Grays Honey Ale

Brewed by Grays Brewing Company
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Janesville, Wisconsin USA

Date: 08/07/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

Appearance: clear gold, fine white head, drippy lace,
Aroma: sweet honey malt aroma,
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, good honey flavor with a touch of honey sweetness, light balancing bitterness, dry finish,

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 9/20
Rating: 2.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Picked this one up from my trip out to Milawaukee. Poured a light and slightly cloudy yellow color with a small sized white head. Aromas of citrus, light flowers and sweet malts. Bready tasting with a light sweetness to it. If theres honey in this one, it is more apparent in the aroma. Thin and watery body.

Pours a clear bright golden with a thin covering of wispy white head. Slightly earthy, grassy, and mild pale malty aroma has a hint of floral honey. Body starts with an airy carbonation, giving way to some cardboard and a fairly bland, bittersweet body with lots of buttery diacetyl character. Finishes thin and watery, with very little lingering flavor (thank goodness). I’ll admit this is definitely not one of my favorite styles, but this beer could be done a lot better than it is.

"...the Honey Ale is truely one of the most interesting and unique craft beers available today." So reads the commercial description. What I had was a pale yellow beer with a frothy head that rapidly degenerated into a scummy coating. Nice lacing. But it smelled of canned corn with weak honey poured on. Tasted slightly better, a sweetened malt flavor with a light herbal hopping. Crisp finish. Done.

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Bottle. Slightly hazy straw colow with a somewhat thin white head. Light grass, dry honey and touch of DMS(cream corn) in the aroma. Hazelnut flavors and touch of dry malt. I've had this on tap before and found it more enjoyable than this sample, but maybe it was the best choice out of a bunch of macros.. I'll rerate if a fresher sample warrants.

Bottle. Pours medium gold with off-white head. Aroma of grainy malt and some hopcitrus. Fairly light palate with tastes of pale malt, some slight hops, and some crisp faint apricotty notes.

Pale watery appearance, fast dying head. Indistinct floral/honey aroma, not bad just weak. Flavor more like a pils than anything else I’d say, with slight honey overtones. Thin, weak body, boring finish, seemingly artificial carbonation. Not good.

Bottle from Beer Geek. Amber tinged golden color with a disappearing white head. Aroma is rather citrus. Light bodied with creamy carbonation. Flavor is pale malt with mild citrus hop. It’s not really sweet, but there is a touch of honey flavor. Finishes more dry than not. Refreshing.