Style: Belgian blonde ale
Brewery: Beer Studio
Origin: Umeå
Size: 33cl
Alcohol: 6.2%
Price: 30kr
Systembolaget: 37512
Beer Studio formed in 2013 and continue to be one of the driving forces in the craft beer scene here in Umeå to this day. Along with their award-winning beers such as Loop Lime Lager, they also produce a wide range of craft soda, which are available throughout the region. This is the first time they have produced a Belgian blonde ale, and so I was thankful that I was able to get it into this tasting. I was also rather curious to see how well this turned out, and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this was.
It had a very pleasing golden colour with a long-lasting fluffy white head that is indicative of the style. Spicy clove notes coupled with hits of banana and moss were present in the strong aroma. There was also a noticeable layer of sweetness evident. The thick and slightly oily body coated the tongue with the first sip, with a copious amount of honey and resin found in the taste. It warmed the throat when swallowed, leaving a spiced honey note on the back of the tongue. It refreshed the mouth, with a lively phenolic edge that faded quickly. My only negative was that I found a small amount of sourness in the aftertaste which I didn’t expect.
Easy to drink, light and bubbly, this blonde was really enjoyable. It had all the characteristics I would expect with the style, and I could drink one of these again easily! I would really like to try this again in the coming summer months, as I think it could be a really nice alternative to a crisp lager on a sunny day.