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Guinness Baltimore Blonde

Guinness
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🌍 Ireland · Blonde Ale · One of 32 Blonde Ales in hopIQ

The flagship of the Guinness brewery in Baltimore, introduced in 2013 and brewed in the United States with the house yeast and Citra and Mosaic hops. It is golden and brilliantly clear. The aroma is clean and hop-led, with citrus, grapefruit and orange peel over a light cracker malt. The palate is dry and crisp, the malt sweetness restrained, and a citrus bitterness carries into a short finish. The lightest beer in the range and the only one not brewed in Dublin.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Mild
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Each axis lands close to the centre in a considered, even reading.

A profile in balance where the form comes from all sides, every layer speaks in turn.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Blonde Ale.
Hop character
citrusy
hoppy
orange
Malt character
bready
malty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Guinness Baltimore Blonde

Appearance

Brilliant golden hue with excellent clarity and bright luminosity characteristic of a well-crafted blonde ale. The beer displays a clean, white head with moderate retention, suggesting proper carbonation and conditioning. The visual presentation is inviting and refreshing, exemplifying the style's hallmark transparency.

goldenbrilliant claritywhite headbright

Aroma

The nose is dominated by clean, citrus-forward hop character from Citra and Mosaic varieties, delivering prominent notes of fresh grapefruit and orange peel. Supporting the hops is a subtle foundation of light cracker malt that adds complexity without overshadowing the aromatic profile. The overall impression is fresh and inviting with excellent balance between hop expression and restrained malt sweetness.

citrus-forwardgrapefruitorange peelclean hop aroma

Taste

The palate is dry and crisp with a restrained malt sweetness that allows the hop-derived citrus bitterness to shine through. Entry is clean and refreshing with bready malt notes providing subtle complexity, while the mid-palate maintains excellent balance between hop bitterness and light residual sweetness. The crisp, dry character persists throughout, making this an exceptionally quaffable and food-friendly blonde ale.

drycrispcitrus bitternessclean palate

Finish

The finish is short and clean, with citrus bitterness carrying through to a dry conclusion. No lingering sweetness or harshness detracts from the refreshing, straightforward character of this well-executed blonde ale.

shortdryclean finish
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
82
Appearance
85
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Guinness Baltimore Blonde

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Guinness Baltimore Blonde

About Blonde Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Blonde Ale?

Blonde Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Blonde Ale

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

Other Blonde Ales in hopIQ

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