Josephs Brau Summer Brew
Trader Joe's Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats:
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- Style:
- Kölsch
Ranked #462 - ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- 74
Ranked #49,169 - Avg:
- 3.15 | pDev: 15.24%
- Reviews:
- 70
- Ratings:
- From:
- Trader Joe's Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 3
- Gots
- 12
SCORE
74
Okay
74
Okay
Notes:
Reviews: 70
| Ratings: 158
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Reviews by defunksta:
defunksta from North Dakota
3.23/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Appearance: Pours a clear, light to medium golden color, bubbling, with a mild sticky head. SRM of 7 (3.75)
Aroma: Very mild aromas of rubber. A touch of astringent cereal malt. A faint grape note. (3.25)
Taste: Also restrained on the flavor. Some rubber notes again upfront. Some faint cracker and vague fruit in the middle before a watery finish. Nearly nothing here. (3.25)
Feel: Light bodied. Mild carbonation. Feels clean, but watery on the palate. (3.25)
Compared to Josephsbrau Czech Pilsner 5/3/20: Pours a lighter color. Milder aroma and flavor. Less citrus, less bread, less body, less sweetness. Just less overall. Winner: Czech Pilsner
Compared to Harp Lager 5/7/20: Pours a lighter color. More rubber and grape. Less sweet bread and citrus. Slightly more bitter and dry. Maybe more of a plastic-type citrus quality. Nearly identical.
Compared to Peter's Brand 6/2/20: Pours a similar color. More rubber and grape. Less bread. Sweeter and breadier, but also more carbonation. Winner: Peter's Brand
Compared to Schell's Fort Road Kolsch 6/6/20: Pours a darker color. Stronger plastic grape. Less carbonation.
Compared to Josephsbrau Czech Pils 7/22/20: Pours a slightly lighter color. More bread on the aroma and flavor. Less sour fruit sweetness. More full and bready.
Compared to Orangeboom 10/7/20: Pours a similar color. More tart orchardfruit, rubber. Less bread and smoothness.
Overall: I'm not sure what Summer Brew means, but if this is supposed to be a Kolsch, I can tell you that it is not. The aromas and flavors are attenuated here and it's really hard to discern any aroma or flavor. A bit of rubber though if you're into that. Then it finishes watery and disappointing. (Final Rating: 3.23)
*Compare next to Harp Lager or another bad Kolsch*
May 03, 2020
3.23/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Appearance: Pours a clear, light to medium golden color, bubbling, with a mild sticky head. SRM of 7 (3.75)
Aroma: Very mild aromas of rubber. A touch of astringent cereal malt. A faint grape note. (3.25)
Taste: Also restrained on the flavor. Some rubber notes again upfront. Some faint cracker and vague fruit in the middle before a watery finish. Nearly nothing here. (3.25)
Feel: Light bodied. Mild carbonation. Feels clean, but watery on the palate. (3.25)
Compared to Josephsbrau Czech Pilsner 5/3/20: Pours a lighter color. Milder aroma and flavor. Less citrus, less bread, less body, less sweetness. Just less overall. Winner: Czech Pilsner
Compared to Harp Lager 5/7/20: Pours a lighter color. More rubber and grape. Less sweet bread and citrus. Slightly more bitter and dry. Maybe more of a plastic-type citrus quality. Nearly identical.
Compared to Peter's Brand 6/2/20: Pours a similar color. More rubber and grape. Less bread. Sweeter and breadier, but also more carbonation. Winner: Peter's Brand
Compared to Schell's Fort Road Kolsch 6/6/20: Pours a darker color. Stronger plastic grape. Less carbonation.
Compared to Josephsbrau Czech Pils 7/22/20: Pours a slightly lighter color. More bread on the aroma and flavor. Less sour fruit sweetness. More full and bready.
Compared to Orangeboom 10/7/20: Pours a similar color. More tart orchardfruit, rubber. Less bread and smoothness.
Overall: I'm not sure what Summer Brew means, but if this is supposed to be a Kolsch, I can tell you that it is not. The aromas and flavors are attenuated here and it's really hard to discern any aroma or flavor. A bit of rubber though if you're into that. Then it finishes watery and disappointing. (Final Rating: 3.23)
*Compare next to Harp Lager or another bad Kolsch*
May 03, 2020
More User Reviews:
Anasazi from Washington
2.69/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Nothing special. Average beer and I wouldn't pay more than the $6 Trader Joe's sells it at. A cut above budweiser and the Miller brands of swill.
Not much head or foam. Nice golden color. The taste was slightly bitter at the end almost metal like. Not much on any aroma or smell capacity as far as hops. Average sums it up best.
Jul 04, 2014
2.69/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Nothing special. Average beer and I wouldn't pay more than the $6 Trader Joe's sells it at. A cut above budweiser and the Miller brands of swill.
Not much head or foam. Nice golden color. The taste was slightly bitter at the end almost metal like. Not much on any aroma or smell capacity as far as hops. Average sums it up best.
Jul 04, 2014
rodbeermunch from Nevada
2.99/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Yellow beer, inch of head gets destroyed instantly. Smells standard kolsch yeast.
Taste is a mild trip. Light, lemony, bitter. Pretty standard stuff in the kolsch realm, discernable not obtrusive. Walk in the park.
Dec 26, 2015
2.99/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Yellow beer, inch of head gets destroyed instantly. Smells standard kolsch yeast.
Taste is a mild trip. Light, lemony, bitter. Pretty standard stuff in the kolsch realm, discernable not obtrusive. Walk in the park.
Dec 26, 2015
barczar from Kentucky
2.68/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Aggressive pour yields a clear golden beer with a frothy one inch egg white had that dissipates slowly, leaving sheets of lacing.
Kolsch yeast, cracker-like malt, and a touch of grassy hops form the aroma.
Herbal hops are evident in the first sip, with a bit of skunky character and a crackery, dry finish, which becomes fairly bitter. There's a metallic flavor underlying the profile that us offputting.
Body is a tad watery, with moderate carbonation and an astringent finish.
The metallic flavor detracts from the experience. More bitter than anticipated. Astringency lingers.
Jan 02, 2013
2.68/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Aggressive pour yields a clear golden beer with a frothy one inch egg white had that dissipates slowly, leaving sheets of lacing.
Kolsch yeast, cracker-like malt, and a touch of grassy hops form the aroma.
Herbal hops are evident in the first sip, with a bit of skunky character and a crackery, dry finish, which becomes fairly bitter. There's a metallic flavor underlying the profile that us offputting.
Body is a tad watery, with moderate carbonation and an astringent finish.
The metallic flavor detracts from the experience. More bitter than anticipated. Astringency lingers.
Jan 02, 2013
Nyskizy from Ohio
3.65/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Jun 22, 2014
3.65/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Jun 22, 2014
bankboy66 from New Jersey
3.24/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Jun 08, 2019
3.24/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Jun 08, 2019
Can_if_you_can from Minnesota
2.84/5 rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Aug 11, 2016
2.84/5 rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Aug 11, 2016
eldoctorador from Chile
3.75/5 rDev +19%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Aug 15, 2019
3.75/5 rDev +19%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Aug 15, 2019
ExaltedNecrosis from Texas
3.68/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Jun 22, 2015
3.68/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Jun 22, 2015
vancean2 from Colorado
3.79/5 rDev +20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Nice, light, easy drinking kolsch!
Dec 21, 2014
3.79/5 rDev +20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Nice, light, easy drinking kolsch!
Dec 21, 2014
Josephs Brau Summer Brew from Trader Joe's Brewing Company
Beer rating:
74 out of
100 with
158 ratings
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