Double D Blonde Ale
Old Schoolhouse Brewery

 

 

 

 

This is a super-light beer in both color and ABV, but it does manage some complexity. But don't go into it expecting too much (The Double-D ale is, perhaps, less bodacious than the more familiar kind of Double-D).

Pours very light, slightly hazy yellow with a fizzy, fluffy head. The aroma is tangy, honey-like, with a slight overtone of varnish. The flavor follows along, with a slight, honey-ish flavor with a chemically bitter edge and a blowzy butterscotch flavor that develops slowly. The finish is where the low power of the beer really comes out - it is more sour than bitter, with a buttered popcorn kind of character, and the mouthfeel is watery and thin.

This is a good session beer, possibly perfect for a hot day, but not much deeper than that.

There's two types of blondes: the clean drinkable kind, and the overblown convoluted kind. Double D falls soundly into the former category with dry, crisp elements (from wheat?) and a strong yeast-tang finish that's still clean and appealing. DD's exuberant carbonation forms a tall white head of some duration and widespread lace that holds. There's no smell to speak of. But the sharp bittering draws the beer to a wholesome close. Available in 22-oz. bottles.

Beer quality aside, am I the only one who gets tired of blonde ales being named for lofty bra cup sizes and similar oversexed gags?