Blonde Ale
Great Crescent Brewery

Blonde AleBlonde Ale
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From:
Great Crescent Brewery
 
Indiana, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.36 | pDev: 19.64%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
19
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 06, 2021
Added:
Nov 30, 2008
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
Great Crescent Blonde Ale is a German Kolsch Style beer fermented with British Ale yeast to create a true hybrid type beer that is clear, slightly malty with medium hop aroma and relatively low bitterness. German Perle hops are used for bittering and German Hersbrucker hops are used for flavor and aroma.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Goosehunter75:
Photo of Goosehunter75
Rated by Goosehunter75 from Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -3.3%

Jul 31, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Manta200
Reviewed by Manta200 from Kentucky

4.02/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the brewery via growler in my TeKu glass.
Crystal clear deep gold color with a nice fluffy white head.
Bready malt aroma
Nice clean mildly hoppy character with a slight bitter finish.
Light body with good carbonation.
Mar 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3.52 by target88 from Kentucky

Jun 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by ToddGingerich from Indiana

Nov 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by sluggo013 from Washington

Aug 27, 2014
Photo of roger617
Reviewed by roger617 from Indiana

3.88/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Can, drank straight up from the can.

A: Black and blue with writing all over it.
S: Undeniably a Kölsch in the aroma. Strong pils malt with a mild hop presence.
T: The taste up front hits more like a pale, with a surprising hop presence. The flavor balances well and is very refreshing. I detect some honey in there as well.
M: Crisp, slightly dry finish.
O: A very good offering in a style that isn't typically highly acclaimed. A Kölsch is a huge hit or miss for me, and this one is for sure a hit.
Dec 22, 2013
Photo of karengarys
Reviewed by karengarys from Indiana

3.76/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I go back and forth, one day I love it, one day I don't care for it. Today I'm loving it, so I'll put those thoughts down now. I'm also not well versed in the blondes, so I'll approach it like just a beer.

Slow pours from the 34 degree can foamy and hazy with about a 3/4 inch pop-like head. It tames down to a creamy coating on top of the now orangish-amper not quite but almost clear bubbly drink.

Smell is sweet with a strong citrus. I can't label the citrus, but it is fairly prominent. There is also maybe some grass and a mustiness also?

Taste is crisp lemony and bitter - I can't place my finger on the bitter, maybe lemon/lime peels? It is quite refreshing, and I'm almost done with this glass!

Mouthfeel was pretty decent, creamy, crisp, the fizz held up, but I'm not giving it much time here to flatten out.

Finish is clean and citrusey.

Overall - today - I am really digging this drink! I'm done now, and as I think back - yes, I recommend at least giving it a try if you see it. Treat it like a hot day time for a refreshment beverage.
Jul 08, 2013
 
Rated: 2.25 by CopperMtnPlowboy from Ohio

Jun 11, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by Nachos4two from Illinois

Jun 05, 2013
Photo of boilermakerbrew
Reviewed by boilermakerbrew from Indiana

3.56/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Found this one in the $1 bin at a new liquor store. I figure for a pint of beer from a brewery near my hometown...why not? (16oz can)

Crack it open; assaulted by foam, and lots of it. After it calms and you can pour it, the beer is a brilliant orange hue. Body is moderately cloudy. Still a giant head that retains for days and laces well. Scent is kind of musty with some spices and grains being prominent. Light scent, with some orange zest on the end.

The taste and feel of this one reminds me of a lighter wheat ale. It follows the scent with light grains and medium spiciness throughout the drink. A somewhat creamy and light flavor I can't quite put a name with. Feel is very highly carbonated and light. Easy to drink and fairly refreshing. This screams summer beer in both taste and feel.

Overall, not a bad beer. $1 for a pint is pretty good, so I might go grab a few more. Not sure what was up with the exploding head, but it didn't seem to have any effect on the beer.
Apr 05, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by whendeathsleeps from Indiana

Jan 12, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by SeriousALEment from Ohio

Jun 12, 2012
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

2.93/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
16 ounce can. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a hazy dark gold color with a small off-white head that went away pretty quickly. Not much lacing. The aroma is weak, the brew smells like bready and sweet malt, and a bit of honey. Taste is similar to the aroma, but I can also taste some herbal hops. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit coating and has moderate carbonation. For the most part it's an average overall brew. Worth a try if you can get a single can like I did, but I wouldn't buy a 4 pack of this.
May 27, 2012
Photo of rodney4130
Reviewed by rodney4130 from Kentucky

2.65/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This just isn't a very good beer. It pours with about an 1/8th inch of head. Color looks more like an amber than a blonde, but still doesn't look bad. Just not like it's supposed to. The color is far less concerning than the complete absence of head. Not much in the way of smell. Maybe some faint grains and a touch of biscuit?

Taste is about the same, although a little off. I might like this better if it was properly carbed. It's easy to drink, but never really enjoyable. I don't expect great things from American Blonde ales, but even this one fails to deliver. My first from Great Crescent, and while I have high hopes for some of their other styles, I won't be buying this one again.
Mar 19, 2012
Photo of Pete0714
Reviewed by Pete0714 from Indiana

4/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A; Poured from a pint can into a pint glass, with a 1.5 in head, gold straw color, slightly hazy.

S: very slight, not much to tell, maybe some breadiness

T: hints of hoppiness, but not too pronounced on any notes.

M: Seems very light, foamy.

O: Okay overall, but not one of my favorites from this brewery, though it seems this might be a favorite of those who are more used to the bigger national brewery offerings, and are lokking for a stepping stone into something bolder. Still not a bad one if you are looking for a smooth pint.
Aug 02, 2011
Photo of jhp40219
Reviewed by jhp40219 from Kentucky

3.23/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked up a single can at Keg Liquors in Jeffersonville, IN. and poured into a regular pint glass.

A - Clear, yellow, thin. Looks like a Budweiser sans carbonation when pouring out of the can. Thin white head that dissipated immediately. When held up to the light, appears a light orange-ish yellow color.

S - What smell? Seriously, I am only getting a very faint biscuity smell. My nose actually took an accidental dip in this because I had it buried in the glass trying to get a smell.

T - Slight malty taste, a bit of cereal, a bit of honey, a little bitter and a little sweet at the same time. Not much of anything strong. Absolutely no lacing on the glass.

M - Low carbonation, kind of thin. Kind of like a lager but without the carbonation.

O - Pretty low showing for a blonde ale. I really expected stronger fruit smell and taste.

I visited the brewery a few weeks ago, although they had just run out of this. Great little place with some amazing other beers! This one turns out to be a bit of a disappointment.
Jul 10, 2011
Photo of ltjska04
Reviewed by ltjska04 from Kentucky

3.18/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Tried some of this from a growler my friend purchased at the brewery.

A: Pours a hazy gold with white head that quickly dissipates to a ring around the glass.

S: I get some malt and wheat, but nothing strong

T: Similar to the smell with something I can't quite pin down. It's almost an earthy taste that's not bad but not something I'd like a lot of.

M: Smooth mouthfeel and pleasant

D: This is an easy-drinking beer but I wouldn't be interested in drinking more than one.
Jan 02, 2010
Photo of sativen
Reviewed by sativen from Indiana

4.8/5  rDev +42.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I tried all of the samples that Great Crescent had at the time (stout, coconut porter, IPA, cherry ale, blonde, wit, mild), but bought a growler of this to go, and normally I'm an IPA or stout guy.

I very much liked this blonde ale. It was easy drinking, malty, with a bit of breadiness and underlying sweetness. It's the kind of beer I could have a few pints of.
Jul 12, 2009
Photo of Infamous7100
Reviewed by Infamous7100 from Ohio

3.81/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Lucky enough to pick up a fresh batch of this brew from this relatively new brewery just outside of Cincinnati.

Poured a stawlike, golden color. Unfiltered. Little to no head in my 10oz British pint glass. Looks tasty.
The scent was relatively weak as I was expecting some more fruit overtones, this being an ale and all. There was a bit of citrus, but very light. Almost smelled like a lager.

Tasted very fresh, crisp and clean. Again very lager like. There was a slight bitterness that went away with time. Very little hang. The fruit really didn't come out here either.

Mouthfeel was very nice, as I said, went down easy, a little bit of carbonation.

Drinkability is off the charts. Not sure if it's just me, but this was very lager like but tasted far better than your average lager. Could make a session out of this.
Mar 26, 2009
Blonde Ale from Great Crescent Brewery
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 19 ratings