WSTRN Blonde
Western Collective

in an effort to save time in tanks i guess, they have turned this lager into a blonde ale, but dont worry, the barkeep assures me its "basically the same thing" okay then. not a bad blonde at all, clean and clear, pretty highly refined, and not wanting for flavor, a little toasted note to the malt, a definite freshness to the whole thing, and a not invisible but rather tidy ferment, unexciting sure, but that isnt a crime. it lacks the crispness the lager had, which had undergone some changes itself, and given the clientele here, im sure this change will go largely unnoticed, but i cant help but wish for a little more authenticity here, especially since by and large their beer has gotten so much better in the last year or two, trying to pass a blonde off as a lager on uninformed or indifferent patrons seems like a weird choice. this is dry but not as a bone, a little mid palate honey type sweetness, and only a quick flash of bittering hops to balance at the end, minimal but not all that light for what it is, more body than many, i dont mind that. not sure i am in full agreement with whoever is making decisions for this business, but i am thankful that the beer they make tastes good now!