Clipper City Gold Ale

Brewed by Clipper City Brewing Co.
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Baltimore, Maryland USA

From bottle. Quite a lot of carbonation in this one. Huge rocky foamy lacing head that takes a while to die down before I can drink. Mild tinny-metallic nose to this one, some oxidation with mild papery hops. A bit of pilsner malt, but kind of stale. Clear medium golden amber with a bit of haze, topped by that huge head. Medium watery body with heavy carbonation. Starts fairly sweet, with light malty character, some biscuit and corn. Mild hoppy character toward the finish, but not bitter in the least. Mild sweet after. Bit oxidized.

Bottle purchased at Corral Liquors in Granite City, IL. Pours a clear gold with a thin, white cap of bubbles. The nose is a blend of floral, spicy and lightly fruity hop notes over a faint pale malt. Light to medium-bodied and somewhat grainy, the mouthfeel finishes mildly bitter. The flavor is of a mild malt front backed by the same blend of hops detected on the nose (with an additional grassy note thrown into the mix). This is easily the hoppiest Golden/Blond Ale that I’ve ever sampled, but it just doesn’t do a lot for me. It’s a sessionable, serviceable brew, but the flavor doesn’t really "float my boat".

12oz bottle: Solid gold pour with a nice finger thick head. Light notes of sweet orange and peach lay above the soft honey and caramel malts in the nose. Medium bodied with a great drinkability. The hops move to a more grassy and piney feel in the body with a moderate dose of sugary caramel bringing up the rear. Not the most complex beer I’ve had, but that’s not the point. The complexity mixed with the drinkability equals a solid summertime beer for me.

Pour is a golden with a white head. The aroma is the best thing about the beer. Some grain and toasted malt with the very so slight presence of hops. Flavor is more watery, with again some grain and a small hop lingering in the backround. Nothing special for a usually good brewer.

Pours golden / blond with a pasty off-white head. The aroma has pale malt that is slightly toasted, a hint of hops and a nice cleanness to it. This is not mind blowing or complex at all, but is very nice for what it is. Medium / light crisp body with quite a bit of carbonation. The taste is on line with the aroma, but is lightly musty and a hint of metallicness to the taste. It is still enjoyable. Good beer for the style.

Gold body with a small white head that ends in a sticky lacing. Moderate carbonation. Adjuncts define the aroma but it is also floral with a bit of malt. Flavor is caramel with some hop. That hop gives a bit of zing to the beer but there isn’t a lot going on here.

Bottle. Pours gold with a white head. Aroma is floral hops and light malt. Light crisp body. Flavor is light floral hops and even lighter caramel malt. Very simple but nice. Drinkable, but rather boring.

Bottle. Pours gold with a small head and a good amount of lacing. The aroma is hops and citrus. The taste is smooth, a little hoppy and floral. It isn’t remarkable, but very drinkable.