Reef Break Hemp Blonde Ale
Bowen Island Brewing Co. Ltd.

Reef Break Hemp Blonde AleReef Break Hemp Blonde Ale
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From:
Bowen Island Brewing Co. Ltd.
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.52 | pDev: 9.09%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
29
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 09, 2017
Added:
Jun 05, 2011
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  5
We use a base blonde ale recipe that’s light and refreshing. Then, we add a gentle amount of hemp and finish off with a distinct Pacific Northwest hop. Enjoy this well-rounded, flavourful brew alone or with your buds!
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Ratings by Noxious26:
Photo of Noxious26
Reviewed by Noxious26 from Canada (SK)

3.18/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
355ml can poured in a pilsener glass. Thanks to Scott for the beer!

Pours out golden hued and slightly hazy with a thin off-white cap. Recedes to a thin little island.

Aroma is largely sweetness with hints of hops in the background.

Cloying sweetness with some grainyness throughout. A few hints of hops, but largely a plain sweet ale

Light bodied with moderate carbonation.

This is ok, but nothing to write home about. A decent representation of the style.
Dec 24, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.47 by mouver from Canada (BC)

Apr 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by imfinished from Canada (BC)

Dec 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.56 by HarveyBerger from Canada (AB)

Dec 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.27 by Svingjo from Canada (BC)

Nov 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.4 by LDuke from Canada (AB)

Nov 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by AdamFoyle

Oct 12, 2015
Photo of headlessparrot
Reviewed by headlessparrot from Canada (ON)

3.24/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Like a few of Bowen's other entries, this one pours a confusing colour given its style: a dark copper, almost ruby colour, mostly transparent, with two fingers of loose head that recede quickly to nothing. Blonde Ale, eh? Not so much.

Smell is caramel, toasted malt. A touch herbal, yeasty, biscuity. My problem with this one is that I'm not sure I've ever tried hemp on its own, and am not certain what scent or taste it is I'm looking for here to confirm its presence. There is a kind of teabag, musty sort of note? Something leafy, almost weedy. Light bitter greens?

Taste is nutty, caramel, but with a green, leafy (not grassy, but leafy?) kick that I--by default--attribute to the hemp. Not an intense flavour, but not an unpleasant one. Again, a bit of biscuit, cracker. Definitely malt forward--I've never met a Bowen Island that was proud of its hop profile--but the hemp adds *something* here, even if I can't articulate what. Grainy, slightly sweet. Slight citrus, somewhere? Body is light but not too watery, and the carbonation is moderate-high but not obtrusive. The whole affair recalls a lot of Big Rock beers--decent but forgettable, and reminding you of the yeast at all times.

I don't hate this. My guess is that that the hemp covers for the absence of any serious hop presence, which allows this brew to retain its discount-brand status (hops being expensive and all). But as fair as discount-brand beers go, this is one of the better ones I've encountered--it might not be good, but it's better than mediocre, and at the very least it's *interesting*.
Aug 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.8 by Olek4374 from Canada (AB)

Aug 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.72 by Sathanas from Canada (AB)

Jul 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.33 by Corson from Canada (AB)

Jun 23, 2015
Photo of Bunman3
Reviewed by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)

3.49/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Another solid choice for times when funds are tight. Bowen Island has a nice variety of discount beers and this is a unique brew. The hemp adds a nice earthy quality to the flavour profile. I'm not a huge fan of blonde ales, but the darkness and depth of Reef Break helps make it pretty unique.
Apr 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by BMBCLT from South Carolina

Mar 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.52 by FadetoBock from Canada (AB)

Feb 01, 2015
Photo of Jiffster
Rated by Jiffster from Canada (AB)

4.6/5  rDev +30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Of all the beers in the sampler.. This was definitely my favourite.
Jan 12, 2015
Photo of BcCraft710
Reviewed by BcCraft710 from Canada (BC)

4.02/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
TBH I have bought about 10 X 6 packs of these, i used to pour them into a tulip/pils... however i have recently been using them for road hockey beers and they taste even better out of the can! more concentrated hemp flavour? im not sure, but try it out!
Dec 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Poupae from Thailand

May 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by BigBry from Canada (AB)

May 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Trancesexual from Canada (AB)

Mar 13, 2014
Reef Break Hemp Blonde Ale from Bowen Island Brewing Co. Ltd.
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 29 ratings