McNeills Big Nose Blonde Ale

Growler from the brewery. Deep golden blonde beer. Thin white head. Aroma is lightly malty with a nice balance of floral/noble hops. Lightly honeyish flavour with a fresh orange/grapefruit and noble hoppiness. Nice clean beer with a good balance of citrus and pale malt. I normally don’t like citrus and noble hops together, but this works quite well.

On draft at the brewery. A head and lace on peachy colour. Aroma that was both hoppy and malty. Medium mouthfeel of grapefruit taste, a good bitterness.

Perhaps the finest blonde ale I’ve yet quaffed, although it is more like a bier de garde or saison due to its amazing complexity and palate heft. Pours turbid dark straw with 2-finger off-white head. Aroma of pale grainy malt, some hops, some fruit, some spicy floral funk. Tastes as it smells, with the grainy malt, floral spices, hops, and honey.

22oz bottle, hazy yellow gold hue, with a small off-white head, nice grassy, leafy, piney hops nose, with a resiny note, pale malt, hints of grapefruit and lemon fruitiness in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a yeasty, floral hops character, with a juicy citrusy accent, with some piney, coniferous notes, nice mouthfelling hoppiness, hint of leafy mint, pale malt, leading towards a leafy flowery hops bittering finish.

Bomber bottle and served in a standard pint glass: Hazy golden hue topped but a fizzy but lasting head and okay lacing. The aroma has notes of biscuity and grainy malts, floral and grassy hops, and a hint of pear. The taste is a straight forward sharp acidic fruity snap balanced by mild and constant undertone of pale malt. Herbal and flowery throughout with a light bitterness and note of pepper on the finish. The mouth feel is crisp and refreshing with a short metallic finish. Not to shabby, a quaffable brew and good for a hot summer day (which sadly it was not).