I seem to have a theme going these days. Apparently I have a need to admit embarrassing things and re-think long held views on things. My most recent CBC column is a case in point. I, like many beer fans, don’t spend a lot of energy on blonde ales. Yes, they can be very nice beer and quite enjoyable in the right circumstance, but when I am in a pub or my favourite liquor store I generally can find something more in my league. As a result, I don’t drink a lot of blondes.
But recently I have been re-thinking that attitude. A number of months ago I tasted Harviestoun’s Bitter and Twisted and found it to be a singularly remarkable beer, worthy of ordering at any time. And since a number of blonde ales have come in a shipment of British craft brewers (most are readily available at Sherbrooke) that are both flavourful and refreshing. Which prompted the CBC column.
Peter Brown does find a way to have some fun with my mistaken choice of words at one point of using both “blonde” and “naked” in the same sentence. That is why I love working with the man. He is so quick and witty. It is a fun column and a nice mea culpa from someone who can be seen as something of a snob from time to time.
My goal was to have us sample a Bitter and Twisted, but sadly it was sold out in Edmonton at the time. So I went for an old faithful in Fuller’s Honeydew. A softer, sweeter version than some of the newer ones around, but a nice beer nonetheless.
You can listen to the CBC column here. And then go out and try one of the new blondes available. They might pleasantly surprise you.
July 22, 2011 at 9:31 AM
I don’t really spend much time/energy on blonde ales either. I find La Fin du Monde a nice standard to revisit when I choose to ‘go lighter’. I should sample more blondes, I just prefer the ‘brunettes’, lol.