Beer of the Week: Blonde Ale

Whereas craft breweries established during the boomtimes of the early 2010s were focused on growing into regional forces with multi-state distribution, by and large, today’s beer-industry entrants are focused on serving their immediate communities. In the case of Good Pressure Brewing, an Allied Garden beer company (the neighborhood’s first), owners Erik and Shannon Fowler want to not only be there for their hometown but also spotlight the work of other local artisans. Their first foray into doing so is a line of soy-wax candles inspired by the ingredients and aromas of their beers. Developed in collaboration with a San Diego artisan, this plan was hatched well ahead of Good Pressure’s early-December debut, allowing the Fowlers to have the first jarred candle in the series available at their taproom on day one. Dubbed “Good Pressure No. 1”, the cream-colored candle is a rather awesome first attempt, leading with vivid scents of luscious honey complemented by floral undertones. But this isn’t Candle of the Week, so let’s shift our focus to the brew that inspired this wax-and-wicked spinoff: Good Pressure Blonde Ale. While the base style is rather malleable, allowing brewers leeway to create something interesting, most blonde ales are built to be inoffensive above all else; balanced crowd-pleasers with little to offer in terms of hops or malt. Good Pressure’s is, indeed, balanced, but feels as though it were brewed to be a cut above its contemporaries. Its slightly darker color hints at a malt bill giving off toasted, biscuity character along with a hint of the earthy honey that’s the driver in its companion candle. Also present is a touch of resinous hop bitterness in the finish, which washes over one’s taste buds, resetting them for another sip of this year-round offering, which is available on tap and in six-packs at the brewery. It’s apt to feature a beer from a new brewery as the first Beer of the Week of a new year, but this is no gimme. Less than a month into its existence, this is easily one of the best blonde ales in all of San Diego County.

Since the moment Good Pressure Brewing came into fruition, we knew that our brewery’s flagship beer would be an easy-drinking, refreshing blonde ale inspired by our sunny corner of San Diego County. This beer features deep golden color with notes of citrus, honey and fresh-baked bread, and it’s balanced by a malty backbone and unique, subtle hoppiness. We call this beer ‘sunshine in a glass’ and aim for it to be a year-round mainstay. Our Blonde Ale holds a special place for us and has been a source of inspiration in many ways, including for the goods and merch in our taproom. Our goal to be a community-centric space extends to working with and showcasing local artists and makers. To that end, one of our first collaborations is with Number Eleven Candles, a local artisan candle maker. We partnered with them to create a signature candle inspired by our Blonde Ale. The resulting Good Pressure No. 1 scent is filled with notes of orange blossom, bergamot and honey for a scent that evokes the sunshine of our hometown and brings our beer to life in a new way.”

Erik Fowler, Co-owner, Good Pressure Brewing

Good Pressure Brewing is located at 7559 Mission Gorge Road in Allied Gardens