NorthGeek

Phillips Brewing – Surly Blonde (NorthGeek Beer Review Series)

We drink beer. Mostly BC beer for now. We tell you what we like.

Name: Surly Blonde Big Belgian Triple
Style: Tripel (aka triple) strong pale ale
Brewery: Phillips Brewing Company
Brewery Location: Victoria, BC

Color: Golden orange
Apparent Flavours (according to DW & NB): Bananas, sweet, fruity, spicy, yeast

NB Summary: This Belgian style ale is very drinkable, probably because it is sweet and relatively neutral on secondary flavors. So I will definitely drink this again, but it’s not close to being my favorite Belgian style trappist/strong ale — those, like Orval and Leffe, have lots of rich, secondary, adventure-seeking flavors. Pros: cool (maybe generic) label, nice rich color, crisp taste, sweet, high alcohol content (9.1%) that is still easily drinkable. Cons: fleeting white head, simple flavors. Phillips is going to get some mixed reviews on this one!

DW Summary: A very “pretty-colored” beer, I really liked this one. Belgian ales are among my favorite brews, and this Surly Blonde did not disappoint – other than maybe the smell. I would have really liked it with a wedge (or piece? What’s it called when it’s round, has the rind on it, and a little slit to rest on the rim of your glass?) of orange, and probably would have REALLY enjoyed sipping it outside on a hot day with the sun burning my face. Either way, I’ll be drinking this beer again!

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NB’s NorthGeek Beer Taster Ratings:

This beer is a: Casual drinking beer / Meal companion beer / Dessert beer

Taste 16/20
Smell 9/10
Goes down easy 9/10
Head consistency 4/10
Aftertaste 11/15
Bottle/Packaging 4/5
I would recommend this beer 8/10

TOTAL: 61/80

DW’s NorthGeek Beer Taster Ratings:

This beer is a: Casual drinking beer / Meal companion beer / Dessert beer

Taste 17/20
Smell 5/10
Goes down easy 8/10
Head consistency 7/10
Aftertaste 13/15
Bottle/Packaging 3/5
I would recommend this beer 9/10

TOTAL: 62/80

NORTHGEEK TOTAL: 61.5/80

What are your thoughts on this beer? Are we being too harsh in our reviews? Don’t get us wrong, we’re proud of our local BC brewers! Share in the comments below.