Kolsch! Underrated lighter beer?

I brewed a honey Kolsch, didn't fit the guidelines and was a touch too sweet but was a decent summer beer and I can't wait to do a more subtle version

 

For $4.50 a bottle I would take almost anything else. I'm in the minority that thinks there are plenty of other better options out there in the light lager styles. I probably haven't had this stuff as fresh as the rest of you, but I've tried Reissdorf on tap and was unimpressed. Note that I'm comparing it to other German imports that I drink routinely.

 

Oh. Dang. Never did check out the kolsch listings......

 

Very underrated! The first time I tried one was a home brew. Thought it was very good. Simple clean and definitely a volume beer. Then I tried Kentucky Kolsch by Alltech, decent, but still very drinkable. Trillium makes Sprang and Big Sprang. IMO both rank in the top 10 of beers they make. Big Sprang is a top 5 for me. Also Blue Hills Brewery makes the kings kolsch, a solid offering. Off topic but Cream Ale is another underrated style for me.

 

One of my favorite summer time brews! If your in NC mother earth makes a great kolsch called endless river. Also I thought a kolsch is a German ale not a lager like so many here have said. Cheers

 

The Lift from MT is a good beer, actually prefer it over the GLBC Lawn Seat.....and it is a Kolsch

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31093/115081/

 

Being local I’ve tried Trillium’s “Sprang”, which is the regular version of the beer you’re referencing, “Big Sprang”. While I have yet to try “Big Sprang” their “imperial Koelsch”, I can say I did not enjoy the former, even for a hoppy beer. And they make some damn fine hoppy beers in the form of pale ales and IPAs.

This is also probably a great example of hoppy this and that skewing the style ratings on this website. But that’s a discussion for another day.

Edit:

Interesting, especially since you have your own homebrew to compare it to. Perhaps I'll give Sprang another shot when they brew it again.

 

Almost under ten posts until someone brings up and bashes DIPA's and BA beers.

 

It's hard for me (or other BAs) to get excited about very light beers that are still relatively expensive and by definition are not supposed to be striking. From a business standpoint, it's not surprising to me that American breweries don't sink a ton of time and advertising into this style.

I personally this its a good style, just not very edgy.

 

The Germans regard ale as one family of British beers (the other being porter/stout) so call their top fermented beers "obergarige" , not ales but in any case Kolsch qualifies as a lager under German law as it has been lagered.

 

Any imported bottles you can recommend as passing examples? Sunner just arrived at my local. I have not enjoyed Reissdorf (draft and bottle) or Fruh bottles. Perhaps they were old, or I don't like the style. The Reissdorf drafts have been at bars that I trust to have fresh kegs though.

I forgot, I did have this one from Freigeist that I found to be extremely refreshing.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10574/83613/

 

i love lagers/pilsners and the Kolsch's seem to fall short comparatively

 

I have only managed to find old bottles of the usual suspects (Gaffel, Reissdorf, Sunner), so I usually avoid them. Gaffel on tap can be nice enough (kinda nutty and dry). Freigeist is more of a Wiess (unfiltered Koelsch), so I wouldn't really put it in the same category. Generally, though, I brew my own (which I formulated as a sort of middle ground between Malzmuehle and Paeffgen). Sorry I can't help much further here. Maybe it's just not a style you like?

 

A well done Kolsch can be packed with flavor. I like the style!

 

I remember drinking Harpoon Summer at a lot of July 4th parties. It was good, a little citrus on it.

After reading all the labeling discussion on this thread, I want to make an American styled kolsch but stamp it as "not kolscher."

 

Not trying to get in a style argument, but I'm not sure why it's classified as a kolsch on BA after pulling it up on Mad Tree's website. First, I don't see where Mad Tree calls it a kolsch. Second, the ingredient profile is not like a kolsch. Base malt is 2 row, not pilsner, and there are some unorthodox secondary grains. Hops are all over the place: US, Kiwi, German. I cant tell what yeast is used.

Not sure who classified it as a kolsch, maybe someone more knowledgeable than me, but from the color alone my initial radar was up. Maybe a great beer, just not sure I would call it a kolsch.

 

COAST 32°/50°. Now available in 16 oz/4-pack cans.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16354/39238/

 

Great beer when fresh. Kinda painful at $12.99 a 4-pack though. Also, they seem to be having some canning issues; the packs I have bought have all been off (cloudy and bordering on astringent), while at the source it has been right on. You had this problem, too?

 

Haven't purchased any since the format change.