Ballantine XXX Ale
Pabst Brewing Company

Ballantine XXX AleBallantine XXX Ale
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From:
Pabst Brewing Company
 
Texas, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
Ranked #378
ABV:
4.85%
Score:
72
Ranked #27,846
Avg:
3.11 | pDev: 21.86%
Reviews:
183
Ratings:
344
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 04, 2024
Added:
Jul 02, 2001
Wants:
  29
Gots:
  40
No description / notes.
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Ratings by beerluvr:
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Reviewed by beerluvr from Canada (ON)

3.57/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours with a rocky snow white head over clear pale golden liquid. Nose is perfumey, a small amount of sharp metallic hop, mixed with light maltiness. Taste is light-bodied, with some more metallic hoppiness, some mouth coating sweetness and some adjuncty flavors as well. Finishes sharp and tangy though a shadow of it's former self and the poor relative to the legendary Ballantine IPA which was phenomenal. A nice, low-priced ale...very drinkable, especially on hot days.
Jun 20, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of KP7
Reviewed by KP7 from Massachusetts

2.89/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a dull yellow. A bit of grain on the nose with not much else. Same for the taste. There's a slight bit of the expected pale malt characteristics (biscuit, white bread with honey, etc.) but the flavors are muddled and then swamped by a kind of funky bitterness on the finish. The funk is what makes me prefer a well-made macro AAL to most macro ales.
Jan 04, 2024
Photo of bobsblues2010
Rated by bobsblues2010 from New Jersey

3.77/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
Nice refreshing American lager.
Oct 26, 2023
Photo of DaveAhl
Rated by DaveAhl from New Jersey

2.85/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Totally bland. Not horrible, not great, just mediocre.
Apr 27, 2023
 
Rated: 3.25 by seakayak from Massachusetts

Mar 10, 2023
 
Rated: 3.25 by Velivolus1 from Vermont

Oct 02, 2022
Photo of NYRunner
Reviewed by NYRunner from New York

2.4/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
I always wanted to try this classic old brand, I bought a 16 ounce can at my craft store, and should have known something was different when the clerk gave it to me in a small brown paper bag.

Ok, we'll rank it on its merits: attractive darker color, filtered. Smell is disappointing, not much there, actually smells a little like the smell an inexpensive lager might have as it warms.

Not much taste, thin mouth feel, and the taste got funkier as it warmed. Overall, looks better than it tastes, I'm glad I tried it but I'll pass in the future.
Jul 05, 2022
 
Rated: 3.27 by hopley from Massachusetts

Jun 12, 2022
Photo of maddogruss
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

2.84/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured this from a bottle.
A: pours golden body with small white head with some retention and lacing,
S: smells like macro-beer; corn and biscuit notes.
T: tastes like macro-brew - corn and biscuity; some malt notes; nothing crazy
M: light bodied; pretty crisp and refreshing
D: ok feel and taste; ok drinking beer overall
May 09, 2022
Photo of tekstr1der
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Likely the first beer I had where I thought I was drinking something fancy instead of the macro adjunct stuff. Really enjoyed it at the time, and maybe a gateway beer to better things soon after as I started brewing.
Feb 19, 2022
Photo of Peach63
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York

3/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Golden yellow with a 1/2" white head, which lasts. Moderate lacing.

Aroma of grass, cracker, phenols, a bit of metal.

Taste is corn, biscuit, metallic, slight sweetness. Not much hop bitterness.

Thin body, moderate carbonation. Semisweet to dry finish.

Much better than AAL's.
Feb 14, 2022
 
Rated: 3.05 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 14, 2022
Photo of hankp59
Reviewed by hankp59 from New York

3.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Light amber color, pours with a thin head that disappears quickly. Medium mouthfeel with a sweet malty taste. There is just enough hops to give this a dry refreshing taste. The bubbles are fine giving that rich mouthfeel. This stuff is better than you might think. A good drinking American ale/lager. A refresher if you can get it.
Jan 02, 2022
Photo of LesDewitt4beer
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

3.11/5  rDev 0%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
160z can enjoy by Feb 13, 2023 into a nucleated pint glass.
L: Pours clear deep yellow w ok carbo considering the glassware used, a thin white head w no retention, light skeletal lacing.
S: Caramelized malts, light hops, a hint of fruit, cereal grains. Very simple.
T: Sweet caramel malts, very light hops, gently floral, light cereal grains, a hint of corn, fruity with over ripe citrus & light stone fruit, light citrus zest in the linger. Moderately sweet overall.
F: Good light crispness, a medium body and a cola-like dry, fast finish.
O: EZ drinking, pleasant tasting and affordable. A little bit sweet and has a dry feel & finish with a fruity halo. A great beer to have in the fridge. Perfectly simple and okay to good in its style.
Nov 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.67 by LeftHanded666 from New York

Jun 20, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by Dalkri from Massachusetts

May 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.74 by Hazey92 from New York

Dec 10, 2020
Photo of CTHomer
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut

3.58/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: crystal clear; medium gold in color; 1 finger white head that receded to a wispy cap; nice thick rings of lace;

S: light sweet malt;

T: follows the nose with a hint of spice in the background; mild bitterness on the finish;

M: light bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;

O: not as sweet as many other AALs; for that, it gets higher marks;
May 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.83 by PaulSlazinger from Pennsylvania

Apr 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.72 by nebula1999 from Connecticut

Jan 19, 2020
Ballantine XXX Ale from Pabst Brewing Company
Beer rating: 72 out of 100 with 344 ratings