In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that this beer was sent to us for free. (This job is awesome!) Don’t worry about that swaying my opinion of this beer. First of all, I’m a beer lover of higher standards and besides that, they only sent me the one bottle! (Actually they sent two and seeing how Dave runs this website, he got to have the other one.) Note to all future brewers who want their beers reviewed: For extra points in upcoming reviews, a 12 pack is necessary.
The brewer, Tailgate Beer is located in San Diego county that is growing in popularity however is currently limited to the Southern California area. For those of you that are not aware, San Diego has some of the best craft beers around. Enough of the talk, lets get to the review:
Appearance: Jay’s Blacktop Blonde had a nice pour with a thin head. I went with a pint glass and poured slowly. The results you get slamming it into a plastic red cup my be different. It has a light golden haze to it giving it a distinction from the macro light beers normally found at the parking lots.
Smell: This was the first thing that impressed me. It has a hint of hops without being to strong.
Taste: This beer is what I would best describe as a “gateway beer”. So often people stick to the stock macro light beers and are afraid to dive into the craft beer pool. Craft beer virgins seem to always expect beers to taste just like the everyday light beer they always drink. When it doesn’t, they write it off. This beer may just convince a few of you to give your local brewer another try. It has a soft taste of spice and hops without being too bold. Seems to have character to stand on its own while light enough to have a sense of familiarity for the traditional light beer drinkers. The aftertaste is very light and not at all unpleasant.
Alcohol by volume: 5%
Cost: Unknown (Did I mention I got free beer?)
Final Breakdown: This beer would be great at a tailgate party. It has enough taste to it that craft beer drinkers, like myself, can find interest in it. At the same time Jay’s Blacktop Blonde is light enough as to not turn off those expecting the normal brew. It is mild enough to go with most food pairings without being overpowering. With a light alcohol percentage of 5%, it provides for the feel good effect without limiting your consumption on a hot day at the grill. Normally I would never trust a beer that I can see through, but at the next tailgate if you see a Jay’s……give this one a try.
If you have tried Jay’s Blacktop Blonde, feel free to leave a comment below and share what you thought of it. If you know of a beer that would make a great addition to your next tailgate, make sure to suggest it so we can review it. You can write to me at Mike@tailgatingideas.com.