Redhook Blonde Ale

Redhook Blonde combines the best attributes of a flavorful golden ale with the refreshing qualities of a lager. The ale is brewed with three different malts and two hop varietals. Lightly roasted barley and a touch of wheat, combined with an ample portion of hops, creates a truly crowd pleasing beer .

Redhook Blonde pairs well with medium flavored foods such as fish, nachos or salad.

Available year round.

Style: Golden Ale

ABV:5.3

Malts: Pale, Wheat, Caramel, Carapils, Munich, Vienne

Hops: Willamette, Saaz

Color SRM: 7.4

Bitterness Units: 24 IBU

Original Gravity:12.8

2.7

464 reviews

Seattle, United States

Community reviews

2.5 Pours hazy yellow with white head, aroma of a touch of esters, grassy hops, straw. Taste is some light fruit, grass, sweet pils malt, slightly dry finish. Not bad, but nothing really good about it.

2.8 Pours a lightly hazy golden with a white head. Aroma is very light malt. Flavor is sweet malt , grassy, straw, little bitter in the finish.

2.8 Pours a pale straw yellow, nose is herbal and grainy, taste is grainy with a hint of floral hops.

2.6 (12 ounce bottle - pint glass) yellow color with half finger size head. For little head there is it retents well, better than decent lacing. Aroma is faint and possibly of wheat and barley malt. Tastes of medium bitterness and light sweetness. Flat carbonation and thin texture.

1.4 Hazy golden beer with a small white head. Nice lacing effects, no real aroma here, mainly whiffs of caramel. The taste is bland, some caramel, hints of citrus/wheat. It was refreshing, high carbonation. Goes down smooth, but this was pretty boring.

2.9 12 oz bottle into English pint. Two blonde ales back to back--how exciting! That is sarcasm you hear in my words. Nose is pretty bland, but there’s some pineapple and Granny Smith apple aromas present. Hazy gold appearance with a small head full of big bubbles that dissipates very quick. Compared to the Beach Bum I had before this, this one is definitely not as pretty to look at. Not as tasty, either. Beach Bum stood out from the blonde ale crowd; this one fits right in. There is absolutely nothing interesting to distinguish this from the scores of blonde ales out there. Extremely boring. Very drinkable if you’re in a sessionable non-thinking mood, however. Taste is bittersweet (bitterness is slight; sweetness is more apparent). Finish is a bit salty. But it seems almost all Redhook beers are salty. What’s up with that anyway? Carbonation is high; body is light. Kind of watery. So Beach Bum wins in this blonde ale comparison.

2.6 Crystal clear and super light in color, effervescent in appearance. Aroma is fairly light with no distinguishable characterstics... and hints at crackers. Body is light, flavor is of slight grain, no distinct hop aroma or flavor, mildly bitter. Nothing super however goes down well on a hot day.

2.9 On tap, sample, Portsmouth location. Fluorescent gold, minimal lacing. The aroma was that of pear juice. It’s sweet, malty and syrupy. The flavor was grainy and syrupy pear, an odd cardboard-like finish. Not watery, as many RH brews tend to be, but not excellent.

2.9 Something just struck me right about this ale. On their own, none of the elements really stood out, but they came together very nicely. Aroma is strong with cracker and fruity notes. Lemony. Pouors a clear blonde with easy carbonation and light lacing. Mouthfeel is where this Blonde stood out. Slick full mouthfeel leaves the mouth watering for more. Excellent lawnmower beer. Bring me more!

2.0 Bottled. Yellow color with little head. Aroma is lots of carmel and floral hop aroma. Flavor is similar with hops adding just a little bit of bitterness to the end. Not for me.

3.0 A- pours a yellow blonde with a nice white head. The head leaves behind a collar and lacing. S- almost undectable. very light smell of malt and yeast. T- very light taste of yeast then an after taste of hop bitterness. after a few sips sweet citrus flavor is present too. P- light body with medium carbonation. The carbonation overrides the lightness of the body O-nice summer beer. not one to drink to fast or too slow. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 04-05-2007 22:03:25

2.6 I’ve been a big fan of craft beers for the last few years and am always trying to get people to try something more unique than their generic “Big Three” lagers. But if a person were to drink Red Hook Blonde Ale they would very likely why it’s any different or any better than those beers, and to be honest I couldn’t prove them wrong. This is quite possibly the plainest craft beer I have ever encountered. POUR, COLOR AND AROMA I’ve noticed that bad beers often have a rough pour to them and that is true of Blonde Ale. It has a very clear, medium gold body with plenty of carbonation visible. It forms a one-finger, white, soapy head which evaporates quickly and leaves only minor lacing on the glass. The aroma is virtually non-existent. A very faint generic “beer smell” but is otherwise unremarkable (and in a way I think this is a good thing). TASTE I’ve slammed the macro brewers for their bland taste, but rarely does a craft beer invoke the same sense of indifference in me. Even when I dislike a niche-style beer by a smaller brewery I at least have a strong reaction to it. However, with Blonde Ale every sip was an anticipation for the next sip. Sometimes it takes a few swigs before I begin to detect the flavor in a beer, but even after three bottles I failed to notice a taste of anything whatsoever here. The only way to describe this beer would be to imagine a “light” by one of the big breweries but without the taste (whatever that taste may be). It doesn’t even taste like corn, rice, potatoes or whatever adjuncts are often used. Basically this is beer-flavored beer that has been watered down. And I might almost compliment it for not tasting bad, but it definitely does not taste even remotely good. FINISH Since this is one of the most watery-tasting beers I’ve ever encountered, it doesn’t surprise me that Blonde Ale goes down smooth and has a very soft mouthfeel. I would say the same thing about tap water. BODY For a beer that tastes and drinks like a “light,” I’m actually quite surprised its measurements say otherwise. At 5.4% ABV and 162 calories per bottle, Blonde Ale should at least pack something of a punch. However, I was able to go through three bottles as if they were water (then again, they tasted like water). Therefore, this would make a fine party beer, but why deal with the extra calories if you don’t have to? FINAL THOUGHTS A beer with no taste at all is just as bad as one with an offensive taste, mostly because it seems like a total failure rather than a true piece of craftsmanship I happen to disagree with. This is why Red Hook Blonde Ale is more annoying than it is bad. NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkhFxtl7AY

3.7 Red Hook Ale Brewery, Inc.--Red Hook Blonde Ale--12 oz. Bottle. 1998 Release. 5.00% ABV. 1999 Delicious, Thirst Quenching Release. 5.00% ABV. (4.0 / 5.0) Clear bright rich golden color. Light delicate hoppy front. Rich lightly sweet caramel fruit body with light wheat flavor. Pours thick and has good texture. Tingly sweet balanced finish. Sampled 5/11/1999. 2000 Delicious, Thirst Quenching Release. 5.40% ABV. (3.75 / 5.0) Clear bright light golden color. Floral wheat hop front. Lightly toasted mild malt body with hint of wheat spiciness is smooth and tasty. Ends clean with light hop flavor. Wheat floral bouquet in malt. Sampled 6/11/2000. 2001 Delicious, Thirst Quenching Release. 5.40% ABV. (4.0 / 5.0) Clear rich bright golden color. Mild floral hop front hints of maltiness. Crisp mild bisquit golden ale body mixes earthy sweet notes. Light fruit tang from wheat. Balanced hop spice citrus end. Rich. Sampled 5/20/2001. 2001 Delicious, Thirst Quenching 22 oz. Bottle Release. 5.40% ABV. (4.0 / 5.0) Clear bright golden color. Mild floral hop front. Lacy creamy white head. Crisp tasty body with hint of wheat spiciness and buttery light sweet caramel bisquit flavor. Clean refreshing mild hop end. Sampled 11/25/2001 2002 Bold BLONDE Release. 5.40% ABV. (3.5 / 5.0) Clear thin bright golden color. Light wheat floral hop front. Lacy white head. No sediment. Crisp tasty slightly tangy crystal malt wheat body. Light sweetness. Clean light citrus mild hop wheat spice end. Sampled 4/9/2002. 2003-A Delicious, Thirst Quenching--Old Logo Release. 5.77% ABV--24.3 IBU’s. (4.0 / 5.0) Clear rich bright golden color. Thin light lace. Floral mild wheat spice hop front. Tangy crisp mild wheat light dry sweet butter banana fruit body. Clean dry light citrus hop end. Refreshing. Sampled 8/18/2003 . 2003-B Delicious, Thirst Quenching--New Style Logo Release. 5.77% ABV--24.3 IBU’s. (4.0 / 5.0) Clear thin bright golden color. Light lace head. Mild floral wheat coriander hop front. Crisp tasty dry sweet mild wheat Pils butterscotch caramel body. Dry mild citrus hop end. Easy. Refreshing. Sampled 8/20/2003. . 2005 New Block Graphic--Longneck Logo Bottle Release. 5.41% ABV--18.3 IBU’s. (4.25 / 5.0) Blonde Ale--Wheat. Mild lacy head. Clear bright golden color. Mild hop wheat spice front. Crisp tangy Pils Ale caramel wheat ester mild doughy fruity body. Quenching Quaffable clean citrus mild hop end. Mellow spiciness. Sampled 5/26/2005. Red Hook Ale Brewery, Inc.--BLONDE Golden Ale--2010 12 oz. Bottle. 5.30% ABV. 24 IBU’s. (4.0 / 5.0) Wheat Ale. No sediment. Thin mild lace white head. Pretty enticing clear bright rich gold color. Delicate flowery mild hop light fruit ester front. Thin bodied mild sweet light caramel wheat doughy fruit hint refreshing body. Clean mild hop crisp citrus hint end. Well Made! Sampled 7/11/2010. 6-Pack $8.49.

1.7 Serving: 12 oz. bottle. It pours a pale gold color with a small frothy white head. The nose is scant, featuring a little pale malt and perhaps a touch of spicy and floral hops. The flavor is very light with a bit of pale malt sweetness, a bit of grass, and an odd tang I can’t quite place. What really comes across is the agressive carbonation and dryness. This one is a bit all over the place and I don’t think I would want to drink it even if it was hot as hell.

2.2 Godlen pour with offwhite head. Light Grainy aroma, not very pleasant. Drinkable but far from transcendent. This beer is bland as bland can be, the only saving grace is that it’s slightly refreshing and very drinkable. By subtle hops the mean almost none. Although Redhook is far from my favorite brewery, this is still one of their worst efforts.

2.4 Golden brown pour with a light white head. Not much of an aroma. Flavor is somewhat hoppy but smoothe. Goes down pretty smoothe with not much else for flavor.

2.9 Nothing special to this one at all. Wet the whistle on a hot summer’s night, but other than that, it was just a small step ahead of most macros. While Redhook is not primo, I have definitely had better from their line. Pass on this one

2.8 12oz bottle to a pint glass. Decent example of the style, but almost... dumbed down a bit to make it more drinkable.

3.4 Pours gold with a thin white head. Smells of toasted malt, some fruity hints. Tastes of sweet malt wth some fruity hints. An easy drinking lawnmower beer.

3.0 12 oz. bottle from "build a six" rack at Hy-Vee, Storm Lake, IA. Light ale smell, a golden pilsener color with just a tint of haze. Taste opens with some ale fruitiness. Hop pepper at the top of the lips. Otherwise, it stays a basic beer, just a bit more hearty than a summer lawnmowerbrau. Still, a better version than other beers in this style.

2.4 Overall Impression: Had this one a bunch of times, usually out of a Redhook sampler pack, it’s an alright example of the Blonde style. Flavors are fairly muted, thin, and light, if that’s your cup-of-tea, you’ll probably enjoy this one more then I do.

3.2 bottle. Poured clear gold with thin white head. Light sweet, corn aroma. Sweet and malty flavour with a hint of citrus. Light clean mouthfeel, not over carbonated. Very faint metallic dry finish. My first Red Hook and I liked it.

2.8 Pours pale gold into a shaker. Bright white head quickly recedes to hug rim. Sweet roasted malt aromas. Sweet and sour thin wheat and malt upfront. Dry medium length hop finish.

3.0 Light crips and refreshing. Not too much flavors but its simple. Balance pale malts with a bit of crips citrus hops and some light yeast.

2.6 Bottle. Pours a golden body with a white head. Some light caramel malt and almost a honey note, earthy with some light bitterness and a hint of grass. okay.

2.5 Pale yellow colour with a little malt. Taste is nothing exciting, some malt but is very thin.

2.2 Bottle. Clear yellow pour with a white head that is gone fast. Very malty flavor and aroma. very drinkable and smooth.

2.9 Sample on brewery tour. Pours a pale yellow with a thin white head. Thin on the palate, not much presence to it. Aroma is grainy with a hint of malt. Flavor is corn, grains and sweet malt. All on the faint side. Perhaps a good lawnmower or working outside beer.

2.8 Bottle thanks to Drew. Bottle poured to glass. Clear yellow brew. Straw smell and sweet nose. Soft tingly carbonation on the tounge. Nice bitters to balance. Little head at all and no lacing. A bit thin on the palate

2.2 Pours the color of a very ripe white grape. Thin head, and an aroma of banana bread. The flavor is highly grainy, with some banana-y-ness too it also. Very little if any hops present.