Beach Bum Blonde Ale

By JASON + TODD ALSTRÖM

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Anheuser-Busch keeps it "crafty" again this summer with its seasonal release of Beach Bum Blonde Ale. Thank the beer gods they never went down the road of vaguely sexist marketing, using bad innuendos about women with blonde hair. Unfortunately, a handful of small brewers thought that anything with "Blonde" in the name meant they could slap scantily clad blonde women on the label and make a snide chauvinist joke within the branding. Wrong.

With Beach Bum Blonde Ale, A-B keeps it simple—perhaps a bit dorky—with a generic surfer dude image on the label. Marketing-wise, they're aiming for the crowd that knows a few things about beer, but isn't overly geeky. It's clearly evident in the new online video PR they are pushing this year, oozing "craft" talk with vivid descriptions of flavors, aromas, pouring techniques and food pairings. Sure, they're reacting to the market, but educating the public about beer helps everyone.

As for the style, Blonde Ales are simply a lighter version of a Pale Ale or a rendition of the German Kölsch, wherein both the hops and malt are pulled back a little. Balance is key and drinkability is high.

The Taste

Good head retention; crystal-clear golden color. Darker than expected, but still within the realm of the style. Very faint aromas of citrus and pine from the hops and a light biscuity tone from the malt. Very smooth with a medium carbonation and slick, moderately sized body. Bready flavor throughout with quick flashes of light caramel, clover honey, biscuit and freshly cut hay. Hops jump with a small citric center and a faded flavor of wildflowers. Finishes on the dry side with a lingering orangey hop and clean grassy malt.

Final Thoughts

Clean and easy to drink, with just enough flavor to get by. It's crafty, indeed, and lands right in the middle of the pack for Blonde Ales. Balanced with a good amount of malt and hops coming through. Seafood would be the obvious pairing, but what about a goat cheese-stuffed turkey burger? Pretty much any summery cuisine and light grill action will be a perfect pairing. Available throughout the summer, both on tap and bottled. Sessionable, as it weighs in at 5.4 percent alcohol by volume.

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