Thomas Hooker Blonde Ale

Brewed by Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Style: Cream Ale
Bloomfield, Connecticut USA

Not a very strong offering from this fine brewery. Promisingly lively after my evening workout, and initially quite refreshing - big head, attractive aroma, and a peppy hop front to a creamy malt brew. But the character fades very quickly, with only a slightly bready and somewhat corn-y taste lasting most of the way.

12 oz bottle from Julios. Almost clear golden in color with a medium off white head, carbonation seems to be moderate. Aroma is fairly typical of the style- sweet pale malts with a subtle floral hop presence. Taste is lightly bready, with pale malts and light yeast notes, smooth with a light hop bittering finish. pretty well done...

This bottle courtesy of John jjpm74, thanks and appreciation go his way! 12 oz brown bottle that pours like a ubiquitous pale yellow american lager. Aroma is rather candy sweet and attractive, makes my mouth water. Head is thin and creamy and it never fades, it’s like the head you see on stronger ales. Interesting first taste bud sensations, Mild and mannered, very low bitterness in this brew. Carbonation is medium low and creamy. You’d never know this was a 5% beer, the alky is well hidden, seems more like a 3% brew. IMHO this stuff is much more enjoyable than Oskar Blues Money Shot Cream Ale! Taste and etiquette is better than Genesee Cream Ale. There is a very slight refined malt bitterness that builds throughout the session on this brew but it never even gets close to the offensive level. Nice unique personality that makes this beer easy to enjoy and repeatable, probably a good session brew. Overall, one of the better cream ales I’ve tasted and it approaches the level of Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema, the best cream ale I have ever tasted. Finish is mild and fine, what you would expect from a very good brewed lager, no problems whatsoever.

Light aroma of yeast and light malt. Golden color with a large white head. Taste is light malts fading to not much of anything in the finish. A little watery.

Bottle - from sampler pack. Golden colored, cloudy. OK. Not much flavor really, but more than the mass market beers.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a hazy pale gold with a thin white head. Grassy aroma with some light yeastiness as well. Flavor is again grassy with a slightly sour flavor that I did not care for. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by too many big beers lately, but this beer just isn’t doing it for me. I like cream ales as a style, but this beer never crossed my mind as a cream ale until I read the style on this page. Not worth revisting.

Cold 12oz bottle: Pours a slightly hazy medium gold color with a ring and thin layer of alabaster bubbles. Aroma is of dough, light grains and aromatic hops, with notes of flowers, caramel, and light fruits. Taste is of light, sweet grains and dough well blended with subtle hops. Light to medium bodied and smooth with fine carbonation. Ending is malty with notes of flowers, light fruits and caramel.

Bottle: Hazy dark yellow with a thin white head, bready aroma with some grassy hops and earth, starts and ends lightly bitter, big carbonation, light bodied and a plastic off-taste at the end.