Carolina Blonde

Brewed by Carolina Beer Company
Style: Pilsener
Mooresville, North Carolina USA

(12 oz bottle: Obtained 25-Mar-06 in trade with Jonathan3584, thanks Jonathan!) There’s not a whole lot of flavor or body to this beer, but it’s dominated by the flavor of cooked corn husks. Very grainy, lightly sweet, minimally bitter, it’s just corn husks to me. I’m not particularly offended by the actual flavor, I just want something else. And better body too. This is light-bodied, kinda thin, but pretty easy on the palate. Hazy, dark straw colored body is topped by an initially-tall, white head that settles to a wide ring, but leaves no lacing on the glass. This really is a throw-away beer to me, toss it in the cooler and hope people at the barbeque drink it all up so you have none left to deal with. Not offensive per se, but not something I’d ever want to drink again. And oh yeah, having lived in North Carolina for five years and experienced the feminine beauties, screw the damn lighthouse, I’m disappointed there isn’t a beautiful Carolina Blonde on the label!

Bottle. Bright yellow with white head that fades quickly, and lots of rising carbonation. Not much nose-- some light grainy malt and faint grassy hops present. Pleasant carbonation makes for a creamy, medium-light body with a nice fresh grain flavor and clean, slightly sweet finish. Really not bad at all, refreshing on a humid day.

Rising carbonation fills a soapy head with large bubbles. Nose is sour milk and corn. Watery mouth, no bitterness. Flavour is corn and mild citrus.

Blah. Only slightly more flavorful than water. Looked good but lacked taste.

Light and watery. Only "different" choice at a Marriott bar. Should have gone with a Boston Lager. Some maltiness is there, but the hops are missing.

I had this one in the Charlotte airport, after getting ill on a US Airways flight from LA to Frankfurt, sent home via Charlotte. At the time, it was a wonderful release from my trying day, but overall, it was an average beer, malty, easy drinking, but not great. I enjoyed it at an airport, when I just wanted to come home, it provided me with some comfort, I won’t forget "Carolina Blonde" !

Carolina Blonde pours to a very pale blonde golden color with a tight bubbly white head that fades, and a good bit of carbonation. The nose on this beer is not very remarkable, with subtle aromas of pale malt, and hints of grassy hop aroma. The palate is very lean, with some light and crisp pale malty flavor. Carolina Blonde finishes with a touch of crisp maltiness up front, and a mild, quick hop bitterness that fades to nothing. A well made beer, but not one that would get a craft beer lover too excited if looking for a great pilsner. If you are looking for a light, refreshing, local pilsner, then you might indeed want to give this beer a try. But for a craft beer lover, this beer won’t have you jumping in one of Rusty Wallace’s cars and heading for Mooresville.

Overall this clear and headless gold beer was much better than I expected. When it was brought to me I expected another pale lager, but was suprised that it actually had some taste to it. A small hint of fruit with a crisp finish.