New Belgium Blue Paddle

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Pilsener
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Perhaps it was just a case of bad luck, but when Blue Paddle’s turn for tasting came it was in the immediate aftermath of two high quality beers. This, and the actual quality of the Blue Paddle, contributed to a very mightily insipid experience. I now know, with complete lucidity and clarity, that I simply don’t like pilseners. Nothing against the Germans, they’re a fine and industrious people, but pilseners, or at least this one, just doesn’t have the same depth and flavor that ales do. Sadly, there’s not a lot I can say about the tasting. It’s a sub-par beer that hardly befits New Belgium’s better brewing ethos that produces drinks like the Frambozen or the Trippel. Blue Paddle pours a standard clear gold, reminiscent of the cheap brew sloshed around at stadium events. The head is shallow and disappointing, pompous and promising, but entirely deflated moments later, like a newly instated third world Generalissimo. The taste immediately reminds me of nuts; peanuts to be exact, if I may be forgiven for labeling peanuts as nuts, and not as legumes. I tried to move the Blue Paddle away from the distinct association with cheap ballpark beer but the reeking pils kept dragging me back. Add that to the rapidly deteriorating taste where the exiguous quality is indirectly proportional to time. As I played concurrently played a racing video game the competitive bouts got better but the beer became a gradually worse. Even so, I still have a great deal of faith in New Belgium, and consider Blue Paddle the token scrap of meat tossed to pilsener fans.

Bottle Pour - Small, white, and frothy head with good lacing a-top a slightly hazy light amber body. Pleasant sweet aroma of flowers mixed with maple syrup. The flavor turned my opinion south - slightly sweet to start, but quickly turned quite bitter and acidic, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste. The beer was watery and "wimpy." A letdown in my book.

This blonde ale poured with a nice white head. The taste was "true beer," with a pleasant bitterness and a hoppy finish.

Poured with a sizeable head that was with the drink most of the way, some lacing..nice and fluffy i guess, floral notes but i felt this beer could be better seeing as it is new belgium!.. enjoyed with Barry Smith at Sherlocks...

drank about 4 of these at the crocodile in seattle, you know the place nirvana and kids used to play. this is a thin refreshing brew with a hint of hoppy fruit character that builds on your palate as the night drains on. better then pbr.

12 oz bottle. Pours a crystal clear pale yellow with a good sized frothy white head that goes to a film that laces the glass.

The aroma is earthy grains.

The flavor is sweet malts then a grainy hoppiness and a crisp and lightly bitter finish. There are some sour notes in there too. The mouthfeel is on the light side...a bit watery but fairly smooth.

Overall, not too exciting but a decent brew.

Bottle: Clear gold color with a white fizzy head. Typical crisp malty aromas expected for this style. Has a nice creamy feel and a bit of metallic bitterness. A nice mellow aftertaste that tempts you to take another drink. Not bad

Tasted several times at the brewery. My least favorite of NBB’s offerings. On several occasions, tasted like creamed corn and dirty laundry. Doesn’t compare with any other pilseners I’ve ever had.