Ska Brewing – True Blonde Ale

I often find myself buying things simply because I think they are "cool" and/or "funny," which is all well and good when the things in question are movies, books, or music, but which is less justifiable when the things are, like, food, clothes, and cars. I mean, in theory, I love the fact that I tool around in a DeLorean while wearing a Brian Erlacher jersey, but the irony is lost on most. Similarly, I stubbornly eat can after can of corned beef hash because I expect someone might appreciate the humor. What humor is that, exactly? Ask my dog, he seems to appreciate it.

I picked up a six-pack of True Blonde Ale entirely because its packaging made me think of it as the Scooter Girl of beers. Well, what could be better than a beer that acknowledges the drinker's pop-cultural tastes?! The downside of buying beer in this fashion is that it's entirely possible you'll end up drinking pure swill just because you identify with the beer.

Fortunately, Ska Brewing seems to put as much care toward its recipe as it does toward its stance. The label wonderfully depicts the girl all closet mods want to fall in love with, the box bottom has a Bazooka®-esque cartoon on it; and the damn cap even says "Up Up Fatty!" Drinking True Blonde Ale is therefore almost instantaneously like hanging out with the coolest kids from high school.

Better, though, is that the beer tastes great. It's along the lines of Stella Artois, perhaps a little fuller, but clean and tasty … sophisticated, deeply satisfying, and not without a little bite … like licking a gorgeous skinhead girl's beautiful head. (?)

The downside, of course, is that you won't be able to find this beer everywhere you go, but it makes it all the more sweet when you do. I'm hardly as mod as I'd like to think of myself as being, but this beer allows me to pretend I am.

Review by Chauncey Compton