Style: Golden Ale

ABV: 4.8 IBU: 15.0

92/100

Aroma:	11
Appearance:	2
Flavor:	19
Mouthfeel:	4

Perrin Brewing Gold

What the brewers say

“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.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Moderate tea-like hops up front with underlying grassy and lemon citrus. Then it adds complexity with some smoky, herbal hops followed by grainy malt, sweet bread, and some fruity, tropical hops character.”

Flavor: “Hops come through more in the flavor with the herbal and lemon becoming more of a lemongrass character. Malt is still in the background but akin to sweet biscuit. There’s a soapy finish that’s also dry and slightly bitter but not astringent. A light mineral character may be accentuated by the moderate carbonation level.”

Overall: “Hops-forward in the aroma while still remaining subtle overall. Enough malt and hops characteristics to be evident but balanced well to complement each other. The tea-like hops seem very subtle and sophisticated. Very drinkable!”

What our editors thought

Review printed in: Light Ales + Dark Lagers (Feb-Mar 2019) (View All Issues)

Print Shelf Talker

How We Review

REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Southern Tier 8 Days A Week

Aroma: “Spicy pear and rose esters and light citrus and herbal hops, underlaid by neutral husky malt. Going deeper, it takes on subtle tangerine, grapefruit, and lemongrass hops aromas.” Flavor: “Bright, crisp malt sweetness up front, but well-balanced with fruity esters and floral-hops character. Neither lingers too long. The beer starts very bright and strong but almost immediately mellows and dissipates, encouraging more sips. Spicy pear esters, light citrus and herbal hops, and grainy malt lead to a smooth slightly dry finish.” Overall: “Body is as light as most American lagers, but the esters differentiate this as an ale. It’s very restrained and confident, not trying to do too much, but every sip is satisfying.”

Perrin Brewing Company Gold Ale

Aroma delivers light cracker-like malt with touches of corn and perfumed floral hops. In the flavor, mild tangerine and lemon join the hop notes; just a wisp of bitterness, with a green-bean vegetal note. Fairly clean finish, lingering on a citrus memory.

Boulder Beer Buffalo Gold

Aroma: “Light herbal and grassy hops mixed with moderate malt and bread crust. Overall, this aroma is subdued but very clean with a hint of apple esters.” Flavor: “Bread, crackers, and crust come through in the flavor with more herbal, grassy, and a bit piney hops character. Well-balanced with moderate carbonation, a slightly dry and bitter finish, but not astringent. The esters are now more pear-like.” Overall: “This beer is clean and well-made. Fairly balanced between sweeter malt and floral hops. Each aspect, while not overwhelming on its own, works well with the others.”

FRESH BEERS >

The best new craft beers available in a beer store near you. Sponsored content.

New Belgium Dominga Grapefruit

New Belgium wood cellar blender Lauren Limbach was gifted a new foeder that she aptly named Dominga—a play on the Spanish word for Sunday. She first created a mimosa-inspired golden sour called “Dominga: Goddess of Brunch.” Now we are excited to introduce the cocktail-inspired version, Dominga Grapefruit Paloma. Inspired by the classic cocktail of Mexico, Dominga packs a refreshing combo of bright grapefruit and lime flavors, along with agave and a pinch of salt.

Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest

Oaktoberfest is our oak-inspired homage to the great German tradition of Oktoberfest. We go the extra mile of maturing this beer in French oak barrels to create an amazingly smooth mouthfeel. The result is a classic German festbier with a hint of West Coast hoppiness. Grab your stein, don your lederhosen, and enjoy!

Firestone Walker Parabola ’24

Parabola is always a beast of a beer, with intense flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, and roast coffee—yet each annual release also bears its own subtle imprint. For this latest edition, we aged the beer for a year in 12-year Elijah Craig barrels. These coveted bourbon barrels imparted signature notes of charred oak, caramel, and cinnamon, taking the Parabola experience to new heights. Pour some out in your favorite snifter; behold the impossibly opaque color as you allow it to warm up a bit; and then let the dark magic of Parabola stun your palate with its unrivaled flavor and complexity.

Sierra Nevada Cosmic Little Thing Hazy Double IPA

For the latest in the Hazy IPA series, ride Sierra Nevada’s interstellar wave of tropical flavor in this Cosmic Little Thing, a hazy nebula glowing with Comet, Strata, and Helios hops for notes of citrus, berries, and lychee. Head into orbit with this 8 percent ABV hazy double IPA before the next Hazy IPA rotator hits. Look for Cosmic Little Thing in six-packs and 19.2 oz singles.

Firestone Walker Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA

Out-of-this-world flavor that packs a punch—take a journey with Cosmic Crusher. “Cosmic Crusher is our crazy adventure into the realm of imperial juicy IPAs,” says brewmaster Matt Brynildson. Cosmic Crusher is built around two ultra-tropical hops—Galaxy and Strata. The result is a level of flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel that can only materialize at high strength, crossing the line into a whole new cosmos of punchy mango and pineapple character. SKUs available: 12 oz six-pack cans, 19.2 oz single serve, and Mind Haze Variety Pack.

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion

Luponic Distortion is the Firestone Walker trailblazer that continues to break the rules, back for the first time since 2021. The classic Luponic Distortion base recipe returns with an all-new hop blend to deliver a fresh blast from the past. Brewed with a secret blend of new-age hops, the 2024 edition of Luponic Distortion turns up the volume with mind-bending flavors of lychee, peach, nectarine, and strawberry. Available exclusively in the Beer Before Glory IPA Mixed Pack.