Young Blood Operation Golden Dove 4Pk

Young Blood Operation Golden Dove 4Pk is a pastry cream ale brewed at 5.5% ABV, sold in a 4-pack format and flavored with peach, apricot, cinnamon, and graham cracker. This collaboration between Young Blood Beer Company in Madison, Wisconsin and Maplewood Brewery in Chicago, Illinois brings together two Midwest craft breweries for a dessert-inspired take on a traditionally clean, simple style. The beer holds a 3.8 out of 5 rating on Untappd across 174 ratings.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: Madison, WI  |  Style: Pastry Cream Ale  |  Brewery: Young Blood Beer Company x Maplewood Brewery

Production & Heritage

Young Blood Beer Company operates out of Madison, Wisconsin, building a reputation for inventive, style-bending brews. Operation Golden Dove was developed as a collaboration with Chicago's Maplewood Brewery, layering pastry adjuncts—peach, apricot, cinnamon, and graham cracker—onto a cream ale base. The cream ale foundation provides a light, effervescent body that serves as a canvas for the fruit and baking-spice additions, keeping the overall ABV sessionable at 5.5%.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Stone fruit leads immediately, with ripe peach and apricot meeting warm cinnamon and a biscuity, graham cracker sweetness. The overall impression leans toward a freshly baked fruit pie straight from the oven.

Taste: The palate opens with soft peach and apricot flavors that carry a natural juiciness. Mid-palate, cinnamon warmth arrives alongside the toasty, cracker-like malt character. The cream ale base keeps the sweetness in check, preventing the pastry elements from becoming cloying.

Finish: The finish is moderate in length, clean, and lightly sweet with lingering stone fruit and a dusting of cinnamon spice. A gentle grain note from the cream ale backbone rounds things out.

How to Drink Operation Golden Dove

This beer drinks best cold, straight from the can, where its fruit and spice aromatics are most pronounced. It can also work well slightly chilled in a tulip glass to concentrate the aroma. Try it alongside a Peach Shandy riff by adding a splash of lemonade for a refreshing summer drink. It pairs naturally in a Beer Float with vanilla ice cream, where its cinnamon-graham character creates a pie-à-la-mode effect. For a simple pairing cocktail, a Beermosa using apricot nectar instead of orange juice amplifies the stone fruit notes already present in the brew.

Best For

• Sharing at a backyard cookout or summer gathering with friends
• Introducing craft beer drinkers to the pastry ale trend
• Pairing with brunch dishes like French toast or fruit-topped waffles
• Gifting to a Midwest craft beer enthusiast exploring Wisconsin and Illinois breweries

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Operation Golden Dove taste like? Operation Golden Dove tastes like a light, approachable cream ale layered with ripe peach and apricot fruit flavors, warm cinnamon spice, and a toasty graham cracker sweetness. Reviewers on Untappd frequently describe it as having a "fruit pie" quality.

How does Operation Golden Dove compare to a standard cream ale? A traditional cream ale is clean, crisp, and relatively neutral in flavor, whereas Operation Golden Dove adds substantial pastry character through peach, apricot, cinnamon, and graham cracker adjuncts. The base remains light-bodied and sessionable at 5.5% ABV, but the flavor profile is far more complex and dessert-forward than a classic cream ale.

Is Operation Golden Dove good for casual drinking? Yes—at 5.5% ABV with a smooth cream ale base, it is sessionable enough for relaxed drinking while still delivering enough flavor complexity to keep things interesting.

Where is Operation Golden Dove made? Operation Golden Dove is a collaboration beer produced by Young Blood Beer Company, based in Madison, Wisconsin, and Maplewood Brewery, based in Chicago, Illinois. Both are independent Midwest craft breweries.

What foods pair well with Operation Golden Dove? Grilled peach salad complements the stone fruit notes directly. Cinnamon-sugar donuts echo the beer's baking spice and graham character. Brie or Camembert cheese provides a creamy contrast to the fruit acidity. Smoked pork or pulled pork sliders benefit from the beer's sweetness cutting through the richness. Peach cobbler or fruit tarts create a seamless dessert pairing.

What sizes does Operation Golden Dove come in? Operation Golden Dove is sold as a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Operation Golden Dove worth the price? Operation Golden Dove positions as a specialty collaboration craft beer, placing it in a slightly higher value tier than everyday cream ales. The dual-brewery collaboration, adjunct-heavy recipe, and limited availability justify its positioning within the craft pastry ale segment.

Why Operation Golden Dove?

What sets Operation Golden Dove apart is the deliberate tension between its base style and its adjunct profile. Cream ales are among the lightest, most understated American beer styles, and building a pastry beer on that foundation—rather than on a heavy stout or porter—keeps the drinking experience bright and accessible. The Young Blood and Maplewood collaboration merges two respected Midwest brewing perspectives into a single release. For drinkers curious about pastry-style beers but wary of thick, high-ABV dessert stouts, this 5.5% offering provides a genuine entry point with enough character to stand on its own.