I recently headed over to the Far Northeast of Philadelphia to meet Fredo and His Boy (aka My Nephew) for a little bit of cleanout (or should I say throw out?) at Pappy's house. After our long day of labor, we stopped at Miller's Ale House to grab a quick meal and a couple of beers. Since I was faced with an hour long drive home, I focused my attention on ordering a beverage to go with my meal that fell on the lower ABV side of the beer spectrum. While weighing my options, I noticed that they had the Guinness Blonde American Lager on tap. The relatively low ABV of this Guinness, when compared to other more crafty beers on the list, appealed to me, so I chose it as the accompaniment to my meal.
I have been a big fan of the ubiquitous Guinness Stout for a very long time (especially when it's served with a Big Irish Breakfast!) and was intrigued to try their Blonde American Lager. Adding to my interest was the fact that this "Irish" beer is actually brewed under contract by City Brewing in Latrobe, PA at the old Rolling Rock Brewery, which is responsible for some of the more liquid memories of my young adulthood. So, my selection of an "imported craft" beer was actually a choice of a Diageo big brand, brewed in the very state I was visiting. Anyway, the beer and the burger arrived to join the banter, and soon the prospect of returning to clean out the rest of the house was off in the distant future.
With the back story out of the way, let's move on to the review. But first, here's what Guinness has to say about their Blonde American Lager...
Irish tradition meets American spirit in Guinness Blonde American lager. Complex and flavorful. Light, floral and alive with citrus. This beer is perfectly balanced with a lingering malt and biscuity finish. It's the coming together of vibrant flavors, of character drawn from both sides of the pond. And it's come a long way to get here.Now, let's get on with the review...
- Appearance: Cream soda.
- ABV: 5%
- Aroma: Doughy, with a hint of wet cardboard and hops.
- Taste: A little fizzy with a crisp, refreshing start, followed with a bit of sharpness, and ending with a mildly bitter yet pleasant finish.
The Verdict
While a huge fan of the Stout, the Blonde wasn't half bad (guess that means it was half good?). I could see drinking this once again as a complement to a meal, particularly something you would find at the Ale House. However, as a standalone beverage, I don't think this would be the beer to select off of a good beer list.
Categories: Brew Review, Guinness
Tagged as: American Lager, Beer, Beertography, City Brewing Company, Craft Beer, Drinkwire, Guinness, Guinness Blonde, Latrobe PA, Pennsylvania brewers, Review, Reviews
