Too Much Cologne
Crystal Lake Brewing
- From:
- Crystal Lake Brewing
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- Kölsch
Ranked #266 - ABV:
- 5.2%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #33,009 - Avg:
- 3.53 | pDev: 5.95%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 28, 2023
- Added:
- Jun 20, 2018
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
We brewed this beer in collaboration with Plank Road Tap Room in Elgin. "Bright, a little fruity and thirst quenching” these were the characteristics we were looking for in producing our first traditional German Kolsch. Modeled after Koln, Germany’s refreshing ale, we think we knocked this beer out of the park! It is brilliantly clear with a pleasant light fruitiness greeting your nose. Flavors of fresh pear and white grape along with a hint of hop spice follow with a touch of wheat malt adding to the complexity. The finish is clean and refreshing leaving you thirsty for more. Prost!
Won bronze at GABF
Won bronze at GABF
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.16/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.16/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Canned 9/7/22; drank 2/17/23 @ the Yarchives.
See-through yellow/orange appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big white head; strong, frothy lace.
Sweet corn, crayon & faint pool-cue chalk notes in the nose? A bit off, here.
Sticky medium mouthfeel.
Sweet corn & faint fresh earth flavors; better than the nose but not great.
It's...drinkable, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Feb 18, 2023See-through yellow/orange appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big white head; strong, frothy lace.
Sweet corn, crayon & faint pool-cue chalk notes in the nose? A bit off, here.
Sticky medium mouthfeel.
Sweet corn & faint fresh earth flavors; better than the nose but not great.
It's...drinkable, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Reviewed by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois
3.44/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.44/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear golden color, big white head fades to a ring. Snot locker gets cracker, cereal grain, some lemon. Taste buds get some sweet malts and cereal grain, thin body decent carbonation. A nice summer beer.
Jan 10, 2022
Rated by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois
3.79/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Tasted in a pint glass from draft at Emil's Tavern can on December 12, 2021.
Dec 17, 2021
Rated by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
3.45/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.45/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Can courtesy of Judith:
High B- / WORTHY
Dec 14, 2021High B- / WORTHY
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
3.56/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Clear golden body with a white head. Sweeter grains with kolsch yeast make up the short lived nose. Taste has more white bread yeast and a hint of floral tones, but pretty much the same as the nose. Thin body with higher carbonation, bright and crisp. It isn't a bad kolsch just so thin with shallow depth, yeast stars
Oct 30, 2021
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin
3.4/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours straw yellow with a tiny white head. Smells of cereal grain, not much else. Tastes of sweet cereal grain, pretty plain, but better than most. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, an above average beer.
Sep 25, 2021
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois
3.28/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25
Found this new one at the Binny's in the next county over (hoping for some differently distributed beers). Not sure of the true availability, so I listed it as rotating. The six-pack I bought was canned May 21, 2018.
Label notes say this was put together in collaboration with Plank Road Tap Room, Elgin, IL.
L -- Clear golden color with a firm white head that falls pretty quickly.
S -- Spicy hops, cereal grain and light citrus. No real breadiness or sweetness.
T -- Spicy hops and grainy malt in a pretty well balanced combo. Some mild citrus character, but not overpowering. Light, spicy bitterness in the finish and aftertaste.
F -- Light body, crisp and dry mouthfeel.
O -- The hops help separate this brew from a typical BMC-like beer, there's just too much 2-row making this far too grainy for a Kölsch. That said, it drinks easy and makes good summer quencher.
Jun 20, 2018Label notes say this was put together in collaboration with Plank Road Tap Room, Elgin, IL.
L -- Clear golden color with a firm white head that falls pretty quickly.
S -- Spicy hops, cereal grain and light citrus. No real breadiness or sweetness.
T -- Spicy hops and grainy malt in a pretty well balanced combo. Some mild citrus character, but not overpowering. Light, spicy bitterness in the finish and aftertaste.
F -- Light body, crisp and dry mouthfeel.
O -- The hops help separate this brew from a typical BMC-like beer, there's just too much 2-row making this far too grainy for a Kölsch. That said, it drinks easy and makes good summer quencher.
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