Kolsch
Bluegrass Brewing Co. - East St. Matthew's

 

 

 

Imperial pint poured at the main street pub.

Pours gold and smells like cereal, and both the appearance and aroma were above average for the style. It didn't look like straw, and it didn't smell like nothing. This is a substantial, beer-like beer.

Tastes like big cereal, mild grassy weeds, and a tiny bit of hops. The beginning is a robust, creamy burst of grain and the finish is earthen, dry, and mildly hoppy. This is exceptionally well done for the style.

Overall, the beer tasted *fresh*. That's probably because it was fresh, so I don't know how well that would hold up were it bottled, but at the pub it's almost like the freshly baked bread of beers. Probably the best Kolsch I've ever had, and well worth trying.

On tap at brewpub. Clean pour in a pint glass. Pale Amber in color with a thin head that reduced to a cover that stayed with the beer. No strong aroma but what there was was clean and fresh with a slight tinge of grain and a floral note. A very easy to drink beer with a slighty bitter yet refreshing flavor. An excellent beer with diner that doesn't overpower the flavor of you food

I had this on tap yesterday at the brewpub in Louisville. Served cold in an Imperial pint glass. Listed on the board as 4.5% abv and 21.5 Ibu's.
A - Brilliant golden straw w/ excellent clarity, soapy thin/half inch of white capping that sticks here and there on the collar of the glass.

S - A nice bouguet-somewhat floral w/ a nice sweet German malt interplay the sweet pils has a hint of sweet cream and nuttinness when swirled reviving both head and aroma.

M - Crisp, mildly sweet w/ an effervessence that is bouyant and refreshing w/ subtle creamy texture and mildly smooth, yet light bodied feel.

T - A sweetish malt that is weel placed w/ gentle nuttiness as well as sweet and floral hop flavors- slightly dry as it finishes w/ a hint of lactic creamy flavor from the malt w/ a complimentary spice of German yeast and hops is relaxed allowing the malt to be the focus. Very much acts like a wheat w/ a bevy of carbonation yet the low abv and ibu lets you know it deserves the kolsch title. This is possibly the best Kolsch I have tasted in America yet.

D - A nice ale for spring w/ a light yet full easy drinking and flavorful example of what Kolsch are brewed for. Sessionability w/out sacrificing any flavor for light color or strength.

Had this at the BBC outlet at the CIN airport in mid-july

Ppured light yellow with a 1/2" whitehead. Average head retention & lacing

S: Slight grainyness & light floral hops

T: Grainy with a little maltyness up front, then finishes with more grainyness

MF: Thin bodied but great carbonation for the style

Drinks easy, but nothing to really hold your attention. I'd probably skip this again

Pours a dark yellow color with a small head that fades fast and doesn't leave any lacing on the glass. The aroma is extra specially grainy - some slight hints of fruit, but mostly just grain. The flavor is very much the same - lots of grainy character with a little bit of sweetness. The body is moderate and the drinkability is just ok. There's really nothing wrong with this beer, but it could use a cleaner taste and cut back on the grain flavors a little.

Growlered at the brewpub. Pours a light golden color with a small head that falls to a sparse coat over top. Nose is rather grainy, with notes of honey sweetness and light diacetyl. Flavor is very much raw grainyness, with only hints of sweetness in there. No real hop character either. Just not really grabbing my attention. Feel is at the low end of moderate with a moderate carbonation. Comparing this to other beers in the style, this one is just over the top in the grainyness. Its lacking balance. Its just okay.

On tap at the brewpub, January 9, 2006. Listed on the menu at 4.0% and 20 IBU.

A: Clear bright golden brew with little head (but that's how they draw their beers here), minimal lacing.

S: Fruity, grassy, and citrusy. Complexe for such a light beer.

T: Crisp clean nutty, like buttered toast. Slightly bitter. Decent hops presence.

M: Pretty thin, but what do you expect in a beer like this.

D: Obviously, very drinkable. Nice effervescence, but not overly fizzy.

All around, a decent example of the style in a very unlikely place.