Bombshell Blonde - Southern Star Brewing Company

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I got this brew for winning SNF Squares - Week 5 from kiltedtxn and aggieboudreaux, Thanks Chris and Jason!

12oz can served in a pilsner glass.

Hazy brass color with a good sized head of white that left trails of lacing on the glass.
Smell is earthy, I also got some sour fruit smell - apricot & white grape.
Taste is like sourdough bread with light fruit flavors and bitterness on the back end.
Lighter bodied, crisp and refreshing.
Goes down real easy.

Serving type: can

10-20-2009 01:30:25 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

nlmartin

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Wagonvolks for sending this beer as part of Ryans Ghetto Bif. The beer was served chilled in a pint glass.

Appearance: The body of the beer is a dirty copper coloration. The head was about half inch high white in coloration. Good retention of the head is noted. Lacing speckles my glass marking its passage.

Smell: The biscuity aroma of the beer is covered in caramel and honey. Floral hops combine with citrus to create a marmalade aroma. Very nice!...

Taste: The flavors mirror the aroma. This beer is well balanced malty and hops. Again very nice and well executed.

Mouthfeel / Drinkability: The beer has a light body. It never dips into the thin bodied notes. The carbonation is active and totally appropriate to this beer. This is a beer that I could session with and never be bored. Well played!

Serving type: can

09-10-2009 01:53:30 | More by nlmartin

roblowther

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Canned beer from Texas, my motherland and home to the best BBQ, no doubt.
Dark cloudy burnished gold. The head is creamy white and leaves very nice lacing. Smells of hops, strawberries, and a subtle pine note. So far WAY up there on the canned beer scale. Taste is freakin awesome. Nice, nice balance of malt and hops, again, delicate hops and a faint strawberry taste. A sharp finish, not too assertive. Very very, very very nice. Mouthfeel is soft and a touch undercarbonated. Drinkability is very good. An afternoon in the making, for sure.

Serving type: can

09-07-2009 20:33:12 | More by roblowther

diamondc

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally arrived in this part of South Texas. $7.99 for a 6 pack.

A: Humongous, fluffy head billowing out of my pilsener glass. Hazy, unfiltered, tiny flecks of sediment swimming in the beer. There's some light scattered lacing, too.

S: Lot of honey on the nose, some nuttiness, buttered toast aromas, caramel. After a few deep sniffs there's some earthiness there, like today's grass clippings mixed with mud.

T: The malt is definitely the highlight here. Lots of honey, biscuit like flavors. Reminds me a lot of Fat Tire. Some citrus lingers in the background with some moderate grassy hops keeping the sweetness in check. Complex for a blonde ale!

M/D: This beer is a huge surprise. I was expecting something like Fireman's #4 which is a simple & drinkable ale, but this beer is way more complex tasting. The mouthfeel is the very definition of 'creamy' and begs for more sips.

Serving type: can

09-02-2009 01:01:52 | More by diamondc

PEBKAC

New York

3.9/5  rDev +4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Watching the "Battle 360" series on the History Channel. Choice seems appropriate enough. :)

The can must have taken a hit while shuffling through the fridge... we have a bleeder. Pils glass pour, glass just wide enough to act as a supporting hand & drip tray all in one.

A thick, muggy, honey amber that is not the ditsy blonde I payed upfront for. She has a little grit in her teeth too. Head isn't pretty: a scabby, mushy oatmeal color & consistency, with specks of black pepper/sediment/lice/whatever.

Smell is honey-sweet malt, peppery yeast, mild bittergreen hops, sweat & turning fruit. Too subtle here.

Taste is upfront with dough & soft fruit. Very, very mild grassy & sweet floral hops, even maybe a little like golden tea. Toasted finish.

A touch buttery, with cask-ish carbonation.

A fake blonde, but still a lot of fun. :)

Serving type: can

08-15-2009 06:16:49 | More by PEBKAC

davexisxrabid

California

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this in a trade with ottovon, thanks!

Poured into a pint glass. Very cloudy orange color with a nice fluffy 2 inch head. I can see why the back of the can states "clarity if overrated." Lots of visible carbonation. Great retention and lacing during the drinking period.

Aroma is sweet and like cooked mandarin oranges and a pine nut aroma with grassy hops.

Nice caramel and citrus sweet backbone with a touch of buttery flavor and a nice hope bitterness like a dash of lemon rind. Pretty well balanced without letting the sweet malts or bitter hops takeover.

Medium mouthfeel with a slight lingering hop bitterness. Pretty clean, crisp and refreshing. This would be good with a light meal.

Pretty good overall and easily a session beer. The low abv and abundance of flavor make this a cool session brew. Glad I got to try it.

Serving type: can

08-13-2009 18:46:56 | More by davexisxrabid

LittleDon

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy, darker than a blond but lighter than an amber. It appears golden with a tinge of red. It produces a very small head, but it's dense enough to produce a nice lace. There's no noticeable carbonation. I get faint hints of cherry in the aroma. Nice balance between the malt, hops, and alcohol. A thicker mouthfeel than you would expect, a bit on the chewy side. Finish is also well balanced, with both sweet and bitter notes.

Serving type: can

07-05-2009 20:03:03 | More by LittleDon

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A great canned extra I was able to grab recently. I had a couple other offering from them but never this one. So why not. Went for it. This twelve ounce can was served cold and poured into a pint glass. Consumed on 06/28/2009..



The pour was sublime. Rich amber in color, light with a nice head of white on top. Lots of carbonation coming up toward the surface throughout the session, reinforcing an already strong look. Light hops get stronger as it warms up. Nice bit of grain mixing in as well now, nice depth to it I have to admit. Crisp, clean taste and feel here. Really again very well done I have to say. Light finish which was quite dry and I have to admit this was very, very session able. You never can tell what is going to happen when you try a new pale ale, but this was surprisingly very good.



Overall I would definitely go here again. This was a superb offering for a hot summer day. Highly recommend.

Serving type: can

07-02-2009 00:41:40 | More by mikesgroove

mhatters

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Can received from Wolffman17 as an extra in a trade - my thanks go out

Pours a golden color with a bit of haze to it. A 1 inch foamy white head.

A bit of toasty malt, some sweetness, and a light floarl note in the nose.

Sweetness dominates the flavor, nicely, and there are a bit of citrus hop notes and biscuit feel.

Nicely carbonated and creamy, very smooth and easy to drink. A nice beer for a hot day, and you can easily put down many of these.

Serving type: can

06-27-2009 21:00:59 | More by mhatters

theghost3

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy light copper with a 2-finger white head. Some head sticks around throughout.

The smell is a good combination of sweet malts, yeast & muted fruits. The taste is slightly bitter from roasted malt & herbal hops. A light fruit flavor is there too. The moutfeel is crisp but smooth.

This is an incredibly drinkable blonde ale. It's perfect on a hot day.

Serving type: can

06-14-2009 02:46:55 | More by theghost3

Sweasty

Texas

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep hazy copper. Off white head. The head is short lived and leaves adequate lacing down the glass.

Smell: Toasty malt sweetness. Thats followed by a bity of yeastiness and some floral hop notes.

Taste: There's a nice malt/hop balance at work here. Light Citrusy/floral hops are followed by a bit of yeastiness and biscuity malt backing. The finish is grainy with more pronounced biscuit notes.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with adequate carbonation.

Another craft brew in a can - always a welcome sight. This is a nice session brew here. Its easy drinking and perfect for the hot summer months. Keep up the good work Southern Star.

Serving type: can

06-14-2009 02:06:04 | More by Sweasty

drunkboxer1

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hazy golden pour. White rocky head that fades into a thin lace. Smells of sweet pale malt. Faintly lemony, some floral smelling hops as well. Very inviting. Tastes of sweet malt tempered by a fair amount of bitter hops. Slightly bready, maybe even a little caramel. Grassy, floral hops make the beer fairly complex for the style. Medium amount of carbonation. The beer packs in a lot of flavor that you wouldn't expect from the style. Drinks very easy.

Serving type: can

06-10-2009 02:44:04 | More by drunkboxer1

Riccymon

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the can a hazy orange color, making the "Clarity is overrated" claim from the can spot-on. More lasting head than I've ever seen from a blond ale, and it even leaves some lacing. Smell is particularly malty and bold for the style, almost like a brown ale; sweet, caramely, and delicious. Taste is loaded with malty, bready goodness, and I taste a bit of apricot and orange fruit in the finish. Mouthfeel is thick and chewy, also unique in a blond, and leaves my mouth a bit sticky. In comparison to other blonds I've had, Bombshell is imperial-like in appearance, smell, taste, and mouthfeel, but at 5% ABV, drinkability is excellent. Such a great beer at a very low price... and in cans!

Serving type: can

05-31-2009 17:23:35 | More by Riccymon

avalon07

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a can to a pint glass. Had an amber color and a cloudy texture. There was a quarter inch of foamy head, with solid lacing.

S: A big malty aroma, with traces of hops.

T: Tasted of lots of malt, a bready quality and some hops. Not bad, though blondes are rarely noted for their complexity.

M: A decent amount of carbonation and a dry finish. Light-bodied.

D: As this style of beer goes, this is a drinkable example. Solidly made and easy to drink.

Serving type: can

05-30-2009 15:42:36 | More by avalon07

Ruslanchik

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: This beer pours a very hazy orange with a thin white head. It is quite a bit darker than I would expect for a blonde ale. It looks more like a hefeweizen.

S: The aroma is very sweet--a touch of sweet malt and some citrusy hops. A good balance here.

T: Bitterness and malt flavours are nicely balanced, but the flavor hops push though, defining the flavor.

M: The beer is smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of carbonation.

D: Definitely a session beer! This one is perfect for hot summer days. Not too heavy for a day at the lake and flavorful enough to still be good at a party that night.

Serving type: can

05-28-2009 05:20:53 | More by Ruslanchik

mynie

Indiana

3.58/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Kind of an odd pour. Very dark, very cloudy orange with a large head. From across the table it looks like an APA but when get closer it looks a bit paler near the bottom, dark black on top, bubbles cascading upward.

Smells like a Vienna lager, oddly enough. Decent dose of hops, pale and Vienna malt, big nodes of bready yeast.

Tastes exactly like it smells, like a cross between a Vienna and an American blonde with a big, biscuity yeast finish. Hops pervade all throughout, and all around it's a damn good balance between sweet grain and bitter hops.

Serving type: can

05-21-2009 01:01:41 | More by mynie

Atlas1

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The can reads "Clarity is overrated." Indeed.

I'm a fan of the resurgence in canned beer (good canned beer) and the fact that Southern Star is canning in Conroe, TX makes me happy. The Bombshell Blonde pours a slightly opaque amber color with a fat two finger head on top. Strong head with good lace. The nose delivers rich malty caramel with buttered toffee, candied sugar, and faint fruit smells. It tastes is in line with the aroma, with a strong malt presence and caramel flavoring. Light apple taste mixed in with vanilla and toffee. Just enough hop character to balance out the sweet malts. Very nice. Chewy mouthfeel delivers home.

A fine brew here in this blonde ale. Well-crafted and unique. Easily drinkable at 5% ABV. I will happily return to this blond Bombshell.

Serving type: can

05-18-2009 22:56:13 | More by Atlas1

HardTarget

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A) Hazy dark gold/orange amber glass holds a half finger of tight white lace that clings to the sides of the glass.

S) Heady orange blossom citric floral blend with a mild yeast character.

T) Excellent balance, doesn't taste sweet or bitter, but has light hop flavors and a malty grainy finish. A little yeast flavor punches up the beer.

M) Medium heavy body is surprising given the mild tastes, lower carbonation helps.

D) Yep, keep them coming. I can see this being a staple canned beer setting beer; lake, pool, sun, yum. Really nice work, very clean and flavorful. Blonde beer done right.

Serving type: can

05-18-2009 22:31:25 | More by HardTarget

philipquarles

Louisiana

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can. Pours a hazy golden copper with a substantial off-white head that lasts and leaves nice lacing. Smells of sweet, light, honeyed malt and a hint of floral hops. The taste is mostly sweet, pale malt with a nice bready quality. Light hop bitterness. Refreshing. Medium body with low-ish carbonation. Nice blonde.

Serving type: can

05-13-2009 23:40:01 | More by philipquarles

Scardinoz

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had this at the brewery in Conroe. Had a real good time. Great place and great people. Good food, too. Anyway...

A - Poured into a Southern Star pint glass, it exhibited a thick, welcoming head that hung around for a short while. Close behind it was a trace of lacing following it along the glass.

S - This 'bombshell' blonde ale prepares you for its finer qualities with an aroma of malts paired along side with an understated scent of warm bread. Towards the end you will find a note of citrus as it drifts by and entices you to bring it to your lips.

T - The warm, soft bread and American malts come first and gently fill your palate with a gentle suggestion of fruit trailing close behind. As it recedes it leaves behind a slight hop aftertaste that gives you one more thing to love as you set it down.

M - The feel of this ale gently but firmly filling your mouth with its bold character is one of its many great qualities. With a somewhat creamy introduction, its very slight carbonation is smooth and thoroughly enjoyable.

D - It does a good job of leaving you wanting more. It goes down smooth and after lowering the glass to the table, you already begin to miss it.

Overall, only the words "thoroughly enjoyable" could summarize this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2009 16:33:57 | More by Scardinoz

Fnord

Texas

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Transluscent yellow. The head is off-white and even. Though it starts large, it dissipates fairly quickly, leaving traces on the glass.

Smell - Not a lot of nose. Kind of a straw-like smell.

Taste - Pleasant bready malt backbone, with a little grassy hops thrown in. A bit of alcohol in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - It's thicker than it first appears. Low carbonation. Just what I like.

Drinkability - Very drinkable, even for a blonde ale. It would be almost too easy to drink a six-pack of these.

Notes - I wasn't impressed with the appearance and smell, but the taste changed my mind. That's what's most important anyway, I guess. A great beer for converting the BMC heathens, or for when you're just thirsty.

Serving type: can

05-11-2009 17:42:47 | More by Fnord

Reino

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Received as an extra in a trade with screach. Thanks for the chance to try another craft beer in a can, and another Texas brew.

Appearance- Poured pretty aggressively into a pint glass, Bombshell Blonde produces a very sexy, 2-finger cream colored head that stuck around for quite awhile before settling into a comfortable 1/2 finger of creaminess a top the body. Beautiful lace left behind, especially on the second half of the glass. The body itself is a full, dirty blonde hue. A very good looking beer.

Smell- The sweet aroma of the Vienna/American malts are quite pleasing. There's also slight citrus notes resting on top of some biscuit aroma. Not very overpowering, but a nice combination nonetheless.

Taste- Pretty straight forward biscuity goodness with a kiss of floral hops and nuttiness. Not very complex, and I don't really want it to be. It quenches my thirst and is malt forward in the right way. It almost reminds me of a blonde take on a nut brown ale.

MF- Much creamier than I'd expect from a blonde ale, but that is a good thing. Nice middle ground carbonation, and finishes slightly dry.

Drinkability- Not my favorite style, but I'll be damned if I couldn't drink a lot of this on a hot day, or even right now sitting in a 68 degree house. It doesn't taste or smell as good as a kickass IPA or RIS, but that shouldn't be what it's held up against. It's a blonde ale, and I can't think of another beer of the same style that I'd rather have. Great job Southern Star.

Serving type: can

05-03-2009 22:00:22 | More by Reino

mmcary

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Being from Houston, I am proud of the Texas craft brews we get, Shiner, Saint Arnold, Roar. All make serviceable brews, and in one instance, Saint Arnold Christmas ale, even exceptional. A recent discovery of mine is from Conroe and it is Southern Star. I am a big fan of the Pine Belt pale ale and just this weekend picked up the Bombshell Blonde ale.

A- First off the can is awesome, the artwork is simply great. The beer pours cloudy and is the color of hay, thin head and some lacing are left on the glass. You can tell this is un-filtered.

S- Smells bready and malty. Some spice and fruit come through as well.

T- This is the best part of this beer, it has a smooth taste, not too strong, not too light. A bready malty taste with some fruit, a little hop after bite. A really good summer beer, this hits the spot after some yard work in this humid area.

M- Very smooth again. It does not leave much aftertaste, some dryness is left, overall it is nice.

D- I could have several of these, very easy to drink, low ABV, but very flavorful.

Overall this is a great offering from Texas, anyone who enjoys Blondes should like this. I know it is slowly being distributed to other states, if you can not get this, drop me a line maybe we can trade!

Serving type: can

05-03-2009 18:54:25 | More by mmcary

elniko

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up single can thanks to Rick at Lone Star Beverages.

A: Almost cider like quality to the appearance. Mild head, lacing, and carbonation. Solid looking brew.

S: Clean malty notes coming from nose, solid but nothing overwhelming.

T & M: I am generally not a fan of blond ales but this brew is the exception. I really enjoyed this beer. Light mouthfeel, malt does now overwhelm as I've encountered in other blonds. Crisp, clean finish.

D: Very drinkable, I will be seeking this beer out again.

Serving type: can

04-27-2009 23:30:42 | More by elniko

TexIndy

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz can into a pint glass. No dating info but just released so I know it's fresh. It was a cloudy light golden honey color. A few lazy carb streams and come sticky lace. It had a good sized off-white head that stuck around for awhile and settled into a thin film and collar.

The aroma was malty and sweet with really no hop presence. The taste followed the aroma. Crisp, clean and drinkable. Good session beer for hot days. Also probably a good BMC conversion beer. Mouthfeel had a bit too much carb.

Overall, a good beer that I mildly recommend if you can easily find it (especially if in a buddy's fridge). For me, it doesn't have enough flavor to warrant buying many unless on tap and limited choices or a friend has it.

Serving type: can

04-27-2009 01:49:02 | More by TexIndy