Blonde Ale
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Blonde AleBlonde Ale
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From:
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
ABV:
4.3%
Score:
79
Avg:
3.2 | pDev: 12.19%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
16
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 15, 2013
Added:
Aug 14, 2001
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by freed:
Photo of freed
Reviewed by freed from Oregon

3.03/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Had a sample of this following the Widmer tour. It's quite clear, has a yellow body with just the slightest tinge of amber. The head is rather nice - bright and clean - almost lager like.

The aroma is rather simple - pale malts and what almost seems like wheat. My humulus addled brain doesn't detect any of "the good stuf."

The taste is also simple - pale malts and maybe even something like a pils. I still sense some wheat, which isn't present, but there is torrified malt - which I've never heard of before. I wonder if it creates a similar effect as torrified wheat? Maybe that's it - or maybe I'm just remembering the hefe. Its possible, considering the delicate suggestions this beer makes.

There is just a slight bitterness to it - something noble - that creates a crispness that completes the beer, and actually makes is slightly more interesting than a lager. I'm sure this is quite drinkable, and may even make for a decent beach beer.
Aug 08, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

May 15, 2013
Photo of bushbeer75
Reviewed by bushbeer75 from Michigan

3.06/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Widmer Bros Blonde Ale has a pale straw color body and small white head. Taste and smell is of light fruit with a slight puckering hoppy finish that is light in body and carbonation. An average session style ale.

I should note that I found this 12 oz brown bottle [and a bottle of Winternacht] in the back of my cellar. Am not sure how long it has been there. I would not review it if the brew tasted ‘skunked’ in any way.
May 06, 2007
Photo of HochFliegen
Reviewed by HochFliegen from Oregon

2.88/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Golden and clear. The head was very mild and quickly went away. Malts and a sligt floral hop notes dominate the aroma. Maybe even some wheat in there. Over all taste was allright. Nothing really stood out to me very mild and subdued flavors. A slight hint of spice from the hops. The mouthfeel like the taste was allright. An overall easy drinking mellow beer.
Oct 17, 2004
Photo of Bighuge
Reviewed by Bighuge from Minnesota

3.59/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Golden and quite hazy. The head is barely detectable. And the lacing is almost absent. Subdued malts and pretty decent floral hop notes on the nose. The taste is alright. The malting could be a little deeper, but the hops accent nicely. Floral and spicy. Almost a little Saaz like. Could it be?? The mouthfeel could stand to be a titch more carbonated. But all in all, this beer is better than average. And one I wouldn't turn down on a warm summer day.
Jul 28, 2004
Photo of ZAP
Reviewed by ZAP from Minnesota

3.22/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours a chill hazed deep golden color...I like the nose...a sweet, sugary bready aroma with some floral hoppiness evident...body is light....feels a little watered down in the mouth..taste is soft breadiness....a bit of the floral hops shimmer through...a slight dry, almost sour finish..

an OK beer....that about says it all..nothing bad about it and for what it is meant to be it serves the purpose (a light session ale)...
Jul 27, 2004
Photo of RedDiamond
Reviewed by RedDiamond from Oregon

2.48/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Had this on tap at the Widmer Gasthaus. It started out as a simple blonde ale – clear, thin-bodied with a threadbare head that vanishes momentarily, and a modest malty aroma. The taste was obtuse and bitter in a way that presented no great challenges to the palate. However, as the beer warmed to optimal drinking temperatures, it grew grassy and then rank. It also left something heavy and unpleasant on my tongue that refused to go away.

This beer is lackluster, ill conceived, and kind of sad.
Jun 23, 2004
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

3.72/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a medium golden color with a light head that leaves quickly thee is some form of lacing left,nice aroma malty backbone with light spicey hoppy tinge to it.Taste as well has a malty backbone with a light mineral-like flavor with a nice zesty hop quality.I nice malty aftertaste here,hey a real nice quaffer here would get again for an easy drinker for sure.
Nov 20, 2003
Photo of RoyalT
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan

3.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance – Light yellow in color with a decent but cheap looking head.

Smell – Very light aroma of grain with some artificial sweetness and a slight hop balance.

Taste – This isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The scents from the nose come out in the taste. The grain is smoother and less offensive than most, and the hops are big enough to get noticed.

Mouthfeel – Light, tingly carbonation and somewhat refreshing.

Drinkability – The words, “Session-style,” are written on the bottle in several places, and this is indeed a session-style ale.

Comments – This used to be, “Sweet Betty,” but they've dropped that label for 2003.
Oct 15, 2003
Photo of beerguy101
Reviewed by beerguy101 from California

2.88/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Medium gold color, medium head. A medium bodied golden ale. Mild malts and hops. A mild tasting golden ale. Good balance of malts and hops. Light and refreshing. Mellow taste, full and round. Light and refreshing. Another good beer for a hot summer day or warm summer evening. Flavor is good. Mouthfeel is full and a little spritzy. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter
Oct 04, 2003
Photo of jtfest
Reviewed by jtfest from Oregon

3.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a light golden color, somewhat cloudy, with a small diminishing white head.

Smell: Light hints of both malt and hops, with musty overtones.
Taste: Somewhat bland with a slightly sour finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, dry and softly carbonated. Rather watery on the finish.

Drinkability: You could do a few of these.

Comments: It’s not bad, it’s just nothing to get excited about. It’s a good 6-pack for someone to bring over when they visit, which, by the way, is how I ended up with it. "Sweet Betty" seems to be retired. She's on the label with "Session Style Golden Ale" across her body, but the name is simply "Blond Ale"
Sep 15, 2003
Photo of jcalabre
Reviewed by jcalabre from California

2.92/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Originally sampled on 29 January 2002. This is a good beer for a hot day. It has a nice aroma of tart apples along with a very clean finish. The color is a bit darker than 'golden', but that doesn't distract from the overall enjoyment. It's a better than average brew.
Jun 20, 2003
Photo of Reidrover
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon

2.88/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bought in the 12 oz brown bottle with a blue label they seem to have dropped the "Sweet Betty" part of the name
The appearance seems to be pretty typical for a Blonde ale ( or Golden Ale as it says on the label)..nice deep gold colour with little or no head..not even a good lace.
Again with a Widmer beer the aroma to me seems to be almost non-existant..are they trying to go "macro"?
Taste is pretty run of the mill and average for this style..in fact this tastes more like a pilsner..very light..a little malt and next to no hops.
Again typical feel on the tongue nothing to write home about here.
For me not too drinkable..but i suppose if one had a macro buddy this would suit him/her to a tee.
Mar 17, 2003
Photo of RBorsato
Reviewed by RBorsato from Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Hazy pale yellow, light gold color with a low white head. Light fruity and grainy aroma and taste with an earthy hop character (Willamette and Cascade per website). Medium bodied with a crisp light lemony (?) hop finish.

May/04/02 printed on neck. Tasted 12/28/02

ABV: 4.3% per W.B.B.C. website.

Labelled as a "Session-style Golden Ale". Have to agree with that one.
Dec 30, 2002
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

3/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The prototypical “Blonde Ale" color, a clear gold, with usual white modest sized head that is frothy in texture, the lace average and the nose, crisp malt and lightly sweet, ho-hum. Start is malt and the top skimpy, ho-hum, the finish is perkily acidic, ho-hum, and the hops adequate, ho-hum. “Average" beer, and not a real hit with this old “Dark Strong beer Lover”.
Dec 26, 2002
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck donning raised glass of a big “W” for Widmer three times around the bottle … fancy eh? An ink jet printed drink before date above the label for freshness purposes.

Appearance: Rich shimmering pale golden colour with an extremely slight chill haze to remind me that this is an ale. White puffy small bubble froth slowly drifts away leaving a thin resilient lace.

Smell: Sweet grain with hints of cotton candy and raw cane sugar. Faint but fresh whiff of citric and earthened / veggie hop shows the nose that this beer has an ample hand of hops.

Taste: Upright moderate body shows the mouth feel that the malt won’t take any flack. Excellent crisp carbonation that does a wonderful job of cleansing the palate. Hop bitterness is quite perceptible though seems to be at an ideal balanced level. Hop flavour plays a touch into citrus and floral from middle to end. Malt is quick and clean to the tongue with a semi coarse grain flavour that rides hand and hand with the hop bitterness. On the dry side with a puckering husk finish.

Notes: This is what the American Blonde Ale style is about, drink and learn. A no brainer craft beer that will win over the most ordinary of beer drinkers. 4.3% abv.
Aug 14, 2001
Blonde Ale from Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 16 ratings