John Labatt Summer Blonde

Brewed by Labatt Breweries (InBev)
Style: Pale Lager
London, Canada

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Shaker

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12oz bottle courtesy of Headbanger poured into a shaker at 41°. Color is a bright golden with good carbonation and a loose white head. Aroma is a sweet bread yeast scent. Light body goes down crisp and easy. Flavor is mildly sweet with corn and a touch of hops. After taste is clean. Overall its a very drinkable summer brew with light flavor.

UPDATED: SEP 29, 2012 I’ve never been a fan of the two big Canadian brewers Labatt and Molson. Neither has left much of an impression on me and I don’t see the point in paying extra for the north-of-the-border versions of Bud and Miller. So when I came across a “Summer Blonde” by Labatt I was optimistic for an original tasting beer from a mass-market brewery.

Unfortunately, this beer is anything but unique. Don’t fall for this marketing gimmick.

POUR, COLOR AND AROMA

Well, at least the moniker is accurate as Labatt Summer Blonde does pour to a very clean, clear and bright blonde color. It’s a lager, so of course there is quite a bit of carbonation action present, and a very tiny white head which quickly dissipates and leaves no lacing on the glass.

I didn’t have high expectations for the taste judging from the scent, which is extremely malty in that traditional “beer” sense. Aren’t summer beers supposed to be citrusy, or at least have some unique characteristic? Why does this smell like a run-of-the-mill lager?

TASTE AND FINISH

I can’t say I was surprised when I winced a little after taking my first swig of Labatt Summer Blonde. I’ve had Labatt Blue before and this beer tastes nearly identical to that big-name brand. Perhaps my beer was some sort of fluke on the assembly line and actually is Labatt Blue but in a Summer Blonde bottle?

Regardless, I’m not very impressed with the taste here. It’s very flat, watered-down and leaves no impression whatsoever. This beer has a bitter aftertaste and thanks to its high carbonation, you’re going to be tasting it well after your glass or bottle is empty.

But at least there’s good news: the beer is drinkable. I guess that’s why it’s considered a “summer” beer, because it’s very smooth and would work well as a summer cook-out beer for people who want to drink many in a row.

BODY

The best way to describe the body of Labatt Summer Blonde would be “a light beer with a body.” Most major-label light beers are essentially alcoholic water, but at least this particular brew has some definite weight to it. This gives it the bare minimum of flavor, certainly better than your dime-a-dozen lights from St. Louis or Milwaukee. Combined with its smooth finish it’s definitely a party beer, but in no way do I mean that to be complimentary.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If this is the Canadians’ idea of a “summer” beer, I’d like to know what they consider the real difference to be between seasonal and year-round beers. Just because it’s light and smooth doesn’t make it a summer beer. It’s just a mass-market light beer with a fancy name.

hells ya, another fine choice from the summer love sampler case. idk, this tasted like labatt with a hint of fruit in it. not much else going on with it.

Bottle. Pours a medium gold with a fizzy white head and aromas of grass, lemon and grain. Flavor is sweet and uninteresting... with a grassy finish.

Bottle from Labatt’s variety pack from pat’s. Pours gold with white head. Nose and flavor are pale malt and hopcitrus, with some lemony and grainy nuances.

Clear yellow color with a few bubbles and a decent white head. Aroma of yest and hops, little skunky up top. Flavor of slight hops. Yeasty. Some honey covered grains buried in there somewhere. Good lacing. Smooth but carbonated at the same time. Crisp almost biting and somewhat bitter finish.

I found this beer to be pretty enjoyable for a good social beer. Not extremely noteworthy, but still good. The beer looks and smells crisp and clean, and it finishes thusly. Nice little bite at the end. Its not the most interesting beer in terms of palate. Its quite simple as far as I can tell. No real afternotes or mid-tones. Simply a matly crispness that quickly fades out. Not something I’d be against drinking though, one of my favorites of the Labatt’s collection.

12oz bottle 4/5/09-Pours a slight hazy golden with a small ring for a head. Aroma of sweetness and honey. Flavor the same with some grains thrown in. This light bodied brew was pretty boring with nothing to write home about.

UPDATED: DEC 3, 2008 Bottle. Pours hazy gold ith a with frothy head. Smells light. Crisp and refreshing, but light and mildly thin. Tastes about the same. Grassy and crisp. but light and refreshing, not too bad.