Texas Blonde - Wild Acre Brewing Co.

While many across the country are still scraping ice off their windows, the highways of Texas are lined with Bluebonnets sprouting up amongst the fresh sprouts of green grass. It is quite a sight to see if you never have, and for us it symbolizes the coming of hot weather and a spring and summer filled with light, refreshing, and smooth beers.

And because of all that fresh spring goodness, we had to get our hands on a six pack of Wild Acre’s Texas Blonde with the beautiful Bluebonnet printed with pride on the side of the can. It has 5.7% ABV, is low in bitterness at 10 IBUs, and is brewed with the dual-purpose and bountiful Azacca hops.

Aesthetically pleasing and inviting, just as a Blonde Ale should be, but let’s see if it met expectations in our firsts.

First Impressions:

• On the Eyes--Straw to golden in color with a slight haze. It formed a white head that retained quite well. 

• On the Nose--Gentle, tropical, and pleasantly green from the Azacca hops. It smells sweet and inviting, and it has a hint of woody characteristic that reminds me of the oak in our Rum Barrel Porter, which is an interesting connection when speaking of a Blonde Ale.

• On the Palate--As with the aroma, it is gentle and sweet. I pick up on notes of tropical fruit. It does have a slight astringency that is quite pleasing, almost palate cleansing, adding a little bite and making it very fresh to drink. It does have some floral notes to me, probably some of the more grassy characteristics of Azacca again, and it finishes with just the right amount of citrus. It has a bit more body that one might expect from a Blonde Ale, but it just adds to the smoothness and doesn’t make it too heavy. It does coat the mouth a bit, but it is a delight to drink.

The Azacca hops were a great choice in this beer. Texas Blonde is fruity, sweet, and well-balanced, and it leaves the drinker wanting more. It is a great beer to beat the heat under the shade of an oak tree, and I’m glad we got to profile it for our month on Blonde Ales. A must try!

Cheers!

Mr. Brew