Session Ale #08: Kvass 100
East End Brewing Company

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From:
East End Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Kvass
ABV:
3.4%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.18 | pDev: 6.7%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
21
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 02, 2013
Added:
May 27, 2007
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by callmemickey:
Photo of callmemickey
Reviewed by callmemickey from Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Light orangish-yellow body... thick white cap... moderate lacing..

S: Tart sourdough bread dominates... light citrus notes.. mostly lemon and orange...

T: Delicious... bready malts... sourdough loaf after sourdough loag after sourdough loaf... nice tart character... light citrus.. some bitterness

M: Chewy, but light-medium body... lingering aftertaste

D: Top notch kvass... I think i liked the dark kvass from EEBC slightly better... a little more subdued and slightly more complex.. but this is a very good representation of the kvass and I can't think of anyone that does it better than EEBC
Aug 09, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by dgherm from Pennsylvania

Aug 02, 2013
 
Rated: 5 by nunzo from Pennsylvania

Dec 04, 2011
Photo of BARFLYB
Reviewed by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On-Tap (The sourdough version)

Kvass had a orange peach look with rising bubbles, a nice white cap sat on top leaving minimal lace, a nice looking beer. Scents consist of sour dough giving off a pungent tartness. sour cherries and other fruits. The taste is great, sour bread, fruits and some hops in the back. Malt presense is light. This is crisp on the tounge and quite tart all around but light bodied with good carb. I could have drank 10 of these, I really enjoyed this.
Aug 04, 2009
Photo of NJpadreFan
Reviewed by NJpadreFan from New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
East End- Kvass

I hope this is the right beer here. On tap at Capone's.

A- Bright clear orange with a good sticky head.
S- Light sour cherry, grape, and orange.
T- Sour and sugary orange and grape. Like a sour mix but not overpowering. nice touch of sourdough bread.
M- Crisp and moderately sour. Sugary kick in the end.

Overall- An easy drinker for the non-sourpusses out there.
Feb 20, 2009
Photo of Imstillthegman
Reviewed by Imstillthegman from Delaware

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Wow. So, I am moving some boxes around in the cellar and what do I find? Notes from a visit to Capone's last summer. Here's what I wrote down for this one...my first foray in the Kvass style.

Came to me a cloudy, almost thick and chunky looking, golden tan brew. Very little carbonation.

The aroma was tart! Sour..and I mean SOURdough bread. Some light citrus hops.

The flavor matched the smell very well. Tart, sour, bready, and a little bit of peppery spice to it. Different. Tasty.

The mouthfeel is almost flat, yet a solid medium body. Seems like it should be this way. Low in alcohol, full of flavor, what's not to love?
Oct 21, 2008
Photo of JamesS
Reviewed by JamesS from Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured a nice dark tan color with a good (light colored) head and some very nice lacing. Great scent, very heady and very yeasty, with slight cherry tones. Great taste, very deep, very yeasty, with some very nice cherry flavors and a nice bit of tartness. A little thick going down, but an excellent beer to try.

Personally, I don't know if I care for kvass, but it was an excellent try.

(Found in Ren Faire notes from August 2007)
Aug 17, 2008
Photo of treehugger02010
Reviewed by treehugger02010 from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
I had this at Capone's in Norristown, Pa.
Appearance: It was a brown body with not much head, but what head there was ended up being tan and fluffy, no real carbonation to speak of and no lacing either.
Smell: Nice with a sweet and sour sent, I couldn't really narrow anything down.
Taste: Freakin' awsome sourness. Again I couldn't nail anything down, but the sourness was so inviting.
Mouthfeel: The tartness makes you pucked in the back of your mouth causing the first few sips to be crisper than the finish, but very nice.
Drinkabilty: Let''s just say this was great, and there should be more of them out there.
Don't drink and review.
Nov 11, 2007
Photo of MmmIPA
Reviewed by MmmIPA from Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
My first beer from East End.Had at Capones.

Off white one finger head and a dark brown/redish body,very hazy.Head falls to a nice round patch.

Sourness and some berry smells.

Dry wine taste,berry and sourness.Very enjoyable.

Light and refreshing.No carbonation.I think it would ruin the style.

I enjoyed this stuff a whole lot.It was my first of the style and it held up to the repitation I heard the beer has.
Nov 11, 2007
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4.02/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served on tap at Capone's, this is the tart, sourdough version of East End's kvass.

A: The ale is hazy, thick with particles and yeast and, hell, maybe even some bread. Served in a glass, the ale was still with no evident carbonation.

S: The nose is tart. Any bready aromas that once existed have been replaced by funky lambic-like notes that immediately conjured up Cuvee Rene.

T: The tartness of the nose is just as, if not more so, evident in the flavor. That pucker factor is quite intense, especially when you realize that this is an unintended side effect. While most people spike a beer with these flavors, Scott just does it magically! As the tartness subsides, more of the grainy body emerges. It is thick with bread flavors, especially with the lack of carbonation (there is nothing to wipe away the body), and has some peppery zest floating throughout it.

M: This is a very interesting turn for the beer. Having had both the 'regular' (if regular can really apply to a kvass) and the sourdough versions, I am most impressed with this one and the wild nature that it has taken on.

D: The abv is ridiculously low and the flavors, including the tartness, are deep. Having tried a kvass soda at the State College Brew Expo (it was horrible), this American touch on the style is quite nice.
Oct 12, 2007
Photo of MrThursday
Reviewed by MrThursday from Pennsylvania

4.07/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
The beer pours a cloudy tannish-orange color, which, frankly, I didn't find all that attractive, with a modest amount of foam foam and just a bit of lacing. Smells somewhat sour, with lots of citrus. The taste has some honey sweetness, which is tempered by the tartness of the beer. Very refreshing beer. Delicious.

This was my first kvass, so I need to find more like this. It's a beer somewhat like a Berliner-weisse, albeit not nearly so tart. At less that 4% ABV, this is clearly the kind of beer Lew Bryson is always talking about.
Oct 09, 2007
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

3.72/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I picked up a growler of this at Zeno's before the BrewExpo.
Poured extra cold into a wheat glass. There was a lot of foaming coming from the keg they got but I thought I would review this anyway.

A - A hazed golden ale w/ a thin white head. The full white pockets leave the glass basically lace-free.

S - Roasted and strong bready aromas - literally smells like a fresh loaf of baked bread.

M - Light bready malt and salt in small amounts. Very easy on the tongue. low carbonation with a tinge of acidity.

T - A rush of bread flavor with a slight sour tinge- (this should be attributed to the particular keg we received growlers from, since I did not notice this at the BrewExpo) Nutty grainy tastes like a toasted loaf of multigrain. Not very sweet or full flavored, but the subtle biscuit effect is very tasty.

D - A unique ale, a very session worthy flavor. Kudos to east end for the commitment to reviving this style. I found even the slight sour taste appealing with all the bread flavor. I very much enjoyed the fresh bread beer - highly quaffable.
Aug 13, 2007
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Reviewed by John_M from Washington

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Matt had a keg of this stuff on tap the other day at Capone's. When I first saw the abv. I assumed it had to be a typo. 3.5%??? You've got to be kidding! Of course I had to try it. It was amazing.

The beer pours a tannish honey color, with fair head retention and minimal lacing. I get some light citrus on the nose - the beer somehow smells bright and refreshing. On the palate this beer is just delicious. It's got some features that remind me of a high quality kolsh, but it also has some nice light sweetness, honey and cherries. This beer is almost berliner-weisse like, but again not quite. Very light and refreshing, but with plenty of flavor to keep the beer interesting. This beer is anything but bland. In a 3.5% beer? Amazing. The beer is very crisp and refreshing, but does not finish short. There's a bit of tartness too, which goes well with the light sweetness. Towards the end I get a bit of clove and banana as well (again, much like a weisse).

Really, for a beer with this kind of abv., this is nothing short of amazing. Excellent beer; one I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to try.
Aug 06, 2007
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

4.07/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Muddy toffee tan colour, almost gray, with a little bit of white, soapy foam. The aroma was yeasty and bready, but a little spiciness from the rye was present too. Moderate hop bitterness that grew into the finish. Mild caramel and unmalted grain flavours, spicey sweetness, a bit of yeast and floral hops. It finished with a bready rye character that lingered for quite a while along with a hint of hops. Light bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth texture with a little creaminess. Highly drinkable. I went straight for a second pint as soon as I finished my first. An awesome beer for the summer heat. East End is really making some incredible session beers!
Aug 04, 2007
Photo of gpcollen1
Reviewed by gpcollen1 from Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
My first Kvass experience so not much to compare this agains. Poured from a growler into my Carlsberg Imp Pint. Thanks to Jasonm.

Pours a thick and murky off amber in color with a rather subdued head, even when trying. This one smells initially of a wheat beer with a bit of citrus, then hints of rye and a subtle sweetness carries in. Yeasty / fresh dough notes throughout.

On the mouth this one needs a chew or two. Tastes very hearty grainy with twangs of light citrus and spice. Chews into a bit of fresh bread and some of the malty sweetness. This one finishes a bit citrusy/sour and dry.

Thisis a wonderful thick and rich doughy brew. Quite nice on the palate and wonderful to have something to session on a Sunday. I want more of these!!
Jul 22, 2007
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Reviewed by jcdiflorio from West Virginia

4.04/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured into my new SA glass from a growler fresh from Bocktown.

Very cloudy,mirky apricot colored, not much head even from a hard pour almost an 1" of white foam with no retention. Low carbination just a few sparse bubbles rising looks a bit flat.

Very spicy like nose,slightly smokey,fresh dough/yeast with clove like aromas.

Very spicy taste,clove taste might be from caraway seeds in the bread a different kind of taste. Light smoke flavors,dry grainy taste doughy/yeasty flavors. Very clean finish suprizing spicy tastes lingering,almost some ginger like taste with a very slight citrus note.

Very light, watery even with a bit of tangy/grainyness. Goes down very easy,doesn't seem to fill. Could drink a growler no problem,refreshing like a wheat beer. A beer to try while you can.Try it if you can before it's all gone.
Jul 22, 2007
Photo of dawg
Reviewed by dawg from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from the growler into my DFH snifter. Murky and cloudy. Leaves little head and is rather flat in appearance. The last Kvass from EEBC had more carbonation (or my growler cap leaked this time).

Nose is bready and yeasty. No hops, no malts,

Tastes good. I'm getting some strange senses probably from the bread yeast used. Feel is lightly carbonated, very viscous and chewy. Tastes of some fresh citrus fruit characteristics without the citric acid (if that makes sense).

Good and drinkable. Won't have problems finishing the growler.

Tough to review in depth since I have little experience with the style (a few growlers from EEBC). I am looking forward to finishing this growler and waiting for the next batch. Might need to get in touch with Scott or Tom to scale a kvass down to a 5 gallon batch.
Jul 07, 2007
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Reviewed by Phatz from Pennsylvania

4.57/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Huge thanks to Jasonm for hookin me up with a growler of this EE Kvass. This is the second Kvass Scott brewed and man I like it. I opened this growler last evening and shared it with some friends while brewing some of our own beer. Seek Idesofmarch89, and gottajiboo2 for more thoughts. I took notes but saved a portion of the growler to have my full attention this afternoon.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy tea like color from the growler. It is an opaque orange brown with lemon hues on the edges and enough carbonation to form a perfect foam head.

Smell: It is definitely an aroma of sweet bread and bread yeast with a fruit twist. Wet rye and grains slowly and gently rise through the nose. Nothing in this beer is overwhelmingly in your face, it is just approachable and friendly from start to finish.

Taste: I have had the pleasure of drinking Kvass on a number of occasions now. Fist time was EE first Kvass and then I had several homebrew versions. To this day evey time I taste a Kvass, the bread flavors just amaze me. WOW! Bread beer is something else. I am a big fan of bread. I like to bake bread. I now like to drink bread. Like I said before the flavor ar not in your face but it is full of the essence of bread. A touch of rye, caraway, and a touch of tartness following the sweet almost fruit attribute. For some reason tea and chrackers come to mind as well. The crispness on the cheeks is perfect with a finish that leaves a nice dry tingle, on the throat and the signature rye nip.

Mouthfeel: Smooth! The carbonation is light and that is perfect for the feel of this body. It is not quite chewy and not quite dry but a little piece of both. The body of the beer slides across the tongue with ease and the aftertaste is brilliantly dry on the cheeks. [oops the burp is pretty tasty too, wow that is where the bread really comes out.]

Drinkability: MMM. This is a beer built for very easy drinking. The smooth dry finish and the approachable flavors with the light weight in your belly, and only 3.4% ABV just make me want more. I would like to see this become more available. Growlers bottles cases =) I’d be interested in them when EE gets to that point. Hell yeah! Kvass!

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!
Jul 06, 2007
Photo of WVbeergeek
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Look I know I've already decided that I really like this beer even though it was at the Penn Brew Fest where the palate wasn't really intact anymore. Let's revisit the second coming of Pittsburgh brewed Kvass, this time around 100 loaves of rye bread. Appears a hazy sunshine pale golden looks like a hefe with a nice creamy egg shell white head leaves even lacing around my glass, very good looking Kvass from my limited experience with this style. Aroma once again it smells bready, I know that's not too descriptive but that's exactly what it smells like and even more so this time around with the addition of baker's yeast rather than brewer's ale yeast. Slightly spicy notes hints of caraway seed run wild among mellow toasted crackers with citrus zestiness and a limited herbal hop profile. Flavors meld wonderfully and our much adored spoken phrase to describe beer finally comes true because this tastes like liquid bread and refreshing bread at that. Great toasted rye brings a mild spiciness more of just a hint of the caraway seed in the flavor once again citrus tones rush the palate especially in the finish, but an overall bready flavor really makes this one enjoyable. Mouthfeel is light bodied pretty decent carbonation, hell let's call it spritzy evenly coats the palate really doesn't hit one region of the tongue anymore than the others which equates to balance. Drinkability is awesome I could drain these with the sessionable abv that's presented and pleasant array of flavors brought out in this unique brewing process I'm not only intrigued by it but again satisfied, great stuff go try some while you can.
Jun 18, 2007
Photo of PittBeerGirl
Reviewed by PittBeerGirl from Ohio

4.12/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A- translucent straw yellow body with thin white head. Head fades rather quickly and leaves behind little lacing in the glass.

S- Light bready aroma. Herbal hints can be noted too.

T- Rye bread taste up front. Bready and a bit tart with herbal flavors added. Slight bitter aftertaste. Some yeast lingers.

M- Medium carbonation and light body. Very well done.

D- This is quite drinkable. Its a great session beer for any time of the year.

Its great to have Kvass available here in Pittsburgh. I hope the style catches on in the US.
Jun 12, 2007
Session Ale #08: Kvass 100 from East End Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 21 ratings