Beer of the Week

The beer: Coconut Ube Blonde

Brewed by: Eastern Market Brewing Company, Detroit, Michigan

Description (from Untappd): "A little sweet, a little earthy, and bursting with umami, this blonde is the essence of deliciousness. Creamy notes of toasted coconut and mellow purple yam flavors from the ube blend for a party on your taste buds."

Would I buy it again? You don't often come across purple beers, but here we are. Of course, coconuts aren't purple, so despite the name, coconut is definitely not the main player in this beer. It's barely even noticeable, and if you told me there was no coconut in here, I'd believe you. The big taste here is the yams, and that's not really a good thing. It's almost starchy, this beer, which is not a texture or flavor I want in a beer. It's not an enjoyable beer, so despite the neat color, I would not buy this in the future.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Stroopwafel Cinnamon Blonde

Brewed by: Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Maryland

Description (from Untappd): "From the country known for windmills and wooden shoes comes your new favorite treat. A combination of cinnamon and graham cracker, this delightful, sweet treat will have you clicking your wooden heels with delight."

Would I buy it again? This is my favorite of the Snowplowed pack, which is honestly saying something, since both the White Russian and Smoked Porter were good. But this one just has the perfect mix of cinnamon and breadiness, and since it's a blonde ale, it's quite light and drinkable as well. It's a fantastic beer, and I hope Flying Dog makes it again in the future. 

Beer of the Week

The beer: Goldtooth Belgian Blonde

Brewed by: Rough Edges Brewing, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "Easy-drinking delicious seven percenter."

Would I buy it again?: Well, well, well, we have quite an occasion here. Not for the beer, which is as interesting as its brief description implies. Not a bad thing, but I've had other beers like it. No, this is noteworthy because Waynesboro is my home town, and its first brewery opened there earlier this year. I've had a couple beers from there before this one, but this is the first I've reviewed. Like I said, it's okay but nothing special. I would recommend getting their "Monks and Trap" Belgian Dubbel though, that beer was extremely good. I'd definitely get that one again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Guinness Blonde

Brewed by: Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Description (from the website): "Irish tradition meets American spirit in Guinness Blonde. Complex and flavorful. Light, floral and alive with citrus. This beer is perfectly balanced with a lingering malt and biscuity finish. ... When we opened up our new brewery in Baltimore in August of 2018, our goal was to combine 260+ years of Guinness brewing experience with American beer creativity. The first item on their list was to re-interpret our flagship American beer, Guinness Blonde. Their goal was a sessionable golden beer with Guinness character. Focusing on making it more refreshing in taste and lighter in color, they supplemented the Mosaic hops with Citra for tasty citrus notes and adjusted the grain bill. The result is a clean, crisp beer that hits the sweet spot between flavor and refreshing taste."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, I would. This is a great summer beer, tasty and drinkable. Not too hoppy either. It's slightly unfortunate that I was introduced to it in the middle of winter, so I won't be in a huge hurry to buy more, but come June or so, I'd definitely buy this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: 8 Days A Week Blonde Ale

Brewed by: Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, New York

Description (from the website): The only way to describe this beer is Infinitely Drinkable. This is smooth liquid refreshment with a hint of Centennial hops for fruity notes and low bitterness for an easy finish. Available on draught and in 8 packs of 12oz cans, yep that’s right 8 cans, because when a beer is Infinitely Drinkable, six just isn’t enough!

Would I buy it again?: That's a tricky question. This really is an infinitely drinkable beer, it's pleasant in every single way. I liked it a lot. But in matters of drinkability, beers like this have to compete with Yuengling, and I'm just not sure I'd be willing to spend the premium for this when I can get Yuengling for less. Sure, that's a lager and this is an ale, so they are different in that way. And they do taste different, of course. I wouldn't say no to more of these, let's leave it at that.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Fresh Catch

Brewed by: Narragansett Brewing Company, Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Description (from the website): "Fresh Catch is a supremely refreshing blonde ale that's dry hopped with citra for a crisp grapefruit finish. Aromas of citrus and passion fruit are very evident, but mild on the palate. Brewed to be the perfect pairing with shellfish or whitefish."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, I think I would. I didn't pair it with any sort of seafood, but I still enjoyed this beer quite a bit.