Tampa Bay True Blonde Ale

Brewed by Tampa Bay Brewing Co.
Style: Kölsch
Tampa, Florida USA

The aroma is faint but I detect malt and yeast. The appearance is decent as is the flavor it’s just very light with basically malt and latex hops. The palate is thin. This one is too light in every way but in no way offensive in flavor. It’s very much like the aroma.

A decent blonde ale. I can tell you that if I had a dime for every time my sister (who worked here for 3 years) was asked for a "True Blonde from a true blonde," I’d be a rich bastard by now. It’s a good beer for those that haven’t discovered the wonders of Porters, Stouts, and Brown Ales.

Draft at TBBC. Pours a bright, clear orange/gold with a cascading white head with yellow undertones. Slight hops precede an odd aroma of sweet malts and toffee, unexpected. Flavor is light with sweet malt, American hops(why American?, this is supposed to be a kolsch), and macadamia nuts. Interesting to note that this beer is usually featured in the lineup at the brewpub, but there is no pilsener to be found. I think that is a good thing, being different is not usually this brewpub’s strong suit. Atypical of a traditional kolsch, yet quite drinkable as is most of the lineup at my favorite Florida brewpub. It’s beers like this, however, that make me wonder how this brewpub would fare in a region with some actual competition. Not too well I suspect. Decent beer.

Draft at brewery. Clear gold color with thin white head and small islands of foam. Weak aroma that seemed vaguely sweet. Thin body with some up front hoppiness that was like grapefruit juice. There seems to be just a murmur of malt sweetness. It is a crisp and clean brew with mainly hops as the flavor.

Pours a pale straw gold with a small white head. Faint malty aroma. Flavor is light with some hops overwhelmed by sweetness. There’s also a nutty character. Not really my style, but there’s nothing inherently bad about this beer.

on tap-pours a creamy retaining white head and yellow color. Aroma is faint, light hops. Taste is light hops, grain, creamy, mild. Mild carbonation.

Thin, pale yellow, thin white head. German malt pilsner, caramel aroma. Sweet, malt, wheat, hop flavor. Smooth palate.

Draft at brew pub. Clear amber with a medium white head that also lasted. Good sweet small hoppy aroma. Light to medium body. Light sweet hoppy flavor with a medium sweet finish. Great lacing again. Every brewer needs a lght beer, just not my style.