Talus Kölsch
Mikkeller ApS

i adore this new hop, but everyone in the states keeps using it in super hopped hazy beers, so its awesome to see in in the context of something lighter where it can speak in a softer voice and still be heard, i have long been calling for its use in something like this, so leave it to mikkeller to make it happen. i wasnt all that impressed with the base beer here really though, its a little hazy, and not as crisp and light and snappy as i like kolsch to be, less german to me too on the malt side for some reason, kind of minimal but with maybe a little more body than it needs, but the expression of the hop is exceptional, and this hits with the likes of strawberry and raspberry on the nose, lemongrass and kiwi and green grape in the taste, and it goes great with both the simple european yeast in this, and the earthy water chemistry and minerals that undergird this. there is no bitterness here at all, and i kind of miss a spicy noble hopping, this doesnt drink much like a traditional kolsch even if the ferment is right, but the beer is good and i like the flavor evolution of the talus hops through it. i even end up liking the fuller almost creamy feel it has, maybe less refreshing than it could be, but it seems to support and extend the hops, and thats what this one was all about for me. berries and herbs and clean citrus abound, and the freshness of this really stands out. fine carbonation, neat aftertaste, and overall its talus in a necessary new context. awesome that mikkeller is actually making beer in london now!