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Curve Ball Blonde Ale
Pyramid Breweries, Inc.
- From:
- Pyramid Breweries, Inc.
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- Kölsch
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 75
- Avg:
- 3.25 | pDev: 14.77%
- Reviews:
- 223
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 10, 2020
- Added:
- Jul 17, 2008
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 29
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by karengarys:
Reviewed by karengarys from Indiana
3.52/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
3.52/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Disclaimer: I have not been to Germany to experience a true Kolsch. I understand that is the only way to really understand what it is about. So, from my American point of view of what American micros should be all about, proceed with discretion.
Pours like a slightly greenish miller. My slow pour leaves no foam at all after a few minutes of sitting in the glass. You could mistake it for koolaid.
Smells a little more interesting than a typical beer. Somewhat earthy and spicy. Okay, cool.
Taste is a typical miller with tons of interesting stuff added. Earthiness. Spices, like, um, well, not sure. Malty too.
Its mouthfeel is nothing special. Not bad. Definitely not flat. But not killer, either.
Finish is clean with a snap of bitter asprin.
This is easy to down. nothing too frightening that would sprain the taste buds, though. bummer. I would say this would be excellent at a summer party where not everybody was ready to experience an over the top IPA or a heavy RIS. Anybody interested in experimenting should be happy with this, anybody wanting a little more should also enjoy this.
May 31, 2008Pours like a slightly greenish miller. My slow pour leaves no foam at all after a few minutes of sitting in the glass. You could mistake it for koolaid.
Smells a little more interesting than a typical beer. Somewhat earthy and spicy. Okay, cool.
Taste is a typical miller with tons of interesting stuff added. Earthiness. Spices, like, um, well, not sure. Malty too.
Its mouthfeel is nothing special. Not bad. Definitely not flat. But not killer, either.
Finish is clean with a snap of bitter asprin.
This is easy to down. nothing too frightening that would sprain the taste buds, though. bummer. I would say this would be excellent at a summer party where not everybody was ready to experience an over the top IPA or a heavy RIS. Anybody interested in experimenting should be happy with this, anybody wanting a little more should also enjoy this.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.37/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
3.37/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
For all of the times I've had this, I only once poured into a stange, but every other time was always in a regular pint glass...wanna know something? Of course you do, this is actually not a kolsch, not a German kolsch. It's an American blonde ale with German malts in it that displays some odd "German" maybe a variant of "off" but not necessarily "true kolsch" characteristics. Yes, there's some earthy qualities but these qualities really do not portray enough of what this style is calling for. If this was labeled an "American blonde ale" on Beer Advocate, I would rate this higher but to call this a kolsch is absurd.
Aug 25, 2019Reviewed by CA_OH_WA from Washington
4.58/5 rDev +40.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.58/5 rDev +40.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
One of the smoothest ales I’ve had; albeit I recently started mum beer endeavor. Would recommend if you enjoy a very drinkable ale; no overwhelming hoppiness, smooth feel and taste, easy to drink. Simple and no nonsense ale
May 23, 2019Reviewed by Col from Washington
4.32/5 rDev +32.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev +32.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A - 12 oz bottle to ice cold shaker pint glass produced 1.5 finger head with crackly multi bubb head and tacky lacing. Translucent clarity with crisp carbonation
S -Clean lightly toasted malty barley scents along with aromatic hops
T - Delicious lightly toasted barley malt along with some refreshing wheat which probably adds to the cloudy nature of the beer giving it a slightly weizen taste and feel. Hops are subdued adding a a balancing character to the malts with some wet tasty flavor
M - Carbonation is adequate without being overkill. Wet watery taste and flavors simulate any generic light beer, but its premium light beer. Tastes good, less filling
O - Being a seasonal summer beer, Curveball fits the bill. Easy drinking, semi low alcohol, and thirst quenching character
is good for hot days where you need to stay hydrated. Makes an excellent shandy as well.
Sep 08, 2018S -Clean lightly toasted malty barley scents along with aromatic hops
T - Delicious lightly toasted barley malt along with some refreshing wheat which probably adds to the cloudy nature of the beer giving it a slightly weizen taste and feel. Hops are subdued adding a a balancing character to the malts with some wet tasty flavor
M - Carbonation is adequate without being overkill. Wet watery taste and flavors simulate any generic light beer, but its premium light beer. Tastes good, less filling
O - Being a seasonal summer beer, Curveball fits the bill. Easy drinking, semi low alcohol, and thirst quenching character
is good for hot days where you need to stay hydrated. Makes an excellent shandy as well.
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati
3.14/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.14/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
22oz bottle poured into 12oz tulip. Poured a cloudy yellow color with just about a half-inch of white head that had low retention and lacing.
The aroma was soft grains, light hops, and a wee touch of skunk.
The skunk wasn't noticeable on the tongue, but the malt and hops were still typical for the style.
The body was nicely on the light side of medium, with a semi-sweet finish.
Drinkability was fine, a pint at a cookout or something would be fine. Overall, fairly average for the style. Won't hurt to try it, but ya don't need to seek it out.
May 09, 2018The aroma was soft grains, light hops, and a wee touch of skunk.
The skunk wasn't noticeable on the tongue, but the malt and hops were still typical for the style.
The body was nicely on the light side of medium, with a semi-sweet finish.
Drinkability was fine, a pint at a cookout or something would be fine. Overall, fairly average for the style. Won't hurt to try it, but ya don't need to seek it out.
Reviewed by poisoneddwarf from Idaho
3.43/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.43/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
backlog. 12 oz bottle. Smells of caramelized grain. Appearance is a slightly hazy golden hue. Tastes of caramel, grain; highly carbonated. Not much head to speak of; lacing is halfway decent. It’s a little expired; not sure if it’s affecting the beer in any way or not. This has always been my least favorite beer from Pyramid. It’s not tasting too bad tonight, however.
Jun 11, 2017Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona
3.44/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.44/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
22 oz. bottle:
Pours golden with a thin head that slowly becomes a lasting ring. Thin lacing sticks.
The smell is of honey, bread, faint foral notes.
The taste is of bread/yeast with a honey-like sweetness. Floral dryness in the finish (with a vague hint of citrus).
It has a smooth light body.
An easy-drinking inoffensive basic blonde ale.
Jun 22, 2016Pours golden with a thin head that slowly becomes a lasting ring. Thin lacing sticks.
The smell is of honey, bread, faint foral notes.
The taste is of bread/yeast with a honey-like sweetness. Floral dryness in the finish (with a vague hint of citrus).
It has a smooth light body.
An easy-drinking inoffensive basic blonde ale.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.04/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.04/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Yellow appearance with chill haze and 1/2" white head. Aroma was lemony. Grain. Light.
Some crackers and toasted pale malts. Lots of carbonation. Comes off like Kolsch yeast, they got that right.
Its sensible and easy going, a little bit yeasty, lemony and mildly bitter.
Feb 29, 2016Some crackers and toasted pale malts. Lots of carbonation. Comes off like Kolsch yeast, they got that right.
Its sensible and easy going, a little bit yeasty, lemony and mildly bitter.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
2.28/5 rDev -29.8%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
2.28/5 rDev -29.8%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
Chalky and dry, smells like a moldy old book. Hazy golden, most kolschs I’ve tried are crystal clear. taste is like stale saltine crackers. I wish American brewers would date their bottles on the labels like the Germans. At least then you know if it’s bad. Here I’m guessing they tried to make it taste like this....
Feb 16, 2016Reviewed by q33jeff from New Jersey
1.2/5 rDev -63.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
1.2/5 rDev -63.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
**
04/22/12
BOTTLE TO PINT GLASS.
Fishy,skunky, pissy, yellow Fishy,skunky, pissy.
Not good at all. Basically, Budweiser in a cooler bottle.
One of my least favorite beers of all time.
**
Nov 27, 201504/22/12
BOTTLE TO PINT GLASS.
Fishy,skunky, pissy, yellow Fishy,skunky, pissy.
Not good at all. Basically, Budweiser in a cooler bottle.
One of my least favorite beers of all time.
**
Curve Ball Blonde Ale from Pyramid Breweries, Inc.
Beer rating:
75 out of
100 with
409 ratings
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