Golden Vanilla - Thirsty Bear Brewing Company

BubblesandFoam

California

2/5  rDev -41%

12-28-2012 01:26:56 | More by BubblesandFoam

GaryMarkle84

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +32.7%

03-06-2013 00:08:39 | More by GaryMarkle84

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%

03-02-2013 23:44:06 | More by t0rin0

mmilyko

Nevada

4/5  rDev +18%

09-02-2012 05:49:22 | More by mmilyko

jda007

Florida

4/5  rDev +18%

07-20-2012 01:55:12 | More by jda007

czfreeman

Michigan

2.38/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at the brewery.
Pours a murky golden tone, almost like a wheat beer. Light head that fizzes out pretty quickly.
Aromatics-when the beer was colder I could detect the vanilla but in the backgfround, as the beer warms the vanilla aroma becomes incresingly more dominant. Some bitterness in there, but smells very sweet and vanilla dominated.
On the first sip-this is not my cup of tea. Vanilla, sweet syrupy like and lower carbonation create an almost cream-soda beer. Not much in the area of complexity, overall one note and far two sweet for my liking. The use of a stronger yeast and less vanilla would create a much better beer in my opinion.
Im glad that this was only a sample size portion, as I would not like an entire glass of this beer

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2012 20:43:59 | More by czfreeman

Arborescence

Finland

4/5  rDev +18%

05-27-2012 04:09:22 | More by Arborescence

Piason

California

2.75/5  rDev -18.9%

05-11-2012 08:13:30 | More by Piason

moneyfunnel

California

3/5  rDev -11.5%

04-25-2012 02:37:04 | More by moneyfunnel

Hoppaholic

Florida

4/5  rDev +18%

01-12-2012 03:48:22 | More by Hoppaholic

litheum94

California

2.95/5  rDev -13%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Part of the sampler platter. Reviewed 7/15/10.

P: Dark, golden amber. Light, off-white head that fizzles out.

A: Very sweet. Vanilla bean and root beer aromas.

T: Drinks like a cream soda, with a bit of grassy hops thrown in.

The hops try to dry this out, but there's just a little bit too much sweetness here.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2011 03:47:01 | More by litheum94

dgilks

Australia

3.4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear golden colour with a small, shortlasted white head. No lacing.

Mild vanilla and malt on the nose. A touch too sweet.

Sweet malt flavour with plenty of vanilla. Very much a one note beer.

Medium light body with moderate carbonation. Fine.

A decent attempt at a novelty beer but it lacks depth and falls short of the mark.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2011 11:06:30 | More by dgilks

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Thirsty Bear on 7/13/09. Described as a "light ale infused with whole vanilla beans."

A - Amber/caramel-colored body with just the slightest bit of haze and a thin off-white ring with virtually no head or lacing.

S - Subtle nose overall with hints of sweet malt and an apparent vanilla presence. Otherwise, not much else.

T - Very sweet with a light caramely, syrupy malt character and a hefty dose of vanilla bean flavor. Hops are virtually undetected, save for a faint floral character in the backend.

M - Light bodied with a slight syrupy texture and soft carbonation. Sweet on the tastebuds.

D - Pretty nice light ale with an authentic vanilla flavor. True it is a rather one-dimensional brew, but it is an easy drinker and not overly sweet.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2009 01:45:15 | More by ffejherb

Newmerator

California

2.88/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Okay, so I know they what they were going for with this. Perhaps they got exactly what they wanted, and there is some demographic that wants to go to a brewpub and get this sweet vanilla light beer.

Too sweet for my liking, pours a light golden amber. no lace or head retention. very light beer, light body. just sweet vanilla taste. I don't really like it too much.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2009 03:07:22 | More by Newmerator

illidurit

California

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at 515 in Santa Cruz. Poured into a pint glass. Clear golden color with a frothy white head. Nice retention and lots of sticky lacing. Aroma is saccharine vanilla, kinda wafer-ish and artificial. It's not unpleasant but it's cloying. Flavor is an even pale malt base with sweet vanilla and toastiness. Much better balance than the aroma suggested. Pretty refreshing and extremely easy to drink. I don't think I'd get through 2 of these though just because it's too sweet. Very light and clean on the palate but with a nice sensation of creaminess from the vanilla.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2008 07:49:15 | More by illidurit

jwolfie70

California

2.68/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours an unremarkable golden color, with a thin white head. Smell is dominated by artificial vanilla. Taste was also dominated by artificial vanilla. The beer was overly sweet, and tasted like a diet vanilla coke mixed with beer. I could see some people digging it, but this beer was not for me.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2008 00:47:49 | More by jwolfie70

JDV

Texas

3.58/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Creamy natural vanilla smell from a rich bright, clear, orange pour with some nice lacing. Taste is refreshing, a definite vanilla, with a nice crisp finish. Lingering subtle vanilla and an organic grainy taste. Good overall and maybe my favorite Thirsty Bear beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2008 22:14:03 | More by JDV

bboven

Texas

2.3/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Th color is like a cheap whiskey. Darkish, not a lot of head retention.

The smell is very vanilla-ey, smells almost artificial.

Tastes like somebody made a shandy out of cream soda and Budweiser.

Very, very, very thin mouthfeel.

It's really sweet for me, but it's probably very drinkable for the right person.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2007 00:40:40 | More by bboven

kdoc8

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at Thirsty Bear in San Francisco, CA. I was excited to try this - so very few beers rely on vanilla, so it's a nice and unique flavor to encounter. It was golden in color, bubbly and transparent. It was very sweet smelling, dominated by the vanilla. The taste started out yeasty, like a pilsner or kolsch up front, but then started to taste a lot like a cream soda. Interestingly delicious...

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2007 22:21:45 | More by kdoc8

objectivemonkey

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Didn't have more than half an hour here, so went for the coolest sounding one on the menu. Pours a clearish golden color with a nice white head. Smells, or course, like vanilla, kind of overpowering in that I can't really smell anything else. Taste is full of the vanilla, but better balanced than nose. Mouth is pretty average. This is a very interesting beer, well done, but wouldn't go for it often at all, and had to switch between this and the stout to finish it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2006 00:23:57 | More by objectivemonkey

baiser

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +18%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A very interesting beer. Infused with vanilla beans. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the result was a very smooth, aromatic ale with a crisp mouthfeel. The vanilla is very apparent and is very pleasant. Pours a clear golden colour, with a foamy white head. A hit with the ladies at my party.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2005 09:06:19 | More by baiser

beerguy101

California

4/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light gold color, vanilla nose. Light bodied Pilsner style ale, brewed with Vanilla beans. Strong flavor of vanilla and only slightly sweet. The vanilla flavor smoothes out the malt and hop balance. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean. Aftertaste is slightly bitter. A very interesting beer, very well done. The vanilla adds, not detracts, from this beer. I would not want to drink this beer every day, but its very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2003 05:59:45 | More by beerguy101