Hoptober Golden Ale
Half of a 22oz bomber ($4 from D'Vines) poured into a 40cl Allaglass. Appearance (4.5): A very clear light gold or dark yellow. One fat finger of dense head reduces to a thick layer. Some lacing at the top. Lots of carbonation with streamers maintaining the head. Smell (4): Strong citrus notes of lemon, mango, and some grapefruit. Some bread or cracker but mostly dominated by fruit and perhaps some pine(-sol?). Taste (3.5): Orange and mango up front, with a moderate bitterness balanced by a light bready character. Middle is mellow but with a stronger, but smooth, bitterness. The finish is more orange and a touch of lemon and pine. More sweetness here than I thought with a lingering flavor; not very crisp like I expect from a blond (a good thing?). A touch of bitterness sticks around on the tongue. Overall, the flavor is characterized by a semi-sweet fruitiness with a muted malt character. Mouthfeel (3.5): Fairly effervescent but not particularly prickly. A smooth and somewhat soft mouthfeel juxtaposes a decent amount of bitterness. The flavors linger and are slightly coating. Overall (4): Somewhere between a blond and an IPA, this is a very drinkable beer. Very light overall but with some great fruit flavors. This is better than I recall when I last tried it in 2009 and I will probably pick up some more.