Blonde Ale
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company

Blonde AleBlonde Ale
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From:
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
 
Connecticut, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
4.6%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.42 | pDev: 14.04%
Reviews:
140
Ratings:
253
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 30, 2018
Added:
May 11, 2003
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  33
Smooth flavor with a subtle malt sweetness accented with the delicate aroma of Czech hops. This brilliant gold ale is a mellow but flavorful microbrew.

11 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Adam7m:
Photo of Adam7m
Rated by Adam7m from Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Apr 16, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of hopsputin
Reviewed by hopsputin from New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25
A: clear straw yellow color with a light fizzy head

S: lager spice, grains, grass

T; harsh grains with sweet grass. Some rice and grassy bitterness

M: light mouthfeel with high carbonation

O: not a great blonde ale. Could use more sweetness from the grains
Dec 30, 2018
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

2.47/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.25
Poured into a becher pint glass.
The appearance was obviously, yes, blond in color with a small white cap of a little white foamy head. This quickly dissipated to leave barely any lace.
The aroma had some grassiness, wax green beans, soft lemon puree and a touch of dry wood.
The flavor seemed to mesh with the wax beans and grassiness initially and sweetly. Lemon puree offered a decent balance but somewhat came in like detergent. The aftertaste is where it's at, just kidding, but honestly with a fairly soapy to dried grassy and wax bean-like character.
The mouthfeel was between light and medium bodied with a questionable sessionability. Carbonation felt fine. ABV seemed close to what was projected.
Overall, aromas and flavors are off. I really don't want my blond ales smelling and tasting like was beans, grass and detergent.
Sep 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.4 by BeerPirate from Utah

Sep 04, 2018
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

3.21/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Hazy lemon gummy bear yellow color with a 1 finger head leaving nice lace on the sides of the glass.

Aroma is of water and more water. Slight lemon, slight wax paper.

Sharp bite of Saaz hops, followed by some stale marshmallow, heavy grains, lemon drop, and more cereal. It's got this sugar sweet-sharp hop thing going on.

Nice carbonation going on, a lot like a soda but then has a starchy resin on the finish.

Overall an underwhelming blonde ale but it reminds me of Ruthie yet less craft-y. Reaching for compliments yet coming up short. Kinda boring.
Mar 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by BallsDeep from Florida

Oct 11, 2017
 
Rated: 3.6 by ChipMurray from Pennsylvania

Jun 30, 2017
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.72/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle, "Born on 9/6/16" etched onto the lable.

Pour lightly hazed quite light yellowy/golden. with a minimal eggshell head, leaving decent looking strands of lacing

Faint sniff of bread.

Light and easy drinking little brew, bready, moderate level of on the crisper side hops.....decent sumery kinda brew or would be a nice compliment to some peppery salad greens and goat cheese/crackers...I used a bottle of this to boil u some brats, before putting them on the grill to crisp up...so this is a pretty versatile kinda brew...worth havoing some around for various purposes
Jan 15, 2017
Photo of JAck199
Reviewed by JAck199 from New Jersey

3.69/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Okay, what's better than a blonde hooker....good marketing, the beer is well made and very drinkable. Pours a good head, light malt color and taste, more of a summer beer to me.
Dec 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Fettpopps from Massachusetts

Nov 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Jul 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Dface from Texas

May 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by KrissyKat6 from New York

Apr 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by crossfit_lunatic from Massachusetts

Feb 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by paulish from New York

Jan 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.39 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Nov 11, 2015
Photo of tone77
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania

3.09/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a bright yellow color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is light malts, hints of citrus. Taste is very mild, malts, grassy hops, not a lot going on. Feels light in the mouth and overall, nothing offensive, just not much of, well, anything.
Nov 10, 2015
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I picked this up recently at The Friendly Greek Bottle Shop and I am up late this evening, watching the Penguins on the road in Vancouver, so it seemed an appropriate time to open the bottle.

From the bottle: "Smooth flavor with a subtle malt sweetness accented with the delicate aroma of Czech hops. This brilliant gold ale is a mellow but flavorful microbrew."

After Pop!ping the cap, I employed an aggro pour that produced a finger of fluffy, bone-white head that slowly fell away to wisps. Color was a slightly hazy Pale-Straw (SRM = 1 -2). Nose had a lightly biscuity maltiness accompanied by a nice grassiness from the hops. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was very mild and easy to drink, but it just seemed like a summertime lawnmower beer. The malt and the hops meshed well, but it lacked Ooomph! as a whole. Finish was semi-sweet, again, refreshing, but seemingly more suited to the summer.

Today is the occasion of Happy Damn You for Being with the Best Multiple New Hookers with Tea on Sunday When There's Beer, Bro. Woody! (Week 687) on Su, 22 April 2018. I will not be changing my scores, but I am revisiting this beer, this time in/from a CAN in furtherance of The CANQuest (tm).

From the CAN: "Character: Smooth & Refreshing"; "Smooth flavor with a subtle malt sweetness accented with the delicate aroma of Czech hops. This brilliant gold ale is a mellow but flavorful microbrew."

How interesting that on the occasion of my bottle review, I was watching the Penguins on the telly. They will be on later today, in PHL, for Game 6 of Round 1 of the 2018 Playovs. Onward!

I Crack!ed open the vent & employed a slow, gentle Glug into the awaiting glass, followed by a vigorous in-glass swirl. This, in turn, raised three fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with great retention, leaving behind sticky lacing in its wake. Color was a very lightly-hazy Straw-Yellow (SRM = > 2, < 4). Nose had a grassy, biscuity dry quality with a little lemony tartness thrown in. Mmm. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium, not watery, but not much beyond it, either. The taste was very biscuity with a light grassiness, a bit of honey & finally some lemony tartness. Mmm. I would rate this higher on Nose & Taste, at least, which would also elevate the Overall score. Finish was semi-dry, very refreshing & certainly one to fill the summer cooler when mowing the lawn or heading to the beach.

In the Battle of Bottle vs. CAN, CAN wins this one!
Nov 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by Duffman79 from Connecticut

Oct 17, 2015
Photo of jaa1222
Rated by jaa1222 from Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +31.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Smooth, light, fresh beer. Easy to drink.
Sep 22, 2015
Blonde Ale from Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 253 ratings