Samuel Adams Bonfire Blonde
Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)
- From:
- Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Smoked Beer
Ranked #58 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 78
Ranked #37,649 - Avg:
- 3.41 | pDev: 20.23%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 83
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 24, 2025
- Added:
- Apr 20, 2016
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 59
SCORE
78
Okay
78
Okay
If you love smoky beers, Bonfire Blonde is as good as it gets, with a rich vein of smoke running from the first sip to the last. This pale gold, medium bodied ale is balanced by Samuel Adams ale yeast and our favorite Mittelfrueh hop for a tart taste and finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by feuematt:
Reviewed by feuematt from Pennsylvania
2.75/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pale gold colored beer with a slowly fading head. Taste is smoke and that's pretty much it. I don't absolutely hate this but I don't think this style is for me.
Dec 21, 2017More User Ratings:
Reviewed by brewme from Massachusetts
3.25/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Reviewing this beer from memory. My thirty fifth brew reviewed from these guys. Like most beers from Boston Beer Company, also known as Sam Adams, this is just ok.
Sep 24, 2025Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.71/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Clear, golden color. Medium-sized, white head. Aroma of grain and smoke. Grainy, sweet taste with notes of smoked ham. Smokiness is rather subtle. Light bitterness in finish. Very drinkable.
May 29, 2025Reviewed by fedt from Arizona
3.14/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.14/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Bonfire Blonde, 12oz, 5.5%
Tasted 2016, poured from 12oz bottle to glass
L: Light gold color, light head, little lacing
S: Light bread and grass, with a light smoke aroma
T: Caramel, toasted bread, thick malts. Big smoke flavor. Creamy sweet taste underneath. Does it work? Maybe, but the body is so light the smoke is sticking out in a disconcerting way. Finish is smokey with dry bread.
F: Medium body with OK carbonation
O: Interesting to try
Jan 05, 2020Tasted 2016, poured from 12oz bottle to glass
L: Light gold color, light head, little lacing
S: Light bread and grass, with a light smoke aroma
T: Caramel, toasted bread, thick malts. Big smoke flavor. Creamy sweet taste underneath. Does it work? Maybe, but the body is so light the smoke is sticking out in a disconcerting way. Finish is smokey with dry bread.
F: Medium body with OK carbonation
O: Interesting to try
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin
3.54/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours orange yellow with a small white head. Smells of sweet grain, and very slight vanilla. Tastes of smokey grain, slight banana. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, but slightly overcarbonated. Overall, an above average beer.
Apr 25, 2018
Rated by TheBigBoy from Pennsylvania
2.63/5 rDev -22.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.63/5 rDev -22.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
To be upfront, not a smoked beer fan at all...if u r, u may like.
Jun 18, 2017
Rated by Hackattack from Indiana
3/5 rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The only one of SA that I don't care for too much....but still not too bad.
May 16, 2017
Reviewed by Samlover55 from New York
3.83/5 rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.83/5 rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12oz bottle into PP glass
BB feb/2017
L- clear gold, white head that slowly recedes,
S- overpowering smell of BBQ smoke, sweet corn-like malt as it warms
T- slightly sweet creamy malt, plenty of fruitiness, with the finish going down in a haze of smoke
F- medium bodied, highly carbonated
Overall this is a surprisingly balanced brew, with the malt, smokiness, and the fruity ale yeast all interplaying beautifully
Mar 23, 2017BB feb/2017
L- clear gold, white head that slowly recedes,
S- overpowering smell of BBQ smoke, sweet corn-like malt as it warms
T- slightly sweet creamy malt, plenty of fruitiness, with the finish going down in a haze of smoke
F- medium bodied, highly carbonated
Overall this is a surprisingly balanced brew, with the malt, smokiness, and the fruity ale yeast all interplaying beautifully
Reviewed by RJLarse from Washington
2.98/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.98/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Part of a winter sampler 12-pack. Poured in to a pint glass.
Pours a shiny gold color, clear with a thin white head.
Smell is smoky, like a smoked salmon.
Taste is also smokey, a liquid smoke flavor, with a little fruity hop bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel is medium, a little heavy for a blonde ale IMO, with a dry smokey finish.
Overall, not a beer I would have again.
Mar 19, 2017Pours a shiny gold color, clear with a thin white head.
Smell is smoky, like a smoked salmon.
Taste is also smokey, a liquid smoke flavor, with a little fruity hop bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel is medium, a little heavy for a blonde ale IMO, with a dry smokey finish.
Overall, not a beer I would have again.
Reviewed by basaywhat from Illinois
2.46/5 rDev -27.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.46/5 rDev -27.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
12 oz bottle. Pours a clear gold color with minimal, short-lived head and lacing. Very subtle smoky aroma. Taste of smokey lemons, finish of smoked hops. Not my thing.
Feb 20, 2017
Reviewed by KTCamm from New Jersey
3.55/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.55/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
1/14/17...pours clear medium dark gold with foamy white lid. Citrussy nose, but with a woodsy edge. Very faint. Lighter crisp blonde ale malt with a smoky streak running through. Think rauch-lite. Creamy mouthfeel. Interesting blend.
Feb 05, 2017
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