Diamond Bear Southern Blonde

I like to drink local products. Here in the Bay Area, we're lucky to have a huge selection of high quality beer and wine produced right here. Fortunately for the rest of the country, craft breweries are popping up all over the place.

I was in the Little Rock airport over the weekend, so to pass the time before my flight I headed to the bar. I was really happy to see a couple of beers from Diamond Bear on tap, so I ordered a Southern Blonde. I expected a blonde ale from the name, but what I received tasted very much like a kolsch. I was actually wrong on both counts. The description on the brewery website says it's a pilsner. The color was pale gold, with very little head. The nose was really nice, with a biscuity aroma and some citrus in the background, like a nice Meyer lemon. The flavor was very smooth, a little bready and sweet but then with a bitter finish.

I went in with zero expectations, but I really enjoyed this beer. Kolsch is one of my favorite summer beverages, and while I'm not quite so crazy about pilsner, this one didn't taste like other pilsners I've had.  I've got family in Arkansas, so I'm there once or twice a year, and the next time I'll look for it again. The airport bar also had an IPA from the same brewery, but they were out. I'd be interested in trying it too.