Gulf Kolsch
Twisted X Brewing Company

Served on tap in a pint glass
Appearance – The beer is served a clear golden color with a small head of white foam. The head has a decent level of retention, fading over time and leaving a small amount of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a grainy and wheaty smell mixed with a moderately strong showing of caramel and a light toastiness. Along with these smells comes notes of breadiness and yeast as well as a touch of hay.
Taste- The taste begins as the nose would suggest with a grainy and wheaty flavor mixed with a caramel sweetness. As the taste advances some light fruit flavors of pear and apple as well as a touch of yeastiness comes to the tongue. Toward the end the wheat gets a bit stronger and is joined by a touch of citrus sweetness, and with a increase in the sweet caramel, one is left with a rather pleasant easy natured Kolsch flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is medium in thickness with a slightly higher carbonation level. Overall the feel is good for the style and makes for an easy drinker.
Overall – A easy drinking brew. Nothing super out of the ordinary, but fun to try.

 

 

 

 

 

most of 2 12 oz. cans poured into tall 20 oz. mug
(4/26/18 canned-on date printed on bottom of cans)

L: clear gold topped by 1-inch head of white foam; sticks off head and laces off constant fluffy collar and skin of white foam from loads of activity in glass

S: sour grain, grain, yeast, dusty yeast, sweet yeast ... almost an orange peel to the sweet note; malt is prevalent but not bready, just lightly sweet

T: sweet and light-malty at first with some light grain flavor and the idea of apricot/peach but very, very subtly so; as it warms and the palate adjusts, a little earthy hop nip shows up and begins growing, first in the aftertaste then up front to the point that it almost tastes like white pepper ... again, the flavor is delicate but the aftertaste buildup suggests it is an Old World hop doing its thing

F: middling middle ... middleweight, mid-level carbonation, works like a charm; smack between ale slick/soft and lager crisp, it has the feel of good cask ale with a very moreish quality

O: subtly strong, a great light-malt fix with a beautiful mouthfeel; at 5.1% ABV, it's far too strong to be a true session beer, and in fact a big quaff will give you plenty of alcohol flavor, but if this beer has any drawbacks, that's the only one I can see -- there's not a single off note, nothing crazy or out of bounds for the style and at 6 weeks old, my six-pack has held up very, very well

 

Drinkable. Not crisp. Ok beer. Price not so good

 

Can rating:


"Kolsch style blonde ale" (not "Kolsch" so they probably cheated with yeast that wasn't Kolsch yeast).

Unremarkable, and more of an uninspired blonde ale than a proper German kolsch. Not as refreshing or crisp as it needs to be.

More dull mediocrity from one of the Austin area's most underwhelming breweries.

C- (2.68) / BELOW AVERAGE

There is a floral aroma from the can. The small foam head quickly fades leaving a darker than expected copper color. It has a medium body with a balaced  hop and biscut-like malt flavor. A short, sharp carbination is present, which would be overpowering if it lingered, but as it fades a rich, spiced malt note remains. In all, quite an interesting Kolsch

 

 

 

 

Less taste than I am used to in kolsch style. Still drinkable. Perhaps a craft beer intro.