Fireman’s #4 Blonde Ale

Real Ale Brewing Co.
Blanco, TX

Available: TX

Real Ale is located in the Texas Hill Country, just minutes from the Blanco town square and the Blanco River.

ABV: 5.1
ABW: 4.1
Color: n/a
Bitterness: 22
Original gravity: 1048

Entrancing pale gold color with a tightly beaded head of foam, this blonde ale has a superb aroma of orange fruit, spicy hops and juicy malt. Bitter hops and rich malt are well balanced in the mouth with a continuing tart fruit note. The finish is long, lingering and multi-layered, with those spicy hops dominating but accompanied by sappy malt and bitter fruit. This side of the pond, the perfect companion for a full-bodied Indian curry.
- Roger Protz

Due to its unfiltered, unpasteurized condition, #4 pours a shimmering, slightly hazy gold-yellow. The hop aroma is rather subtle and leans towards a European character, rather reminiscent of cream ale. Faint vanilla, cereal, yeast, and sweet apple in the nose. Very respectable mouthfeel and texture for a beer of this strength, the flavor has some estery fruit (apricot?) and malt sweetness, with a wisp of spicy hops. It finishes a little sweet, but not overly so, and that is cut nicely by the bristly carbonation. #4 would make a fine dessert accompaniment for strawberry shortcake or banana pudding.
- K. Florian Klemp

Roger Protz
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

K. Florian Klemp
K. Florian Klemp is an award-winning homebrewer and general hobbyist who thinks there is no more sublime marriage than that of art and science.

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