Curve Ball Blonde Ale - Portland Brewing Company

skeetermoses

Oklahoma

3.2/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a pretty nice summer ale to go with, the apricot was a different taste but this one sat down and really had a good feel as far as taste goes. overall a very good selection and a good beer for a nice summer meal. Liked it and will have another blonde.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2009 03:25:10 | More by skeetermoses

prisdefer

New York

3.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-29-2012 23:24:07 | More by prisdefer

jzapp

New York

1/5  rDev -67.9%

05-16-2012 21:42:03 | More by jzapp

mercatonero

Oregon

2/5  rDev -35.9%

02-28-2012 00:17:37 | More by mercatonero

hu5om

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

bottle into new belgium goblet
a-1 finger of white foam dissipates to a ring. translucent old golden yellow.
s-belgian candy sugar. fruity strawberry banana
t-lots of banana. wheat graininess. light strawberry/wheat finish. wheat is nice. but the fruit seems fake or off. kind of tastes like runts candy. weird.
m-pretty light and creamy. low moderate carbonation
d-decent, but i'd probably not seek it out again. all right for a refreshing summer beer, but far from a show stopper.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 21:42:18 | More by hu5om

skyler

California

1.65/5  rDev -47.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pyramid 6-packs were on sale, and there was no more IPA. Given my distaste for American wheat beers, I went for the curve ball. What a mistake.

A - fizzy yellow beer. Looked a little like I had poured Bud into a glass - only less bright and filtered in appearance.

S - this is when I knew this beer would suck. It smelled like PBR - obviously underhopped and made with a boring yeast.

T - dear God, it's worse than I had thought. Has the same, "am I going to puke" aftertaste as PBR. A truly miserable beer. It took months to finish off this six-pack because I was always willing to just go to the store and buy more beer rather than drink this crap. Eventually we took the last of it camping and let our friends drink it. Ick.

M - basically like an American lager, bud or PBR-like.

D - this would get high marks if the taste and aftertaste weren't SO bad that I had trouble sucking it down. A truly nasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2009 18:49:39 | More by skyler

Japerrault

Idaho

3.6/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Clear golden, with a thick white head. Head dissipated with little to no lacing.

S: Apricot and mild honey.

T: Lightly sweet, and fruity with a slight touch of bitterness in the aftertaste. Hops aromas and flavors are not very noticable. Washed out honey/grain flavors come through as well in the end.

M: Light bodied, somewhat watery feel. Good carbonation. Finishes clean.

D: Light flavors and body make this a fine beer to drink on a hot day. Easy to drink and nothing offensive about it, Just very light.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2009 23:35:23 | More by Japerrault

benclimbs

California

3.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

looks slightly better than bud, very bad looking beer, yellow, bad carbonation, yuck

Smell isn't so nice either skunky with a little malt sweetness

Taste isn't so bad, a little clean hop bitterness coupled with some malty blonde character

Lacks character and complexity but drinkable

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2009 03:44:04 | More by benclimbs

kshankar

District of Columbia

3.6/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours yellow, good on carbonation. Foam is good...retention is alright, but the foam itself is a little thick. Maybe it was my aggressive pour, or perhaps thats how this is

Aroma: Malt, some yeast, citrus

Taste follows that scent. The taste is clean, which works well with the mouthfeel..which is light and crisp. It goes down fairly well, unoffensive taste, mild flavor and good for a hot summer day. I would recommend this. That being said, its not my favorite style, so I won't be going crazy over it.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2009 00:47:45 | More by kshankar

hustlesworth

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev +17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- mostly clear lemon yellow with a bit of a chill haze. airy fizzy white head, settles down pretty quick to a thin soapy ring and leaves tiny specks of lace

S- bready wheat aroma with some pale grains. some faint bubblegum and banana too. overall a plain bread and cracker aroma with just a little bit of hay like hops.

T- plenty of wheat flavor, like drinking thin slices of white bread. becomes lightly toasted as the hops kick in, grassy and slightly lemony citric,apricot, white grape, with a very soft banana bread flavor lingering somewhere in the background. bitterness becomes tea like in the clean finish and fades away leaving just some grain and grass flavors. becomes slightly more tart as it warms.

MF- under medium bodied with lively carbonation. dry and slightly astringent, this one has potential to be a real thirst quencher.

D- not the most exciting brew, but the flavors do enhance as it warms up a bit but isn't this brew all about being ice cold? they refer to it as 'frosty' on the website. it's an anomaly, a paradox, of sorts. if i'm lookin for a frosty cold tasteless thirst quencher i'll get one of the myriad of other cheaper beers... this one has some flavor if you let it open up a little.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2009 18:37:30 | More by hustlesworth

GreenCard

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pale yellow-straw, slight haze, sudsy white froth that expands and slowly falls in on itself

Aroma: perfumey and floral with hints of blossom honey, light malt, and grass

Flavor: light maltiness with a grainy backnote; crisp character with a subtle hop flavor and very mild barely-there bitterness (just enough to dry it out a bit); finishes dry with a clean aftertaste

Mouthfeel: light body, pert carbonation, soft but crisp

Other comments: Definitely a summer seasonal. Would be a great lawn-mower beer. The weather here hasn't quite caught up with it, though!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2009 00:07:21 | More by GreenCard

whynot44

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear amber/gold color with a moderate white head that disipates fairly quickly.

The aroma is light toasted malt, yeast, a hint of citrus and an herbal hops note.

The taste is slightly dry, light malt and yeast. The finish is slightly sour, citric with only a hint of hops and a decent citric/grassy aftertaste.

Light/medium bodied, easy enough to drink, especially on a hot day. A decent summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2008 02:31:38 | More by whynot44

keeperchaos

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev +17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the bottle.

Light and clean woody taste, sour citrus sits for a moment on the tongue. Not offensive in any way.

Tight bubbles wave over the tongue rounded with an airy mouth feel, finishes dry.

a pretty blond, Id give her a second look and pick her up for a nice sunset.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2008 02:50:29 | More by keeperchaos

RedDiamond

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev +26%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Visually, Curve Ball typifies the lineup of beers from Pyramid/Portland/MacTarnahan's/Magic Hat/Whatever. It shows polished clarity with carefree carbonation, a light white head, and a few items of lace. Its color is yellow-blonde like a luminous corn oil and it arrived slightly shy of its intended imperial pint serving.

Curve ball reveals a simple pattern of light, gently toasted grains with modest bittering and no appreciable hop flavor. Its short-lived smell is of dour, doughy yeasts, which works well enough for this simple-by-design kölsch variant. Services the undemanding function of light refreshment quite well. Available April-September.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2008 01:38:13 | More by RedDiamond