Blood Orange Kolsch
Crystal Springs Brewing Company

A great summer time beer with a great taste but a mild barley and hops flavor. Among my friends, it is liked by both beer aficionados as well as folks who are not crazy about beer. A solid picnic/patio serving.

 

 

 

Nice idea for a Kolsch, mixing in a strong citrus flavor. The smell wasn't really there, but the taste was. I liked this one more than the few previous reviews, apparently. Might also try other beers from them if I see them around town.

 

 

seemingly already sort of popular around town, this new one from crystal springs is as much a juice or soda as it seems to be a beer, and while it tastes good, with a fine natural blood orange complexion to it, there isnt much beer going on. the grain is impossibly light, almost flavorless really, and the yeast never really does its thing either, the crispness of the underlying kolsch apparently overrun by the residual sweetness of the fruit, even if it is only moderately sweet in the finish. it pours an almost pinkish orange color with some fizz but no real head. smells sweet but natural on the blood orange, not overdosed, but on the edge of that. very little else going on in nose or taste here, the fruit and a little fizz, but even that feels under carbonated for what it is, and the whole thing, while somewhat refreshing i suppose, sort of underwhelms me because there is so little going on here. i know these guys to make great beers, and this one is not up to their usual standard. i can see the appeal, especially as patio season ramps up, but i need more beer in my beer...