John Labatt Summer Ale
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.

 

Pours a clear, golden color. 1/4 inch head of a white color. Slight retention and poor lacing. Smells of pale malt, grain, and a hint of citrus. Fits the style of an American Blonde Ale. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of grain, pale malt, hint of hops, and a hint of citrus. Overall, lacking in aroma, body, appearance, and complexity.

Ive had a Labatt's before but never the Labatt's Summer Ale, so when I found it in the discount bin at the Binny's in Plainfield, IL for just 50¢ a bottle, I picked one up. 340ml brown bottle with no freshness date, but I did like the look of the John Labatt signature on the label.

The beer poured a crystal clear light gold color and made a 1 finger whispy white head that lasted about a minute before fading to just a rim. Surprisingly, it left quite a bit of nice lacing down the sides of the glass.

The beer has a pleasant, but mild smell - not much more than a hint of citrusy fruit, maybe some cereal grain, but no malt or hops.

The taste was interesting. It started out sweet and lemony, then switched over to mild hops. Not enough flavor to make it stand out, but more than you'd find in most light beers. Since this wants to be called a blond ale and not a light, I felt it should have been maltier than it was, but it's still not bad.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp with high carbonation.

This is an easy drinker and well worth the 50¢ I paid for it.

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into my glass. Poured pretty golden. Scents of mild lemon astringency. A taste of a mild household cleaner with a little bit of malts. Think liquid pledge. Bitter burst of lemon zest mouthfeel. Pair this with maybe some spicey wings with homeade blue cheese sauce.

Pale blonde with a small pure white head that fades quickly into a skim. The nose is light and citrusy with some lavendery perfume quality to it. Very light and crisp. Cereal grain and citrus zest,much like a light lager with just a splash more flavor. Light bodied and effervescent, a little too light for a blonde ale. Not an undrinkable beer but a very wimpy example of the style.

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- Initial 1/2 finger, white, head quickly drops to a scarce lace and eventually nothing but some carbonation popping on the surface. The body was a clean straw to light gold color with medium carbonation. No stick left on the glass.

S- Some fruity notes (berry-like characteristics)with a light malt presence. Very delicate and perfumy.

T- Very light flavor profile. Some cereal malts and light hopping. Nearly akin to an adjunct lager. Maybe a little more flavorful.

M- Clean on the palate. Light bite from medium carbonation.

D- It's an easy drinker. I'd rank it up there with a number of popular Canadian imports in terms of drinkability in a hot day. I can't rate it any higher than a 4, because it doesn't have anything that "wows" me into wanting to seek it out again.

Overall- I got this as part of the Labatt Summer Variety Pack. I don't think I could tell the difference between most of the beers in the case outside of the one spiked with lime. (Honey Lager, Summer Blonde, Lime something Lager, and this one). While all very drinkable, they were all pretty one-dimensional.