Chai One On
Talisman Brewing Company

clever new one here, kolsch with chai tea, i think a nice base beer and i think the spice aspect is rightly dosed, its drinkable and not overdone, its on the dry side, and the chai adds a lot to this. the pour is just slightly darker tinted than is typically expected of kolsch, a little brownness to it from the chai addition, less clear than i look for in the style. short white head fading pretty quick from the tap. the nose here is nice, i get the german yeast, the pils type malt, a little honey richness to it, then the chai, black tea herbal bitterness, subtle citrus, cardamom, cinnamon, a cocoa powder wrinkle, and clove, but it hits all at once, and its more beer than tea by longshot, which is preferrable. the flavor isnt quite as peppy and dynamic as the aroma, but its good. i get definite cocoa vibes in this, neat indian type spices, some appreciable tea bitterness, a hint of raisin, crackery european malt, and perhaps a little cinnamon on the finish. the chai overall is unique and well integrated, and the base beer isnt too light to handle it, still recognizable as a kolsch all the way. perhaps a little less clean on the swallow and carbonated as i like, but it does have a sort of lagered lightness overall, and its intriguing enough to drink it right up. neat little spot of innovation from these guys, who i know more for sticking to the basics than pushing the boundaries, so it was a welcome sight on their expanding beer menu. pretty good overall.