Twig & Berries Juniper Berry Kolsh
Russell Brewing Company

650ml bomber into pint glass 1-8-16

A slight haze in a pale golden body, finger of foam hangs around for a couple sips leaving no lace

S sweet malt, soft caramel, some herbal honey notes, a little woody something but junipers faint at best

T if you’re an Aussie think butter menthol's, not far from the nose, pretty simple and again very little juniper

M leaning towards medium, softens up from the bubbles, maybe more juniper on the finish than anywhere else

O drinkable enough but not a whole lot going on, needs some intensity

Not much of what the beers selling, I doubt I’d guess juniper berries were added if the bottle had no label

 

 

It pours a golden yellow colour topped with a finger thick white head that dissipates quite quickly leaving a ring of lace around the glass and small islands of head on the top. The nose starts on the pale malty side along with a slight yeastiness and a slight earthy hoppiness. There are some juniper and woodiness notes but they are very much on the edge. The taste reveals a lot of the same attributes along with an almost nutty flavour. It was hard to decipher exactly what type but it just reminded me of nuts, maybe pistachios?? The juniper flavour does come around a bit at the end of the sip but like the nose it isn't overly pervasive. The mouthfeel is in the mid-range with a mid to low range carbonation. It was quite a refreshing drink for a sunny and warm day on the patio.

 

650ml bottle - interestingly dubbed a 'Kolsh', which I suppose caters to those illiterates who wouldn't actually notice such things, or something.

This beer pours a clear, very pale pink-tinged golden yellow colour, with three chubby fingers of puffy, finely foamy, and somewhat rocky off-white head, which leaves some rather pervasive, if scattered island key lace around the glass as it quickly abates.

It smells of bready and doughy pale malt, subtle sugary juniper berry notes (hardly the 'gin & tonic' promised on the label screed), some gritty earthy yeastiness, and very gentle leafy, weedy, and herbal hop bitters. The taste is more rather bready and rising dough-esque pale malt, a touch of biscuity caramel, muddled dark berry fruity notes, wayward son yeast, and more understated herbal, leafy, and grassy noble hoppiness.

The carbonation is fairly low-key in its pleasantly rendered, yet still probing frothiness, the body a decent medium weight, and mostly smooth, nothing really sticking its neck out here, and being a dick about things. It finishes still sweet, the robust malt and now only ethereal dark berry fruitiness turning out as such.

Yeah, the juniper fruit addition here really has no lasting effect, beyond a simple berry fruitiness tint in the strong base malt, which, if you're a fan of the style, will work for you - however, the lack of off-setting biscuity or hoppy character won't, exactly.