Synergy Blonde Ale
Olds College Teaching Brewery

1L howler from the generally inept staff (save the beer dude, he was respectable enough) at the Capilano Liquor Depot in Edmonton, the seemingly go-to place in Edmonchuk right now for this college-borne provider of Alberta suds.

This beer pours a clear, very pale golden straw colour, with two fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and rather bubbly eggshell white head, which leaves some chunky melting glacier face lace around the glass as it quickly blows off.

It smells of bready, biscuity pale malt, a bit of apple/pear fruitiness, weird, but still pleasantly fruity yeast, and leafy, floral and grassy hops. The taste is more of the same, a decent gritty and grainy malt sweetness, some further biscuity breadiness, generally agreeable yeast, a soft pome fruit thing, and solid earthy, leafy, and grassy hop bitters.

The carbonation is fairly light and playful in its gently probing frothiness, the body an adequate middleweight, and mostly smooth, nothing really getting in the way of the collegiate fun here, even allowing for a slight airy creaminess. It finishes well off-dry, the whole cast of characters thus far mentioned having the good grace to cheerfully show us out the door.

I gotta say, I'm liking this student-led brewing concern (kinda like how all those NCAA fans appreciate the product of unpaid star athletes - just sayin'), as they have thus far put out a whole lot of no-nonsense, respectable offerings, full stop. Exhibit A - American Blonde Ales vie for the dubious honour of the style most abused and unloved by brewers across this vast continent of ours, but not here, because, once again, the kids, they be all right.