Flying Fish Brewing Company was founded in 1995 by Gene Muller who sold his beer on the internet, making him one of the first internet entrepreneurs. In 1996 he moved operations to Cherry Hill, N.J. Today, Flying Fish is located in Somerdale, N.J. and is one of the largest, if not the largest, microbrewery in the state. You can check out the reviews of some of their other offerings by clicking here. Up for review today is their Farmhouse Golden Ale.
Farmhouse Golden Ale pours a pale, yellow gold with a white, foamy head that stood just over a finger tall. The aroma hints at a Belgian ale but with a distinct American flavor. There are notes of cracker and malt, some bread notes also prevail. The overall aroma is faint, however.
The first sip teases Belgian ale but drifts back to more of a standard brew. By standard I mean something you would expect from a macro brewery like Miller or Budweiser. That isn’t a bad thing. Some people prefer those beers. There is an exotic tease at first with a little spice noted before finishing with a slightly bready finish. The beer had a moderate amount of carbonation and is light in the mouth. The finish is kind of smooth and crisp at the same time. It also teases a hint of fruit from the hops at the end. The glass laced fairly well which was surprising since the head disappeared rather quickly.
Overall, this is a decent beer. It isn’t one of their best as far as complexity goes but it is highly drinkable. Let’s be honest, it takes a lot for a beer to not be drinkable. Seriously, this is a good beer but it might not be for everyone. Choosing a microbrew is tough and expectations are high. The flavor profile on Farmhouse Golden Ale lacks a lot of complexity and that might turn some people off. However, it is still a decent beer that you could easily make a session beer, especially since it clocks in at only 4.6% ABV.