Jane Blonde
Block Three Brewing Co.

 

500 mL bottle picked up at the brewery and served well-chilled.

Pours a hazy golden-blonde colour, with nearly one inch of frothy, white-coloured head seated atop. It fades away, slowly but surely, over the next five minutes or so, leaving behind a foamy collar and bubbly film; a nice, messy ring of lace is also deposited. The aroma is fresh and zesty, with notes of lemon citrus, wet grass and tropical fruit (either pineapple or mango, I can't decide which). Some grainy, bready malts are also detectable, but this is one blonde that seems to eschew the malts in favour of the hops - not surprising for a dry-hopped ale.

This is a nice, refreshing little blonde ale, with a good hop kick. The malt bill is light yet flavourful, with toasted grains and bready, biscuity flavours providing an understated backdrop. Lemony citrus pith and orange are next up, with suggestions of pineapple leading into a lingering grassy bitterness; it becomes increasingly pithy and resiny as you approach and enter the aftertaste. This dry-hopped brew drinks more like an APA than most traditional blondes, but I'm not exactly complaining, here. Light-bodied, with assertive carbonation levels that make for a crisp, lively mouthfeel. Quite refreshing, and highly sessionable.

Final Grade: 3.88, a B+. Block Three's Jane Blonde Ale has all the requisite traits I expect of a quality summer refresher - it's light-drinking and thirst-quenching, with the dry hopping giving it a firm, pithy bitter kick that most hopheads should find highly agreeable. Fans of beers such as Saint of Circumstance will definitely want to give this one a look, but this is the sort of no-nonsense, easy drinker that can probably be enjoyed by beer geeks of any stripe.