Kombrewcha
Royal City Brewing Co.

 

 

500 mL bottle picked up at the brewery; served well-chilled. I was too curious not to grab this one, which is a collaboration between the brewery and a local Guelph kombucha producer. Having never tasted actual kombucha I wasn't sure what category to submit this beer into (and yes, it is at least a 'half-beer', in the brewery's own words - which I assume means malted grains were used somewhere along the line). But after reading that it is some sort of tea-fungus-derived concoction, the disjunct herbed/spiced beer grouping seemed like the best fit.

This one pours a cloudy golden-yellow colour, producing nearly two fingers of soapy, bubbly white froth that begins gradually wilting away over the next handful of minutes. Beautiful lacing is deposited as it settles into a foamy cap and thin, soapy film at the surface. Looks as good as any blonde ale, to me. Not much to discuss on the nose, though - some grainy sweetness, with some leafy, herbal qualities. Maybe a touch of lemongrass and some yeastiness, but pretty clean-smelling, overall.

Light-drinking and pretty flavourful for its abv, but not very interesting. A grainy sweetness features initially - a bit bready, with the yeastiness forming an ever present background profile that falls somewhere between earthy and dirty. Some light leafiness and spice peaks toward the tail end, with an herbal bitterness drying the palate out somewhat, while the aforementioned yeastiness slowly fades. Light-bodied, with relatively assertive carbonation levels that give this beer a crisp, lively mouthfeel, not unlike your typical blonde ale. Not the most exciting beer to drink, but it's very easy - and pleasurable/refreshing enough - to want to do so.

Final Grade: 3.4, a B-. I don't know what kombucha is supposed to taste like, but if it just tastes like a yeastier-than-usual blonde ale, then I guess Kombrewcha is spot on. That's not to say I'm not enjoying the glass - it's a light, refreshing table beer that I'd probably pick up again. I can't help but think that this one came out at the wrong time of year, though - I'd love to have a few bottles of this when the weather starts to warm up... and it'd give me a reason to take another road trip to Guelph, too. Nothing attention-grabbing; just some good clean, wholesome beer-ish goodness. Worth a glass.

This isn't real beer but pretty tasty for kombucha. Very yeasty, a little tart. Grainy malts. The aroma is grainy, a touch of lemon, a little green. Interesting to try.