Hook & Ladder Golden Ale - Hook & Ladder Brewing Company (No. 2)

TheSixthRing

California

3.18/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a semi-hazy golden yellow. White, 2 finger head. Average retention. The resulting lace hangs well and is somewhat clingy.

Smell - Grainy notes. Somewhat grassy.

Taste - Grainy malts and grassy hops. That's it, from start to finish. Fairly boring.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body. Carbonation is on par for the style.

Overall - There's nothing bad about this beer, but there's nothing great, either. Simple and straight forward. Drinks like a German pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 03:19:12 | More by TheSixthRing

budgood1

Minnesota

2.85/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

pours out a slightly hazed golden colour with a minimal mead and subsequent minimal lace. sweet toffeeish aroma...a bit buttery showing off some grainy and sugary notes. upon tasting...more characteristics of the golden ale style present themselves...sweet maltiness, cloying at times; a strange spicy boozy note i wasn't expecting...and more buttery diacetyl that really isn't all that welcome. minimal hopping...just enough to notice...and no real bitterness. bigger body than most other golden ales with a slick and sugary mouthfeel. drinkability is ok...i'm drinking on a very warm day in spring after work and it's having a hard time hitting the spot.

overall i would say that since this is a delicate style, with subtle nuances being most important...this is a heavy handed stab at the style and misses the point. oh well...i didn't have to pay for this.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 23:25:02 | More by budgood1

smakawhat

Maryland

2.28/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Are you drinking a Blonde Ale? Yeah you are.. at least you didn't buy it, ok what's this all about, into a nonic pint glass to go.

A slightly hazy pale amber yellow, lots of carbonation. Head is shocking white, foamy, seems to fall slowly. Pour makes a lot of noise and snapping. Cap manages to keep for a short while.

Bouquet is rank. Smells like bile and vomit, not pleasant at all. Gross. I am trying to find something at least worthy, and I get nearly nothing.

Taste is very lacking. No malt presence, hop, chewiness, density, horrific aftertaste highlighting the nose nicely. Slightly numbing in the aftertaste and even grainy sour. Borderline wet, but with a little bit of seltzery feel.

There is nothing to enjoy here for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 02:57:00 | More by smakawhat

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer pours aclear gold with a thin head and no lace. It's aroma is fruity with hints of vanilla, dough, and honey. The flavor has lemon, cream soda, honey, and hay notes. The mouthfeel is light-medium and dry in the finish. Hook And Ladder Golden Ale is a good beer, recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 22:10:14 | More by B967ierhunter177

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Golden yep for sure. Head was kind of a half to quarter inch, small but with some creamy lacing.

S - Smells of a typical blonde, I get some lemon grass, little hops, and sweet malts.

T - Not too bad actually but it might be too sweet for some. Slight bit of grains followed by honey sweetness and a finish with some watery hops.

M - Light to medium, kind of watery.

Overall I thought this one was good better than Boulders "Sweaty Betty" but I can't seem to think of a reason to get it again. Kind of refreshing though.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 06:20:00 | More by DrDemento456

drabmuh

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Never had anything from these blokes so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Served in a shaker pint because I had one handy.

Beer is amber, light, mild haze, lazy thin head of small white bubbles, some lacing, low carbonation. Looks fine to good.

Aroma is grainy and sweet, pretty floral, smells fine.

Beer is medium in body, a little bitter, sweet up front, grainy finish. Eh, it is probably too sweet, heavier than expected, too grainy, too much of an aftertaste, not a drain pour but an average ale for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 01:13:37 | More by drabmuh

joefuzz

New York

2.3/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Twist off 12oz poured into pint glass.

Pours golden orange with almost no head, no lacing. Smells of bananna but not really picking up anything else. Tastes slightly fruity with a small amount of malt coming through, not impressed. Mouthfeel is pretty much what I expected for the style. Overall not impressed at all probably won't be seeking this one out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 03:22:43 | More by joefuzz

antlerwrestler19

Nebraska

2.45/5  rDev -22%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured light golden yellow, very clear, with a very small head that disappeared quickly - no lacing. The smell is funky like lemon or orange zest that has been left out awhile with a mellow malt bill and no hop aroma. Flavor follows aroma pretty well - it has an almost funky yeast product coming out that I cannot pinpoint - not good but not bad. The mouthfeel is pretty light - almost too easy to drink down without a whole lot of enjoyment. I would choose this beer over bud light or the like if need be but I was given this beer to me by my father and don't really feel the need to buy more on my next visit to MN.

Cheers

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 07:01:09 | More by antlerwrestler19

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Hook & Ladder Golden Ale

Crystal clear golden yellow with a small white head and some lace down the side of the glass. Aroma is biscuity malt and light euro hops. In the taste, lightly malty and creamy. Pretty drinkable blonde. easy simple but a bit plain. Light bodied feel, low carbonation, clean finish. Overall, a nice simple summer beer here, nothing more nothing less.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 01:11:00 | More by Stinkypuss

Arithmeticus

Maryland

3.3/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A: pale yellow, with only a nominal head and a traces of carb beading
S: light, malty; an ever-so-light hint of macro stench
T: very malty, little hops; lemons, pears at the outset, dwindling into bread/yeast

very drinkable beer, ideally on hot summer days; this beer won't offend too many people

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 03:21:21 | More by Arithmeticus

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.18/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hook and Ladder Golden Ale has a medium to thick, off-white head and a hazy, amber appearance, with lots of active carbonation and a decent amount of initial lacing. The aroma is of over-ripe citrus and lightly-roasted malts, and the taste is predominately citrus with some maltiness and a subdued hop presence. Mouthfeel is medium, and Hook and Ladder Golden Ale finishes fairly refreshing and semi-dry to wet. Overall, this is an okay beer, and I'd rate it higher if it didn't have that sort of spoiled smell.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 17:54:33 | More by RonaldTheriot

Staab016

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Sampled a 12oz bottle into a glass.

A - cloudy and golden with an average head. There was little to no lacing on the glass

S - The first sniff of the beer was confusing, and I wasn't able to tell if I liked the smell or not. I was able to able to pin down a lemon scent but there was an unappealing malty/sweet scent that was overwhelming.

T - Taste didn't blow my mind, but wasn't terrible either. Definitly a super malty beer with little to no hops at all. The lemon was again apparent, and more pleasing than it was in the nose.

M - Watery and thin. Picking up flavors was difficult due to how quickly this beer was gone.

D - I had one and moved on... There's still more in my fridge that will probably be saved for a friend to review.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 19:43:50 | More by Staab016

hdf561

Virginia

3.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appaerance was hard to decifer as it was drank out of a bottle, but it looked golden in color.

Smelled just ok, hard to determine ingredients

Tasted good, but a little harsh

Very harsh after taste, but not offensive

Very heavy beer for me, took a 6 pack to a race and had to switch over. Its an ok beer that supports my profession and a good cause, so I drink a few when I find them, this is not a party or tailgating beer though.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 20:26:32 | More by hdf561

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A clear golden color pour with a short lasting, two finger fizzy white head, leaving some spotty lacing, light carbonation . Aroma is of light pear skins, corn and herbs . Flavor is slightly fruity, like apple or pears, corn bread and a little cereal at the end . Light body with a smooth clean mouthfeel, short fruity finish, quite sessionable and an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2011 20:00:17 | More by CuriousMonk

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes.

Served in a tulip glass. The pour is a slightly-hazed golden color with a really tall white head that persists for quite some time and leaves oodles of lacing down the side of the glass. The nose isn't too much, but is much better than the majority of blonde ales that I've had. Some light grain and bread plus a touch of fruit. The taste is a bit more plain with a bread-like character. The feel is really nice with a good body and carbonation level. Nice and sessionable. For what this is and against its competition, I really enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 00:09:25 | More by Thorpe429

ktrillionaire

Florida

2.45/5  rDev -22%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Old tick... (the first of a few hundred in my backlog.)

First off, am I to understand that the brewery is called Hook & Ladder, but wishes to further self-gloss as "No. 2?" Hmmm. "Number two"... is that second best (aka head loser) or does it reference fecal matter? Either way, a brainiac must've been responsible.

A - It pours a pale, fizzy gold with an unspectacular white cap.

S - Not much to the nose, except a bit of pale malt and maybe, wait, is that hops? I don't think it was, actually. False alarm. My bad.

T - The flavor is as the nose suggests, vaguely 'beer-y', with some light grain and green hop flavor. I am not a fan of a beer like this. It seems like the flavor has been sucked out.

M - Thinner, intended to be refreshing, partially successful.

D - Mehhh.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2010 05:36:44 | More by ktrillionaire

wsunate

Washington

1.5/5  rDev -52.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

The only redeeming value of this beer is that they donate 25 cents to a burn victim fund. Other than that, I just burned $5.50 on a disgusting, offensive tasting, flavorless beer. The lemon really is quite disgusting for this beer.

You really do get what you pay for. For two more dollars I'll take something local, something great.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 00:55:14 | More by wsunate

diabecktic

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance:
This light gold beer yields an airy, white head which is ~1 finger thick. Retention and lacing are both minimal, as only a very thin rim remains near the edges at the top of the brew throughout the course of the tasting. I see minimal rising carbonation, too.

Smell:
There's nothing too complex here. It smells like a biscuity malt with a hint of grain and light citrus. I also detect a bit of yeast and hops, but no strong spices.

Taste:
The malt is fairly astringent, with biscuity notes and a hint of lemon. Subtle hopiness becomes apparent towards the end of the tasting. The balance is pretty good, and any taste of alcohol is well-hidden.

Mouthfeel:
This might sound odd, but the beer is a bit heavier than it "looks." There's minimal dryness, and a subtle crispiness imparted by the hops. It's of medium body, so it's not too dense.

Drinkability:
Good balance makes this a very drinkable beer. Minimal alcohol flavor and a nice aftertaste make imbibing quite enjoyable.

Summary:
Though it's not too sightly, this is a fairly good beer. Even though the taste wasn't exceptional, it definitely wasn't offensive. So, this beer isn't too generic, but it isn't of exquisite quality, either. I also enjoyed the balance and mouthfeel, as reflected in my rating. Again, it's good but not great; I might not go out of my way to drink this beer again, but I most certainly wouldn't refuse it if offered to me.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 01:32:57 | More by diabecktic

industrialswill

Washington

3.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Golden honey colored, wispy head.
Not impressed with the smell, it reminds me of mildew. Not repulsively odiferous, I had to take a deep whiff to make that observation.
I like the taste, slightly malty. Not bad, not great, but overall this is a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 22:12:49 | More by industrialswill

JoKo

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +31.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a bright clear golden color with a white frothy head. The carbonation is very high.

Smell: Some pale malts, not getting much in the nose.

Taste: Malts up front, very little hop presence. The taste is reminiscent of a wheat ale. Nothing too complex with this brew.

Mouthfeel: The beer lingers around on the palate after each sip, it is light in body.

Drinkability: Highly drinkable, good summer styled beer. Overall, it was enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 02:33:23 | More by JoKo

Bookseeb

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is golden in color with a thin head and nil lace. Smell of light sweet honey and some fruits. Taste has that same sweet honey maltiness with light hop followed by a crisp carbonation. Mouthfeel is light with good body. A mellow slightly sweet blonde ale, nothing complex just a easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2010 02:33:36 | More by Bookseeb

WakeandBake

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A clear golden color pour with a short lasting, two finger fizzy white head , leaving some spotty lacing, light carbonation . Aroma is of light pear skins , corn and herbs . Flavor is slightly fruity , like apple or pears , corn bread and a little cereal at the end . Light body with a smooth clean mouthfeel , short fruity finish , quite sessionable and an easy drinker .

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2010 23:01:47 | More by WakeandBake

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a rich golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is sweet, malts with a touch of citrus. Taste is light, mild, slightly sweet. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and is very drinkable. Overall this is a pretty good brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 14:12:09 | More by tone77

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark golden color with a very thin head that gives way to some lacing and the head goes to a film. The aroma is of lemon and some citrus. The taste is of sweet malt and some lemon, citrus, and a hint of honey. The mouthfeel is light bodied. Drinkability wise, if you were out on a hot day this would be a good beer, however, if your looking for something complex it isnt really for you.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 01:08:21 | More by goblue3509

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark golden body with moderate amounts of carbonation streaming up to the thin ivory white cap. Aroma is lemongrass, hay and something just a little funky. No funkiness on the palate though. But there is a distinct earthy feel to it. Malt base is substantial enough for a golden ale and the hops are here only in a ghostly way. Little bit of an apple flavor. This is not bad, just not that good either.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2010 04:06:39 | More by Bighuge