Imperial Blonde
Manchester Brewing, LLC

Imperial BlondeImperial Blonde
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Manchester Brewing, LLC
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
6%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.56 | pDev: 14.33%
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
22
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 20, 2012
Added:
Dec 30, 2008
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.5 by mattparsons from New Hampshire

Oct 20, 2012
Photo of GbVDave
Reviewed by GbVDave from Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 22oz bomber into two St. Bernardus goblets. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist! Extra special thanks to Vanillamike for this from our recent trade!

A: Pours a hazy, dishwater blond color. Small white head left almost no lace.

S: Toasty malt with an almost "woodsy" aroma.

T: See above.

M: Dry and sticky. One might say "prickly".

D: Fair. Not bad, but not great either. Glad we were able to try it!
Jan 16, 2010
Photo of Duhast500
Reviewed by Duhast500 from Rhode Island

2.73/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

The color is light yellow/gold with some light carbonation. Some foamy white head a some slight lacing but not much.

The smell is slightyl hoppy a little skunky with a slight lemon and grapfruit flavor.

The taste is a grainy honey flavor. Some slight lemon and grapefruit flavor in is as well with aslight boozy taste as well. Somewhat displeasing.

The feel of this beer is a decent lightness woth some boppy bitterness and is sweet with a bit of a kick.
Oct 06, 2009
Photo of scarletfire79
Reviewed by scarletfire79 from New Hampshire

3.74/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
just moved in to town so i thought i'd give a local brew a try. pours a hazy yellow with a nice head that doesn't last long. the nose is definitly floral meets malt, i think the smell might be one of the best things about this beer sadly. the taste is almost balanced, it has a slight sour kind of thing going on in the finish but maybe it's just me. definitly not a bad beer, very drinkable, very nice. but i'm not quite sure it needs the imperial title and i think it just needs a little tweeking to make the flavors more balanced and bold. not a bad beer manchester brewing.
Aug 20, 2009
Photo of puboflyons
Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire

3.77/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
From the 1 pint 6 fl. oz. bottle with no lot code or date noted. Sampled on June 19, 2009. It gurgles and bubbles into the glass with a cloudy amber color and about a finger of off-white, foamy head and a significant dose of lacing as the glass swirls. The aroma is lightly hopped, wheaty, and perfumey. The mouthfeel has a kind creamy texture but overall I would describe it as medium. Whoa! The taste is bitter, akin to an ESB, with a drier, hoppy finish. I also get a kind of sinus-cleaning sensation as if the previously unnoticed alcohol funnels into my nostrils and opens the passageways like a blue jar of Noxema. It does not taste like that but it has that kind of affect on me. Not a bad brew overall.
Jun 20, 2009
Photo of IBUnit63
Reviewed by IBUnit63 from Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Purchased at Jasper's in Nashua a few weeks ago. Into a Smutty pint glass it goes...

Pours a wheaty, light honeyish blonde color with ample carbonation. A fair amount of viscosity is noted after a vigorous pour yields only about 1/2 finger of bubbly head. It goes quickly and yields some gelationous yeasty wisps. Definite viscosity going down here. Carbonation is plentiful and powers its way up this thick pint.

I'm getting a lot of hop silage on here. Maybe a little raw grain but the silage could be a little Saaz or maybe a blast of Hallertau. Slight skunk here and maybe a touch of honey. Huh.

Well, this is interesting. Slight honey-thick booze. A bit of the skunk and said silage. Underpinning this, however is a pleasant raw stewy grain texture. Unpleasantness fortunately dissipates quickly. The booze and honey sweetness mask a few imperfections here, but it's still enjoyable for a style I really don't frequent too much.

Palate feel has a decent amount of that Saaz-ish hoppiness and stewiness. Copious sweetness and a kick of booze add to the very light malty heft. Finish is ummm...burp-inducing. Not so much from carbonation but from the nice kick of hops and extra amount of booze and sweetness.

This one'll play. I enjoy seeing new local outfits put out a solid product. Maybe not spectacular and not something I'll seek out constantly, but when I'm getting my sled maintained up in Nashua every couple of months I'll stop into Jasper's, pick up some brewing stuff and also a bomber from these dudes. A little clean-up to be done but this is a hefty late spring/early summer offering.
May 13, 2009
Photo of BeerNinja007
Reviewed by BeerNinja007 from New Hampshire

4.2/5  rDev +18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Obtained 22oz bomber for $3.79 at the Meat House in Pembroke, NH. Poured into a chilled pint glass.

A: Hazy golden color, thin off-white head.

S: Grassy hops, light malts, honey. Only mildly fragrant, but what's there is pleasant.

T: Sweet honey up front lingers throughout. Good malt body, lemony citrus in the finish. Well-rounded and full, nicely balanced. Lots of honey.

M: Full and thick, feels like a moderately high OD. I wonder what the %ABV is, would guess 5-6%. Somewhat creamy but has a dry finish.

D: Good! I wish I had more.

Overall this is a great bargain, I like it a lot. Well done.
May 11, 2009
Photo of lordofthewiens
Reviewed by lordofthewiens from New Mexico

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I'm not sure what is meant by Imperial Blonde. In a pint glass, the beer was a gold color with a medium-sized white head. It had a citrus aroma, with some sweet grain. More malt in the taste, as well as a spicy orange taste. The spice became sharper, and verged on being unpleasant. I don't think I'll try this again.
Apr 08, 2009
Photo of drjones633
Reviewed by drjones633 from New Hampshire

4.67/5  rDev +31.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5
very good beer. Hoppy and fresh taste. Taste like a good home brew, if you know what that means.
funny enough it smells like pot and citrus.
descent head and some lacing.
very drinkable.
Does not state APV, but it feels like the high 5's or maybe 6's.

not a great review, but then who really reads this stuff?
Mar 12, 2009
Photo of HopTroll
Reviewed by HopTroll from New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle

A- Light golden color with a slight haze and a thin white head.

S- Fruity and sweet with slight hop aroma.

T- Light and sweet with wheat up front and a mild hop finish. Has a crisp finish and I thought it was a good balance of flavors.

M- Body is light, with citrus tangy feel. Slightly over carbonated at first, leaving a coarse finish. Smoothed out as it warmed up.

D- Refreshing brew that would be a good in the summer.

Not sure this should be labeled an imperial but good nonetheless.
Mar 09, 2009
Photo of NEhophead
Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

3.27/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
22 fl oz brown bottle; served in a nonic.

Moderately hazy, dirty straw in color. Inch-high, dense white foam with pretty good retention. Condensed, webbed lacing with above average strength.

Sweet, toasted malts with a thin layer of buttery diacetyl. A bit of clean, floral hops with just a hint of lemon zest. Clean and pleasant, albeit tame and reserved.

Bready, toasted malt with a wave of stale wheat and other adjunctory flavors. Pretty bland with a touch of must. The diacetyl that is prevalent in aroma returns in an understated way around mid-sip. Burnt malts with bland wheat follow a unpleasantly, brief bitterness.

Light in body; slightly over-carbonated even for a Blonde Ale. Starchy and assertively active on the palate.

The name of this offering is a little confusing as I can't figure out how this could be interpreted as 'Imperial' in any sense of the term. The flavors are unimpressive and the texture is borderline annoying. Not quite worth a try, although it is nice to see another brewery in the granite state.
Feb 19, 2009
Photo of Pilch217
Reviewed by Pilch217 from Massachusetts

2.15/5  rDev -39.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
This beer had an unassuming appearance. Served by draft on brewery premises. Tasted premature and bland, outdone by any other average micro brew on the market. Constructive advice to brewer - find a style that better represents your skills and something the marketplace will embrace, this is not it. Additionally, all three of your beers are extremely bland. Yes, local is great. But with so many regional NE alternatives, you will not be able to thrive without really improving taste/character of your beers. Is this enterprise a hobby or something you really want to succeed? The payoff could be nice, Concord could really use a solid brewpub and Main Street has some vacant retail space that could offer potential.
Feb 16, 2009
Photo of cookester
Reviewed by cookester from Massachusetts

3.56/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into my Sam Adams pint. Has a medium gold color. Not too much of a head, but not over carbonated. This one is a bit more hoppy than its sister brew Koncord Kombat. Again another easy drinking beer. This is a nice back yard cookout beer. I'll definately pick up some more once the weather gets hot.
Feb 11, 2009
Photo of pabstsmear
Reviewed by pabstsmear from New Hampshire

3.86/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Overall I did not detect any excectional smells and initially found it to be quite bland. However, I decided to give it a chance and found it to be quite drinkable. Although it's not my favorite style it is a better than average brew. I had just consumed a fine Belgium brew prior to this, so my palate had to adjust to this style. I could see this as a fine summer brew, but overall not something I would go out of the way to purchase.
Feb 01, 2009
Photo of JayNH
Reviewed by JayNH from New Hampshire

3.53/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A- Pours a hazy golden color with a faint head.

S- sweet, like strawberry bubble gum. A little dry and yeasty.

T- slightly sweet and fruity,dry and yeasty. Has a very earthy hoppiness.

M- smooth, light bodied. Leaves a very yeasty gritty taste on the palate.

D- OK, overall a fairly bland brew.
Jan 25, 2009
Photo of MrHurmateeowish
Reviewed by MrHurmateeowish from Maine

4.3/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
22oz bomber purchased at Barb's Beer Emporium in Concord. Pours a just slightly hazy light yellow body with a thin film of white-ish head. Smells bready with hints at lemon and grassy hops. Tastes sweet and bready, with lemon, pine, pith, and a slight graininess. Clean finish. Light in body with ample effervescent carbonation. While American Blonde isn't anywhere near the top of my list of favorite styles, I can honestly say that I cannot remember having tried a better example of the style - tasty, balanced, drinkable, and refreshing, with no perceivable flaws, I think I just found my new go-to summer beer.
Jan 21, 2009
Photo of barleywinebrewer
Reviewed by barleywinebrewer from New Hampshire

3.44/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
So, a new brewery in my backyard... Time to see what they're about. First brew is an Implerial blonde. I do recall someone telling me about how a style becomes imperial but I profess to forgetting the details.

A - crystal clear golden yellow color with a nice frothy white head. pourse witha heavy swirl of carbonation athat just looks great - belgian is my first thought.
S - pears, grains, honey and a hint of must
T - light fruit notes abound - pears and apricots with a touch of grain and honey.
M - medium bodied beer, nicely carbonated, with a lingering apricot note.
D - drinks quite light. refreshing and almost sessionable.

not sure the abv, but if this is imperial I'm guessing a base blonde is quite light.
Jan 19, 2009
Photo of jdhilt
Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

3.47/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a three-finger white head that fades quickly leaving traces of lace. Pale clear amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Light fruit and malty nose. Flavor is light hop and some honey, slight bitter finish. Better than a regular blonde but could have more body and complexity. $3.99 for a 22oz bottle from Concord Co-op Market Concord, NH.
Jan 18, 2009
Photo of GratefulBeerGuy
Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

2.93/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
22 oz. bomber review #701

RebelJunior wrote: " The lacing was like sashaying through a doily factory on an acid trip, and the malty and hoppy flavors titillated my senses like an inebriated gnome dancing a jig on my tongue." That might just be the funniest thing I've seen on BA! Cheers to that!

This one is a white gold, platinum blonde color with a yellow tint. slow, tiny bubbles glide up to create a rather thin, creamy white head that eventually scatters pretty thin.

The nose has green minty scented hops, light, sweet malt, bubble gum, spicey yeast, subtle citric fruits like clementines, pineapple and grapefruit. The citric fruits really takes over and dominates.

This is a light, slightly sweet crispy malt with big fruity edge, sweet wild strawberries, pineapple from a can, and black berries. There's a slightly spicey edge that provides some balance from the fruitiness. The finish is herbal and dry with a mellow feeling later on. This is called an "Imperial" but there is no heat to speak of, which leaves a big void, because it feels and tastes to watery and flat, low in complexity.

This one really didn't hold very well and really doesn't deserve the title "Imperial".
Jan 12, 2009
Photo of RebelJunior
Reviewed by RebelJunior from New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dang, I wasn't the first douche to review this. Oh well, that's gonna mean bad BA karma. I didn't see a "Best By" date on the label, so I assumed that each and every member of the brewery staff was personally trying to swindle me into drinking some old skanky rot-gut.

So, like my wife served me this in a specially formulated flint glass crafted from the finest Chinese artisans, but the bottle type eluded me because, frankly, I was drunk and didn't care anyway. The lacing was like sashaying through a doily factory on an acid trip, and the malty and hoppy flavors titillated my senses like an inebriated gnome dancing a jig on my tongue. Yeah, man, this was like a rockin' experience.
Jan 09, 2009
Imperial Blonde from Manchester Brewing, LLC
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 22 ratings