Galena Gold
Sockeye Grill & Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First and foremost, I'd argue against designating Galena Gold a Kölsch: the can itself suggests we consider this is a golden ale, and I'd say it fits that slightly more nebulous profile more than the tighter strictures of “Kölsch”. Indeed: it's not especially sharp, nor tart, nor possessing the ever-so-slightly-creamy cleanliness I often expect from a Kölsch; instead, it's actually fairly malty, considering its flaxen color, but in a light, smooth, imminently drinkable and refreshing fashion. Moreover, it's a beer that definitely pairs nicely with the rod-and-reel evocations of the brewery's name and sigil: it almost screams, “take this six-pack out on the water,” and it's likewise a fairly ideal day-drinking session-beer.

But there is a subtle tartness at the margins, which contributes to the stark, almost smack-in-the-face crisp quality of this beer; combined with the malt's very becoming bite, and a strain of back-palate bitterness sussed out from soft-but-deliberate hopping, Galena Gold really hits high and tight on a lot of marks, despite not really having a stable home, style-wise. With its fairly furious, fairly fat bubbling, pristinely-pale yellow-gold color—which shines especially nicely once decanted into a Goose Island-branded nonic pint—and clean, absurdly sessionable refreshment, it doesn't really matter much to me that this is an otherwise simple, non-experimental, straight-laced-no-nonsense-slam-a-six-pack-on-a-Saturday-style beer (—though I personally savored each can of my six-pack slowly, one-at-a-time, over the course of a couple months, on varied days of the week; but I digress). It's really just a well-made can of beer, and I look forward to trying more from Sockeye next time I'm in Idaho or Idaho-adjacent.

 

 

 

One of the best American kolschs I’ve tried. Light and airy, mild grain aroma and taste, slight hop tanginess at finish. Clear golden with laxy carbonation and small fluffy head.

 

 

 

 

Poured into a Dogfish Head pint glass. Pours a light straw amber with a half finger white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of light bready malt, slight grain and grassy hops, a bit vegetal. Flavor more in line with a kolch, light bisquit malt and grassy hops, well balanced with a slightly dry, lightly biscuit finish with grassy hop bitterness. Light to medium bodied. A nice domestic take on this style, the aroma did not do justice to the full, but appropriately light balanced malt and hop flavor. Good job.