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Cardinal Blonde

Cardinal
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🌍 Switzerland · Euro Pale Lager · One of 45 Euro Pale Lagers in hopIQ

Western Switzerland's defining lager since 1788 — a clean, golden pale lager with subtle hop character and smooth malt finish. The tap beer of Romandy: ordered as a 'Cardinal' at every café de la Gare from Fribourg to Lausanne. Over 125 years the dominant beer of French Switzerland.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
pale gold4
See all Euro Pale Lager alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp mouthfeel.

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Euro Pale Lager.
Hop character
hoppy
Malt character
malty
bready
Fermentation & yeast
clean
Compare with another beer →

FEATURED IN

#3 of 50The Best Swiss Lagers

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Cardinal Blonde

Appearance

A bright, pale golden hue characteristic of the European Pale Lager style, with excellent clarity and a fine white head that settles to a thin, persistent collar. Carbonation is visible and lively, with consistent bead formation suggesting proper conditioning and serving technique.

pale goldenclearfine head retention

Aroma

The nose is clean and straightforward, with subtle noble hop character emerging as the beer warms. Soft malt undertones provide a gentle, slightly bready foundation without any assertive grain character or yeast-driven complexity.

noble hopscleansoft maltbready undertone

Taste

Crisp and refreshing on entry, with a balanced palate that avoids heaviness despite its malt presence. The mid-palate shows restrained hop bitterness (20 IBU) and subtle bready malt notes, leading to a dry finish that encourages continued sipping. The 5% ABV sits lightly on the tongue without alcohol warmth.

crispbalanced bitternessdry finishlight body

Finish

The aftertaste is clean and short, with lingering malt sweetness fading quickly into a dry, slightly hoppy note. This brevity is the hallmark of a well-crafted lager designed for easy repeatability.

clean finishdry
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Cardinal Blonde

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Cardinal Blonde

About Euro Pale Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Euro Pale Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Euro Pale Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, crisp, hoppy character as Cardinal Blonde will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Euro Pale Lagers in hopIQ

Explore all Euro Pale Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse Switzerland beers →

WHERE TO BUY

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