Labatt has seen fit to add another brand to their stable of Alexander Keith’s beers, this one with the unlikely name of Ambrosia Blonde. “Ambrosia” according to my Collins Dictionary, means either “the food of the gods” or “anything particularly delightful to taste or smell,” which would seem a tall order for a sibling to this forgettable brew. But let’s see.
Rich gold in colour, with a fast-dissipating collar of white foam, Ambrosia Blonde has a rather floral nose, equal parts aromatic hop and cotton candy, but quite pleasant. It hits the palate with a roundness that makes me think “ale,” although the company-provided literature refers to it only as a “brew” or “beer,” and a light sweetness quickly tempered by a surprisingly forward bitterness.
The bitterness is of a green vegetal sort, like arugula without the peppery appeal, and it persists through to the finish, adding a note of alcohol that makes me think it tastes stronger than it is. There is no fruitiness to speak of, but a kind of syrupy full-bodied character which brings to mind Leffe Blonde, but brewed as a malt liquor rather than an abbey ale.
In the end, I find little of excitement here, but rather a “brew” full of sound and fury and showing initial promise, but ultimately leaving the palate unfulfilled. Or, in other words, a perfectly suitable stable mate to Keith’s Tartan Ale.