64 of the Best Golden Ales, Blind-Tasted and Ranked

Learn about how we rate & review beers with our BJCP blind panel here


Left Coast Brewing Company Asylum (74)

“This Belgian-style tripel has a golden color and a relatively light body. It has a sweet and spicy, fruity aroma and flavor derived from our Belgian yeast strain. Asylum finishes with a subtle, warming character.”

Left Hand Brewing Company St. Vrain Tripel (75)

“A Belgian-style golden ale with intricate aromas of fruit and spice.”

Ecliptic Brewing Seventh Orbit (78)

Raspberries, along with Enigma and Ariana hops, blend perfectly with a touch of chocolate in a smooth golden ale.

Brouwerij Het Anker Gouden Carolus Tripel (79)

“This pleasant golden blond beer is preferred by all who love heavier, some- what seasoned, and refreshing beer. The full-bodied flavor still quenches the thirst, thanks to a balanced hopping. Bottle-conditioned and all natural.”

Victory Brewing Company Golden Monkey (82)

“This golden Belgian-style ale glows with goodness. The richness of imported malts and Belgian yeast are tempered by a sparkling approach and light body. It has considerable depth of character with abundant herbal, fruity notes.”

Birds Fly South Ale Project Fat Ma (83)

"This golden brew was lagered for more than 2 months and hopped with Topaz and Sterling. Notes of stone fruit are balanced by a floral, peppery finish."

Garage Brewing Company 951 Blonde Ale (84)

A golden-hued, well-balanced beer that is crisp and most refreshing.

Perrin Brewing Company Gold Ale (85)

Crisp and subtly sweet, it's crafted with the traditional beer drinker in mind.

Suncrush Beer Tangerine Suncrush (85)

“A cold-conditioned sparkling ale, Suncrush is made with crushed fruit, matcha green tea (a natural source of caffeine and antioxidants), and natural flavors. Suncrush is also gluten- reduced and all-natural.”

Smuttlabs Daily Brett (85)

“Tart Belgian golden ale with _Brett_.”

Brasserie Dubuisson Scaldis Caractère (85)

“Surprising aromas of ripe fruits including banana, touches of ‘cuberdon’ sweets, and caramel.”

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project Stay the Funk In (85)

“_Methode traditionelle_ spontaneous golden sour ale.”

AC Golden Brewing Company Peche (85)

“Our Peche relaxed in experienced oak barrels for nearly a year with several strains of Brettanomyces and various souring organisms. After it aged in the barrels, we added fresh, whole peaches from Palisade, Colorado.”

5:00 O'Clock Afternoon Ale Renegade Brewing (86)

“With a uniquely bready nose, this smooth easy-drinking beer contains qualities of a blonde and a Pilsner while being a unique creation. Sometimes beers are more than styles and titles; they are a state of mind.”

Oskar Blues Guns 'N' Rose (86)

“Ale brewed with hibiscus and prickly pear.”

Single Hill Brewing Company Pêche (86)

“A blend of golden strong ale and young house sour, refermented with white peaches.”

Ozark Beer Company Early Train (87)

“Barrel-aged golden ale with _Brett._”

Crooked Run Brewing Persica (87)

“Mixed-fermentation golden sour, barrel-fermented, then heavily fruited with peaches.”

Squatters Chasing Tail Orange Golden Ale (88)

“An English-style summer ale, this tail-wagger has already fetched a real name for itself in competition. Our premium barley rolls over with domestic and imported Golding hops for a delicate bitterness and cold, wet nose.”

Lawson's Finest Liquids Above the Clouds (88)

“Our crisp, clear golden ale features notes of straw and fresh grain along with a subtle citrusy hops aroma. An approachable and light-bodied brew.”

Deep Ellum Dallas Blonde (88)

“In a town famous for its bottled blondes, we’ve reset the bar. This golden ale combines citrusy and floral American hops with pale, Vienna, and wheat malts. It’s a balanced, sessionable brew.”

Sun King Brewing Party Energy (88)

Barrel-aged golden sour ale with funky pineapple and citrus character.

Crooked Stave Member Berries Petite Sirah (88)

"A spontaneous golden sour ale aged in oak barrels with petite sirah grapes."

The Rare Barrel Avec des Amis (88)

Golden sour aged in oak barrels with white peaches and white nectarines.

Deep Ellum Brewing Co Deep Winter (88)

This wintery golden porter bundles up cozy flavors of cocoa nibs and coffee.

Allgash Brewing Company Astrid (88)

“A bright golden color with assertive aromas of spice, bread crust, apple, and fennel seed. Citrus, oak, and anise give way to warm vanilla notes followed by a slightly tart finish.”

Boulevard Brewing Long Strange Tripel (88)

“A golden-amber colored, full-bodied beer with an intense fruity aroma of bananas, a prominent sweet malt flavor containing a hint of toffee, and a low to medium citrusy hops flavor and bitterness.”

Founders Brewing Marvelroast (89)

Imperial golden ale with coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and milk sugar.

Two Brothers Brewing Company Sidekick (89)

“Sidekick extra pale ale is a golden colored ale that is loaded with juicy citrus and passion fruit hops aroma yet balanced with malt and hops character. A true companion.”

Westbound & Down Brewing Company Meta Blackberry (89)

“A blend of golden sour ales refermented on whole blackberries.”

Ghostfish Brewing Company Lunar Harvest Pumpkin Ale (89)

"Golden amber in color, light body with subtle creaminess, flavors of pumpkin pie, sweet malt, fall spices, balanced with fruity esters from Belgian Ale yeast and a touch of hop bitterness."

Amalgam Brewing Oloroso (89)

Unblended, mixed-culture golden sour stock, selected from one of our Mastro Bottaio puncheons. Finished in a single Oloroso Sherry cask.

Bootstrap Brewing 1956 (90)

This crisp, dry golden ale is our lightest, most drinkable beer, balancing a light pilsener malt body with mild, pleasant German hop aroma.

Prairie Artisan Ales Funky Gold Amarillo (90)

“Funky Gold Amarillo is the second beer in our dry-hopped sour-ale series. We took our sour golden ale, Gold, and gave it a heavy dosing of Amarillo hops. The result is a beer that is a mix of tropical fruit and Prairie funk. Notes of peach, orange, white wine, and citrusy *Brett* can be found in the flavor and aroma.”

Civil Life Brewing Company Cream Ale (90)

Crisp, accessible, golden beer with low hop character and a clean finish.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Big Daddy IPA (90)

“A generously dry-hopped yet drinkable American-style IPA. The beer is a golden straw color with tight carbonation and a slightly off-white head that leaves a lovely lacing. The aroma is floral, fresh grass, pine needles, grapefruit, and some subtle notes of fresh bread.”

Wicked Weed Brewing La Bonte with Figs (90)

“La Bonte is open-fermented with our house _Brettanomyces_ culture, then blended with a portion of Golden Sour and onto a half pound per gallon of whole figs. La Bonte is then aged in our Foeder until it reaches perfection.”

Cigar City Golden Ale (91)

“Built for the warmer months, our Golden Ale is brewed with American Willamette hops and pale wheat malt to create a low-alcohol American golden ale that balances bread-like malt flavors with herbaceous hops and a vibrant carbonation.”

Boulevard Beer American Kolsch (91)

“Pouring golden in color, this beer has an aroma of bready malt punctuated by a slightly minty hops character. With a light-to-medium mouthfeel, American Kölsch delivers a honey-like malt sweetness that gives way to a crisp clean finish with a touch of lingering citrus/herbal hops flavor.”

Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace (91)

“An unfiltered golden farmhouse ale with a clean malt flavor and Sorachi Ace hops standing front and center. Dry-hopping releases Sorachi Ace’s bright, spicy aromatics that harmonize with Pilsner malt and Belgian ale yeast.”

Dry Dock Apricot Blonde (91)

“A misty golden blonde ale fermented with shiploads of fruit. A crisp clean finish and just enough apricot to make this a favorite. Combine with sunshine and friends for full effect.”

Odell Brewing Company Brazzle (91)

“Brazzle is aged in oak barrels with wild yeasts and golden raspberries. Behind the bubbly light mouthfeel and delicate raspberry sweetness, there’s a subtle tartness that is not quite sour enough to make you pucker.”

Amalgam Brewing Blushing Star (91)

“Golden sour aged on Blushing Star peaches.”

Jackie O's Brewery Cool Beans (92)

This full-bodied golden ale delivers a rich and creamy mouthfeel married with a bright and fruity coffee character.

Perrin Brewing Gold (92)

“This was one of the first beers we ever brewed and quickly became one of the most popular. Crisp and subtly sweet, it’s crafted with the session-beer drinker in mind.”

Left Hand Travelin' Light Kölsch (92)

“Kölsch-style ale. Golden, crisp, dry, and refreshing with herbal hops.”

Rowley Farmhouse Ales I live for Merlot (92)

"This is a golden sour ale aged in chardonnay barrels then referemented to dryness on local organic merlot grapes."

Kona Brewing Wailua Wheat (92)

“A golden, sun-colored ale with a bright, citrusy flavor that comes from the tropical passion fruit.”

Seventh Son Brewing Co Assistant Manager (93)

Delicate hops and golden malts give way to firm bitterness and a clean finish.

Boulder Beer Buffalo Gold (93)

“A Colorado favorite since 1989, Buffalo Gold is the definitive golden ale. The mild maltiness gives way to a floral character generated by a perfect balance of Cascade hops. It’s an easy-drinking beer that still packs a stampede of flavor.”

Wicked Weed Brewing Fille de Ferme (93)

“A tart farmhouse ale brewed in the rustic spirit of Belgian-style farm beers. Primary fermented with our house Brett culture and blended with golden sour ale. We then add honeysuckle and fresh orange peel and age the beer in our foeder.”

Amalgam Landscapes (Orchard Blend) (93)

"Blend of golden sours aged on Colorado-grown Red Globe Peaches and Ovation Nectarines."

New Belgium Brewing Dayblazer (94)

“A refreshing golden ale, brewed with the finest malts and hops, giving a sweet, crisp citrus finish with just a hint of honey. Winner of the silver medal in the American-Style Cream Ale category at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival.”

Cruz Blanca Brewery Solamente (94)

“Solera-style mixed-culture golden ale aged in French oak.”

Sun King Brewery Leap Year (94)

"One-year, two-years, and three-years spontaneous golden ale, aged and fermented in... oak."

Kros Strain Brewing Company Ratio 79 (94)

“Flavors of fresh-picked tart berries, peaches, and hints of vanilla.”

Southern Tier 8 Days A Week (95)

“The only way to describe this beer is ‘infinitely drinkable.’ This is smooth liquid refreshment with a hint of Centennial hops for fruity notes and low bitterness for an easy finish.”

Duvel Moortgat Duvel (96)

“A natural beer with a subtle bitterness, a refined flavor, and a distinctive hop character.”

Urbanrest Brewing Company Wine Barrel Blonde (96)

“Blonde ale fermented with monastery yeast. Conditioned in French oak red-wine barrels.”

Springdale See You in the Pit (96)

"Cherry and raspberry get rowdy with our barrel-aged golden sour for sweet and sour riffs of fruit, funk, and acid."

Upland Brewing Wheat Ale (98)

“In the tradition of the Belgian wit–style, Upland Wheat Ale is unfiltered, allowing suspended yeast to create a cloudy, golden appearance. This is an everyday, every meal type of beer. It’s comforting on a cold winter day and refreshing on a hot summer evening.”

Burial Beer Co The Fortress of Immaculate Thought (98)

Barrel-aged golden sour with blueberries. Find Beaujolais nouveau, dried raspberries, mixed-berry smoothie, a waft of Blueberry Kush.

The Rare Barrel Avec des Amis (98)

"A blend of golden sour beer, mixed-culture saison, and hopped wheat beer aged in oak barrels and fruited with fresh white peaches and white nectarines."