Brew Along: Sun-Kissed Blonde Ale – Hoppy Summer Edition

The sun is shining, the grill is sizzling, and nothing would taste more refreshing than a cold beer with a bit of hops to impart it with flavor. That’s why we brewed up Sun-Kissed Blonde Ale – Hoppy Edition—a crisp golden ale with a touch of Cascade bitterness and a bold citrus punch from dry-hopped Citra. This beer isn’t about overwhelming hops or bitterness. It’s about drinkability—the kind of beer you'd sit on the patio on a warm afternoon and not feel weighed down. It's the hoppier cousin of the classic blonde ale that's assertive enough to appease the hopheads but not so intense that it will intimidate the non-hopheads.

We’ve already got this one fermenting, but let’s walk through the step-by-step process so you can brew your own batch.

A Brew Worthy of Summer

We built this beer on a clean, crisp malt foundation, using Golden Ale Brewing Extract as the base. The hops are where this brew truly gets to shine—Cascade for a silky bitterness, and Citra late in fermentation to add tropical and citrus aroma. But instead of aggressively boiling hops, we took a more refined approach—a gentle hop stand technique along with a dry hop endgame.

The goal? A crisp, light and delicately hoppy blonde ale perfect for sipping on during the summertime. Not overly sweet, not overly bitter—pure perfection.

The Ingredients & Why We Chose Them

Every great beer starts with great ingredients, and Sun-Kissed Blonde Ale – Hoppy Edition is no exception. We wanted this brew to be light, crisp, and refreshing, with just the right amount of hop character to give it that extra edge without overpowering the smooth, easy-drinking body. Here’s what we used and why:

• Golden Ale Brewing Extract + Coopers Brewing Yeast – The backbone of this brew. The Golden Ale Extract provides a light malt sweetness and golden color, while the Coopers Yeast, included with the extract, ensures a clean, crisp fermentation that lets the hops shine. This combination creates a balanced, smooth-drinking beer with a dry finish.
• Cascade Hops (1 oz – Hop Stand) – A classic American hop variety, known for its floral, citrus, and mild grapefruit bitterness. Instead of boiling it, we’re using a hop stand method, which gives us its flavor without extracting too much bitterness, keeping this brew smooth and drinkable.
• Citra Hops (1 oz – Dry Hop) – One of the most aromatic hops out there, Citra delivers bold tropical fruit, mango, and bright citrus aromas. Adding it as a dry hop maximizes aroma while keeping bitterness in check, making every sip burst with fresh citrus notes.
• Water (Filtered or Spring Water Recommended) – Great beer starts with great water. Using filtered or spring water ensures a clean, crisp taste without unwanted chlorine or chemical flavors. If your tap water has a noticeable taste, it will carry into your beer—so starting with good water is just as important as choosing the right hops and malt.

By carefully selecting these ingredients and using a hop stand method instead of a traditional boil, we keep this balanced, aromatic, and easy-drinking—perfect for summer sipping.

The Brewing Process – Achieving the Perfect Balance

Before even thinking about brewing, we sanitized everything—the fermenter, utensils, and anything that would touch the beer. A clean start = clean beer. If you’re new to brewing, remember this: sanitize like your beer depends on it—because it does.

To prepare, we placed the Golden Ale Extract can in hot water to soften it up while we heated our brewing water. Then we added the packet of Cascade Hops into the hop sack, loosely tied it closed, trimmed away the excess material, and set it aside.

We brought 8 cups of water to boil in our favorite brew pot, then immediately took it off the heat. Add the hop sack and the Golden Ale Extract. Stir until completely mixed and cover for ten minutes.

This is known as the Hop Stand or Whirlpool method. Instead of boiling the hops, we steep them in hot wort after removing it from heat. This technique extracts bold hop flavor and aroma while keeping bitterness low, resulting in a smoother, more balanced beer.

Cooling & Transferring to the Fermenter

At this point, we have what’s known as wort—unfermented beer. From here, no more stirring—the wort is ready for fermentation.

After the 10-minute hop stand, we carefully removed the lid and grabbed the hop sack with a pair of sanitized tongs. We let the excess liquid drain for a moment, then dropped the hop sack straight into the fermenter. Next, we transferred the wort into the fermenter and added cold water up to line 2 (or 8.5L if not using a Little Brown Keg).

Fermentation & Dry Hop Plan

The Golden Ale Extract comes with Coopers Brewing Yeast, known for its clean fermentation that lets the malt and hops shine. We slowly sprinkled the yeast straight onto the wort. Again—no stirring required. We simply sealed up the fermenter and placed it in a dark, cool spot to let the yeast get to work.

Now, it's time to let the yeast do its job. Over the next 14 days, fermentation will turn sugars into alcohol and CO₂, while the beer’s flavors develop and mature.

At Day 10 or 11, we’ll dry hop with 1 oz of Citra hops. This step is all about aroma—the late addition of hops will give the beer that huge burst of citrus, mango, and grapefruit notes without adding extra bitterness.

This time you’ll need to sanitize your hop sack, as we’re going to add it right to the brew. Any contamination can ruin it at this point. Adding hops to a sanitized sack won’t hurt anything—it just keeps things cleaner and easier to remove later. Tie it off loosely and cut the excess just like before. Open your fermenter and gently set it in. Try not to disturb the brew too much by dropping it in and splashing. Seal the fermenter back up and continue the wait.

What’s Next? Bottling & Carbonation

In a few days, fermentation will be complete, and we’ll move on to bottling. But first, we’ll check:

• Does the beer smell bright and citrusy?
• Does it taste like flat beer (not sweet or syrupy)?
• Is fermentation fully finished (no bubbling or visible activity)?

If everything checks out, we’ll bottle, prime, and let the beer carbonate for a couple of weeks before chilling and enjoying the first pour. And trust us—that first sip is going to taste like summer in a glass.

Get Ready to Brew This Yourself

If you love crisp, refreshing beers with just the right amount of hops, this one’s for you. Whether you’re brewing for a summer BBQ, a weekend on the patio, or just to have something light but flavorful on tap, Sun-Kissed Blonde Ale – Hoppy Edition delivers.

Want to brew this yourself?

Click here to grab the Sun-Kissed Blonde Ale Recipe Kit!

Stay tuned for Part 2: Bottling & Carbonation, where we’ll walk through the final steps to getting this beer ready for drinking. Until then, happy brewing!