California Blonde Ale - Eel River Brewing Co.

BlakeDaSnake

5/5  rDev +52.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: This Blonde is pretty pure in the glass. Solid Golden color

S: It's smell is almost exactly like the taste. Nothing harsh or aromatic though about it.

T: I'm in love....Light Blonde beer at it's finest....Surprised at the average score. Definitely should be higher.

M: Light and Refreshing...Not Malty or Hoppy. Leaves the glass in gulps

O: I really believe 100% in try it if there is one good review and this is might be that one good review. Seriously I think this beer is amazing and refreshing and it's priced pretty good. I bought a pint of it for only $5....C'mon that's unheard of!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 20:24:54 | More by BlakeDaSnake

WeezyBoPeep

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +33.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Single bottle from WFM for a mixed tasting session. Poured into a standard frozen pint glass.

A: Hazy, dark gold with an orange tint. Little lacy head with small bubbles, remained with the beer.

S: Tea leaves, honey, wheat bread with hints of sugar cookies.

T: A very mild ale, the name fits it perfectly. Makes me think of a California blond. I really like this one. Semi-sweet with honey, tea leaves again and a finish that reminds me of Tres Leches cake or sugar cookie. Goes down very smooth.

Drinkability: Buy a six pack. I'm regretting I didn't. You could enjoy these for an evening.

Value: At around $2.00 for a single, I'd say just cough up enough for a six pack. It's worth it. A great organic ale!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 16:55:00 | More by WeezyBoPeep

thejewthatbrews

California

4.22/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap @ Eel River. Way better than the bottle.

A: Golden hue to it, with a small head, less than an inch.
S: Clean smell, fairly hoppy, but nowhere near a pale.
T: Taste was slightly hoppier than the amber, but once again, nothing close to a pale or IPA. Nice overall balance, with a slight shift away from malt, although the malt is not completely negelcted.
M: Good mouthfeel, although not really anything special. Not heavy at all, and with only a slight lingering taste.
D: Extremely drinkable, due to a lighter body, and a refershing balance between the hops and the malt. Definately a two or three pinter.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2007 08:02:14 | More by thejewthatbrews

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap in California, I think it was Toronado in San Francisco, though I'm not 100% sure of that. Reviewing from my notes. I had written Eel River Blonde, so I'm assuming this is the correct beer.

Pours a cloudy orange colour with a finger of white head. Smells of burnt sugar, almost of marshmallows from a campfire. Maybe I'm crazy though. Very nice sweet flavour. Smooth mouthfeel. I'd have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2011 20:43:36 | More by kwjd

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a bright, clear tangerine orange with a 2 finger, soft, pillowy head that was dirty white in coloring and lasting for several minutes after the pour before yielding to a thin creamy layering. Visible carbonation was medium.

S: fresh tangerines and oranges with soft, spicy hop undertones.

T: Semi-tart and dry oranges with a light dry floral hopping. Light dry citrus notes provide a gentle fade and finish. Palate had a nice maltiness to it per style adding some depth and fullness.

M: medium-full and was soft texture wise and carbonation wise on the tongue. Dry oranges and a nice floral hopping grace the tongue while leaving a nice slight residual malt lacing behind.

D: Very smooth, dry, and citrusy with a good maltiness makes this a great example per style and very good to drink. Can easily make this a session beer down on the beaches of orange county with a gentle breeze.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2008 22:25:23 | More by beerthulhu

aforbes10

Iowa

4/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sixer from the Davis Co-Op. I don't drink a lot of easy drinking session ales, and i've decided it might be good to start, so this is one of the first. Pours a nice light amber color, with excellent clarity and a strong pillowy to creamy white head. Good head retention, looks nice. Aroma is subtle, with just a hint of sweetness from the malt and a lemony to grassy hop. Flavor is clean, very well balanced, with grassy hops, lemon spritz on top of a mild sweet to biscuity malt backbone. Some alcohol evident on the finish, as biscuity malt quality grows. Thin bodied, though not in a detrimental way. Drinks easily, an enjoyable session.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2009 02:40:09 | More by aforbes10

Gavage

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a slightly hazy golden yellow color. A 1" head lasts a bit, plus some spotty lace sticks to the glass.

Smell: light fruity sweetness is all that is detectable.

Taste: light but decent malt sweetness along with some soft green grapes tones, hints of honey, and a nice mellow bitterness that balances the sweetness out.

Mouthfeel: crisp and clean throughout. Lighter in body.

Drinkability: easy to drink with some decent flavors for the style. When you are in the mood for a lighter beer this one hits the spot.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2008 19:37:38 | More by Gavage

schrist275

Florida

3.95/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice Sunday afternoon, mowed the grass getting ready for football and to cool down... this. Somewhat plain label, will still keep it as I do all the others. Pours a hazy lemonade until it strikes the glass at which time it transforms into a semi solid gold, fingers are barely visible thru the glass. Head drifts into lazy whisps across the top and has a nice tall "ring around the collar". The nose comes in fruity with a slight citrus, typical ale.. stronger than blondes that i've previously had, nice. Taste attacks the side of the tongue right off the bat with a sweet and fruity, dont know what else to call it. Its good. Looks good, smells good and tastes good.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2004 21:50:38 | More by schrist275

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a slightly hazy bright golden color with modest white head. Some retention and sparse lacing.
Smell has a musty malt character, but is very mild.
First taste shows a profound dry character, that slowly moderates as the beer warms. Some more malt taste begins to show through.
Leaves a pleasant dryness at the finish.This is one beer that improves as the glass empties. What I really disliked at the beginning improved with subsequent tastes.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2008 00:17:10 | More by tgbljb

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz brown bottle from the Lighthouse in Manchester. Pours an amber-yellow clear body with a half inch of off-white head that slowly dissipates. Smells biscuity with some diacetyl/butterscotch. Tastes like caramel and biscuit, with husky and butterscotchy notes toward the finish. Overall flavor is somewhat muted. Light in body with moderate carbonation. Very drinkable, a solid example for the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2008 01:40:40 | More by MrHurmateeowish

PeprSprYoFace

California

3.75/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a shaker pint. Clear hay amber color. Thin white head. A bit of lacing.

Aroma is kinda like smelling a bag of 2row if you know what I'm talking about. Not much else.

Taste is solid. Easy drinkin blond. Not too sweet or malty.

Mouthfeel is clean and refreshing.

I'm actually impressed by this companies organic ales. I was under the impression that they usually suck. Not bad the last 2 that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 07:41:30 | More by PeprSprYoFace

jwc215

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours slightly hazed golden amber with a thin white head. Dotted lacing sticks.

The smell is grainy, bready, with a hint of citric zest.

The taste is bready, yeasty and grainy. Some grapefruit and orange rind gives it a nice balance. A touch of alcohol gives it an unusual kick for the style - mixed feelings about that - kind of brings down the drinkability a bit for what the style should be. Finishes very dry. Light-bodied.

There are nice subtelties going on here, with a nice balance, but not quite the "session" brew it could be. Still, it has something to it making it a good one.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2008 15:39:09 | More by jwc215

rkuhnel

California

3.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle purchsed from Northcoast Coop in Eureka, CA. Poured a nlight amber wtih a nice fat head that left decent lacing. A deep whiff brings up clean malts and a hint of hops. There is a touch of citrus in the flavor and mouthfeel is clean and refeshing. This is a nice beer if you like light and mild brews and is easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2007 01:43:32 | More by rkuhnel

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Trying the Eel River Blinde and it is OK. The beer pours a cloudly orange with decent 1/2 in white head that is lacing nicely. The smell is a very heartly orange citrus. The taste is a spunky citrus powered more by malt than hop. The mouthfeel is a body is medium body with good carbonation. Overall it is not reallly a great Blonde but worth a sampling.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 01:23:37 | More by WoodBrew

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. No stamped date.

Appearance - Loose, frothy two-finger white head after a vigorous pour. Cloudy gold body with a touch of bronze. Head has good stick and decent retention.

Smell - Sweet candied sugar. Pixie Stix and apple juice.

Taste - Dusty dry front. Some mild hop and alcohol. Mild maltiness in the otherwise clean finish.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium bodied. Somewhat solvent and acidic. Head offers some creamy frothiness. Sort of refreshing.

Overall Drinkability - Inoffensive. Light. Unchallenging. But I suppose you don't usually get much better than this if you're going all out organic.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 00:15:38 | More by ZenAgnostic

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Eel River- Blonde Ale

A- Light golden orange with a thick sticky head.
S- Nice floral hop aroma with a touch of sweet honey and wheat.
T- Sweet light honey flavor meets up with a nice little floral hop touch. I detect an orange/ tea flavor as well.
M- Light but VERY dry. Sweet finish.

Overall- I agree with another post, gets better further into the glass. A nice lite beer. Good for floating in the pool!

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2008 19:42:56 | More by NJpadreFan

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

From Beers of the World. Serviceable, drinkable pale. Pours foaming white head on yellow golden. Above average carbonation that numbs the tongue somewhat,even much later. Neutral to maltish aroma. Bitter more than malty taste.Average to below average mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 01:09:34 | More by northyorksammy

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a single at Four Firkins. Appears light appear with a very slight haze. Plain, light caramel aroma. The flavor has an odd/interesting dried bread/crouton malt taste before finishing with a peppery hops note. I'm not sure if I like the malt profile, but at least it's something different. For that I'll at least say that this beer is worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 02:39:06 | More by tempest

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very faint haze to this copper and hay hued brew. Quick head and only a little residual ring of foam after a sip or two. Good bubbling.

Clear and crisp, light toasted malt and oatmela before you add milk or water. Then a little light earthy hops and just a hint of general cream.

I get cream of wheat, of more like creamof oatmeal from start to finish. Lightly toasted grain and malted grain. Maybe some faint, earthy hops.

Good bubbling on the tongue, and a fresh, flavorfl, and clean palate. Great for session drinking.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 01:11:31 | More by scruffwhor

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a goblet. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a clear bright golden yellow color with a ½" smooth white head filled with tiny bubbles. The head persists for a fair while before receding to a ring around the glass and a patch of foam. Sipping early on leaves lots of legs and speckles of lacing and even as the beer reaches its end there are lacing speckles.

Smell: The pleasant aroma contains light caramel or bready pale malt with light citrus or herbal presence.

Taste: The flavor is primarily pale malt (bready) with very light, tangy grapefruit and orange zest notes.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is light bodied with lots of carbonation. The finish is on the short side but ends on a lightly dry note.

Drinkability: This is a reasonably drinkable beer but not really special in any way. (Maybe it's the style which I'm not as familiar with as I should be. But it does seem better to me than the first Blonde Ale I tried) This is a good solid beer to have for refreshment or to go with a meal. I could have a second but probably won't and I probably won't make a point of looking for it in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2009 01:23:08 | More by drtth

DaveHS

California

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On tap at The Grove in San Francisco. Served in a 14oz. pilsner glass.

A-Light amber with a thin white head. No lacing.

S-Pale, sweet maltiness. Not much else. But it's a pilsner, so I'm not too worried.

T-A generic tasting American kolsch. Has the malt/grain character of a macro lager, with slightly better ingredients. Very simple.

M-Light and soft, moderate carbonation.

D-High, despite my not being too thrilled with it. This beer was made to be chugged on a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 22:26:20 | More by DaveHS

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on tap in a nonical glass

A - Light copper amber with 1 finger amber head with good retention and good lacing, bubbly head.

S - Faint wheat aroma.

T - Fairly bland wheat backbone with a touch of yeast and breadiness.

M - Light body, moderate-high carbonation, watery.

O - A slightly above average blonde. Once is enough for me.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2012 17:02:43 | More by williamjbauer

farrago

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Average thickness to the off-white head, lacing dissolves swiftly. Zinc orange color that gains from a slight murkiness, the rims drop off to a yellow squash hue. Sour nose of pine, grapefruit rind, tobacco leaf, meadow grasses and green straw, mineral water, even a touch of tar, presents light biscuit or oats in contrast. Light to medium-bodied, the heavy duty carbonation aims at masking the lack of heft. Through all the fizziness comes orange, lemon citrus peel, dried malts, snap peas, sourdough bread notes. The yeast there but not really concentrated. Lacks some sweeter component to provide contrast. Herbaceousness builds past the mid-palate. Hard to capture many positives, easily drinkable but not sure how it aims to hold your attention.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2009 00:14:54 | More by farrago

yesyouam

New York

3.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Eel River California Blonde Ale is a slightly hazy, light golden ale topped with a thin white head that fades. It has a resiny, fruity aroma. It kind of smells like... a barleywine. It has a light body and a smooth, clean finish. It tastes mellow and well balanced with a wood resin slightly sweet finish. This has a lot of character for a blonde.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2009 13:32:06 | More by yesyouam

ChopperSmith

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a large bottle into a small beer glass.

Appearance: Deep golden and clear with good foamy head and nice standard lacing.

Smell: A mix of hops and grains/malt with a slight perfumed floral scent.

Taste: Slightly sweet and malty with some nice malt flavors. Very subtle flavors and very easy to drink with a meal.

Mouth Feel: Light to medium body with good carbonation. Very smooth with little bitterness.

Drinkablity: A good mild beer with some nice flavors. I would drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2009 18:31:56 | More by ChopperSmith