A Year of Craft Beer, Vol. 51, Old Forge Celestial Blonde Ale

"Stay away from the cans!  This guy hates cans!"  

The only reason that I hate cans is that I can't reuse them and some have awful (mind fizzle.  is that really how you spell awful? my brain now hurts) graphics, this one is good.  Proceed.  Cans are good for concerts!  They don't allow bottles so these are concert friendly.  Cheers!  Summer beer too.  Score!

Sometimes lager like is the Beer Advocate description of this American Ale,  a newly created style similar to Kolsch as well.  The main difference is that it's an ale yeast and not lager and taste wise it is sweeter.  In this case, celestial sweet.

There weren't many reviews on this beer and some seemed a bit outlandish.  I'm going to go ahead and say that this beer poured a very clear golden straw color with a pure white head that quickly dissipated to a nice ring and very little on top and nice delicate lacing that seems to last through the beer.

I got an aroma profile like a belgian beer with a slight banana like yeast mixed with sweet malts and maybe a little biscuit type nose.  You might be able to pick out pears or mild apple if you are looking for it.  Pears maybe.  Apple, I don't find them.  Overall it's sweet.  Nothing in the way of hops.

The beer tastes just like the aroma.  The sip starts off carbonated and malty and then mid way through it really smooths out making room for sweet malt, banana and pear to be followed by a little bit of a grassy texture maybe?  Someone described it as astringent.  I don't know if I would go that far, but it borders there with mild hop.  There is a definite hop character, but it takes a while to come out and I am guessing that it does it's fair share of balancing this beer as the finish is slightly dry and bitter.

I think the mouthfeel is working its way towards creamy, sweet and medium.  Well balanced.  The carbonation is slightly higher than mid-range giving it a very mellow champagne likeness.  It finishes mildly dry and is really well balanced.

Overall, I think this beer fits the description of American Ale except that it may be a little bit sweeter than the average.

I give it an 8 out of 10.  It's not a world class beer, but it is VERY good and will go great in the with concerts, fishing and camping!  Surfing, not so much.  No drinking and surfing!  Takes away from it.

I hope that you get to go out and try this beer and see what you think!  It's a keeper!

-Hooper