Golden Messenger Kölsch-style Ale
Hog River Brewing Co.
- From:
- Hog River Brewing Co.
- Connecticut, United States
- Style:
- Kölsch
- ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- +2 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 3.41%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Nov 06, 2025
- Added:
- Dec 18, 2016
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
This classic, cold-fermented German ale is brewed with Cologne malt imported from Germany. Lightly hopped with Hallertau Mittelfruh hops and conditioned for 3 weeks. A clean, crisp and refreshing lighter-style craft beer.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut
3.79/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: crystal clear; medium gold in color; 1 finger finely pored white head that receded to a thin collar; little lacing;
S: grainy; slightly sweet;
T: follows the nose; slightly acidic; mild to moderate bitterness on the finish;
M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; dry finish;
O: refreshing;
Nov 06, 2025S: grainy; slightly sweet;
T: follows the nose; slightly acidic; mild to moderate bitterness on the finish;
M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; dry finish;
O: refreshing;
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut
4.06/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampling a cold 16 oz can poured into my .3L stange. Date stamp is canned on 2/08/2022.
the beer pours a bright clear straw to gold color with a fluffy bleached white head of 2.5 cm foaming up and slowly receding to a sturdy surface covering and very clingy lattice. Several active streams of carbonation rise to the surface.
Aroma is pretty mild, but I get some doughy uncooked bread notes with a bit of white grapes and some floral hints.
First sip reveals a light and crisp textured body with fine tingly carbonation. Beer drinks very easy, as expected.
Flavor is doughy malts and a bit of grassy and floral note. I also get some sweetness here, which is sort of like a clover honey hit on my palate that is there for a few seconds and then disappears. Finish dries out and encourages me to take another sip. This is reviewed during the Kölsch tasting event and is the first of my three entrants so far where honey shows up.
An enjoyable and easily drinkable example of the style.
Jul 16, 2022the beer pours a bright clear straw to gold color with a fluffy bleached white head of 2.5 cm foaming up and slowly receding to a sturdy surface covering and very clingy lattice. Several active streams of carbonation rise to the surface.
Aroma is pretty mild, but I get some doughy uncooked bread notes with a bit of white grapes and some floral hints.
First sip reveals a light and crisp textured body with fine tingly carbonation. Beer drinks very easy, as expected.
Flavor is doughy malts and a bit of grassy and floral note. I also get some sweetness here, which is sort of like a clover honey hit on my palate that is there for a few seconds and then disappears. Finish dries out and encourages me to take another sip. This is reviewed during the Kölsch tasting event and is the first of my three entrants so far where honey shows up.
An enjoyable and easily drinkable example of the style.
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire
3.73/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Sample at the kickoff party at Hombrewcon
Light golden in color with a big bubbled white head that shows great retention. Bready crackery maltiness decent fruitiness.
Jul 05, 2019Light golden in color with a big bubbled white head that shows great retention. Bready crackery maltiness decent fruitiness.
Reviewed by GilBlas from Connecticut
3.6/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Just as the brewers describe it:immediately recognizable German hop and malt character on the nose, and a balanced Koelsch flavor, particularly at the start. It's really a tribute to Koelsch. When I was sampling this beer alongside the brewery's other offerings, I thought its flavors disappeared too quickly. But sipping a full pint I found it to be a great beer for an evening (or the start of an evening). Nice careful work on the part of an exciting new brewery. Like their other beers, impressive focus on flavor at relatively low ABV.
Look: Light golden, nice clarity
Smell: Couldn't be more Koelsch-y
Taste: Upfront terrific; very little development or sustained flavor on the palate
Feel: Light body, balanced carbonation
Overall: A solid offering, which I will order regularly from the brewpub
Feb 05, 2017Look: Light golden, nice clarity
Smell: Couldn't be more Koelsch-y
Taste: Upfront terrific; very little development or sustained flavor on the palate
Feel: Light body, balanced carbonation
Overall: A solid offering, which I will order regularly from the brewpub
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