Blonde
Bières 23, Brasserie Artisanale

750ml bottle. Lots of hop imagery on the label for a simple blonde ale, non?

This beer pours a hazy, pale golden amber hue, with two fingers of tightly foamy pure white head, which leaves a few mesa-esque mounds of vertical painted lace as quite slowly seeps away.

It smells of prominent biscuity malt, a very subtle grapefruit citrus fruitiness, a thin flinty essence, and mild leafy, earthy hops. The taste is agreeably sweet malted barley, some sugary, varied citrus fruitiness, and bitter, sassy leafy, grassy hops.

The bubbles are present, accounted for, and of no further concern, the body a decent medium-light weight, and pretty smooth on all fronts. It finishes off-dry, the now bready malt providing a pleasant send-off, amongst the lingering fruit and understated hop essences.

Like this offering's Amber sibling, the Blonde gives up some quite enjoyable British pale and golden ale notes, and a sturdy heft, one which commends it to no end, for a style that usually leaves me more distracted by the notion of the next beer down the line.