Kolsch
Ever Grain Brewing Co.

On tap at the brewery, into a becher pint.

Pours a pale yellowish gold with great foam. Aroma is spicy apples, bready grain, and a little white grape. Flavor is similar, tons of unsweetened apple and fresh white bread with a kick of dry white grape juice on the back end. It's more bitter than I expected but is quite crispy. The finish is rather complex and not totally traditional, with skunky white grape flavors and an extra heavy hop bite, but this is still recognizable as Kölsch. It's a little stronger and hoppier than my favorite German versions, but still crisp, clean, and weirdly apple forward. I love Gäffel Kölsch, and this one is just a much more crisp, slightly bigger beer. Feel is great, shockingly more thick and with a higher body than usual but also aggressively carbonated. Finishes a little sticky and just a little crispy. Very refreshing and great after a hazy IPA.

Overall, a distinctly American style Kölsch with a fun twist but very nice and still quite recognizable as the style. Not some weird over hopped monstrosity, Ever Grain shows restraint and their skill at classic styles while still incorporating interesting hop flavors.

 

1 Pt can
Consumed: 16 July, 2022
ABV: 5.5%
Glass: 0.5L Stange
Temp at Pour: 51.8 F


Look:
Bright and clear golden yellow with an initial 4-finger fluffy white head. The head slowly dissolves to 2 fingers leaving great lacing on the glass.

Smell:
Biscuity and crackery malts. Pear. Some notes of grapes. Spicy floral and herbal hops.

Taste:
Crackery malts mixed with zest and spicy lemon notes. There is a very, very faint taste of grape must. There is a quite firm bitterness from the hops but it does not get out of hand. The sip finishes a bit dry and somewhat bitter.

Feel:
Crisp and clean. Well carbonated. The body is light-medium.

Overall:
A pretty nice Kölsch that leans on the bitter side. Or, as the can says, a 'Kolsch-Style Ale'. Easy drinking and refreshing. The body is a shade heavier than the standard-bearers, but I don't mind that at all. A good beer for the warmer weather.

I am sampling a cold 16 oz can poured into my .3L stange. No date stamp :(
The beer pours a bright clear golden color with a soft pillowy bleached white head of 4 cm foaming up, almost tops the glass, but I stopped pouring in time. Very lazy carbonation looks, with almost no activity rising. Foam fades slowly leaving some windowpane lattice on the swirls and sips.
Beer is clear enough to read my screen through the glass.
Aroma is fairly mild but I get a bit of bready malt and some floral hops. No flaws, but I do find the nose on the mild side.
First sip reveals a soft and smooth texture with light body and very fine tingly carbonation. The carbonation fizzes up significantly if I swirl the beer in my mouth.
Flavor is some light crackery malt with hints of pear sweetness and then a drying finish with a bit of bitterness. Sort of spicy bitter like a black tea. No hint of the ABV.
Im glad to have tried this one and add it to the BA database. Good example of the style that leans a little on the bitter side at the finish.