Dark Usher Black Kolsch
B.W. Beer Works USA

 

A-Pours a hazy darkish color with a nice head and lacing
A-Aroma has slight malt hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a very light malt flavor
M-A light bodied decently carbonated beer
O-A decent dark kolsch

Black Kolsch is a bit of an oxymoron, but it pours looking like a stout. Fairly opaque with a creamy tan head that lingers.

Hints of chocolate, but not getting much else (my sinuses aren't 100% for what it is worth).

A bit of chocolate, but generally quite clean. Feel like it lacks the fruity character typical of kolsch. A bit of roast and almost smoke apparent also. Dark malt character completely blowing away whatever kolsch elements are in this beer. Works a bit better as a dark mild or very clean brown ale, or even a dunkel.

Medium body and carbonation. A bit creamy and pleasant on the tongue.

A weird one. Drinks a bit more like a dark german lager to me, and maybe should be marketed as one. Maybe they used Kolsch yeast, but don't find that coming through. As a beer just drinking it and not thinking about what it is or isn't, I like the taste.

12 oz bottle, dated 2/15/18, in my fridge for awhile

pours quite dark, pretty much black which was darker then I expected. cream colored head. aroma and taste are pretty close to what I'd expect for a Schwarzbier - mild roast and mild cocoa, but restrained, clean, and easy drinking. So I guess just with an Ale yeast. thin to medium bodied.

L: Had this on-tap at Pour Taproom, poured into a snifter glass. Had a dark brown color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a half inch of foamy, off white, fairly long-lasting head. Pretty good lacing.

S: A good, if a little odd, aroma of malt, chocolate, citrus, and dark fruit.

T: Tasted of a little bit of citrus (lemon, maybe?), lots of roasted malt (the dominant ingredient), a bit of chocolate (could've used more), and a little dark fruit (plums). Basically, this is a hybrid porter / kölsch. The main problem is that the porter elements overpower the kölsch flavors. It's more like a light porter in character. Could've used a little more oomph.

F: A decent amount of carbonation with a dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This beer isn't bad, but it does seem like a an experiment that didn't quite work. Worth a look, though.

 

355 ml bottle in SC. No date found.
Pours dark reddish-black with nice ruby highlights at the edges. Unfortunately, the head is short, fizzy and short-lived.
Aroma: slightly floral; sweet with hints of molasses, cherries and dark fruits.
Flavor: the flavor largely follows and it is a bit too sweet. There are hints of brown sugar, cherries, dates and dried plums.
Feel: medium-light body with light carbonation.

 

 

 

 

 

No sediment, very dark beer with a quickly dissipating head. Pleasant roasted nut and molasses aroma with a slight chocolate hint. Flavor is more of the same although the roasted note takes over and masks some of the subtle kolsch flavors. Good carbonation but feels a little thin probably due to its dark character which makes it seem like this should have more body. This is an easy drinker and would be a real standout in a typical selection of summer thirst quenchers. Two thumbs up for cool artwork!

12 oz

Pours a clear but very dark brown, looks opaque without light. Tan head is a quarter inch thick, dissipates to a film.

Smells of biscuit, molasses, anise and chocolate syrup.

Flavor is of biscuit, cocoa, maple, cracker and a hint of citrus.

Light, thin body with stinging carbonation on the tongue.

Interesting hybrid beer. Looks and smells like a porter, but flavor and especially body are kolsch. It makes for a tasty combination but it feels like it should have had a fuller body. Worth trying.

On tap at the BNA Party last week. Deep brown color with an almost non existent head. Smells like a kolsch bready fruity pilsner but has a roasty edge that seems out of place to me.