20B"

Appearance: The body of the beer is hazy and gold. There are very tiny suspended solids. The head is short, white, and frothy. It has good retention and leaves some lacing.

Aroma: There is a light aroma of mango and a bit of garlic. It has some hop bine oil scent as well.

Taste: Up front there is some mango, then towards the middle it takes on a slightly more herbal character with some garlic and thyme.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and chewy, with a smooth but thick finish. No bitterness.

Overall: It's a bit of an odd beer. The label calls this a "HOPPY BLONDE ALE" but it really doesn't have any character from the Blonde Ale. As a hoppy beer it has a decent aroma and it also had decent flavor. The texture of the beer is a bit off-putting because it feels thicker than it probably needs to be, and that makes it feel heavier. It's drinkable but it isn't something I'm likely to pick up again. I don't recommend it as a whole but, again, it is an alright beer if you have nothing else available.

 

From the bottle, it pours a lightly hazy golden amber color with a large white head. In the nose, it is a scent of citrus. In the mouth, it is hoppy and a touch malty.

 

Pour has a nice blonde-pale orange/peach color to it with a nice white head that lingers around for a surprisingly long time. There is just a touch of haze when looking through the glass. The scent has a delightful crisp citric allure with just a bit of hoppiness. Taste is perfect for these hot Virginia summers: crisp, inoffensive and enjoyable hops, with mild citric and pine tones. Just a bit of hoppiness lingers on tongue after a smooth drink. Definitely one to grab for the summer.

 

 

 

 

I tried this at the Roanoke, VA location. It poured a slightly hazy golden with thin white head that did not leave much lace. The scent had hints of tropical fruit peel. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with malt base and citrus hop presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it was a decent beer.