Kolsch Taste Test

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by ZAP, Aug 4, 2012.

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  1. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My brother BigHugey and I just completed our latest blind taste test...Kolschs...

    The Field:

    -Schell Zommerfest
    -Alaskan Summer
    -Summit Summer Ale
    -Goose Island Summer
    -Reissdorf

    The Procedure:

    I pour the beers into five glasses marked 1 through 5 and keep a key. Hugey does the same for me. We sit and discern and then rank our beers and make guesses as to what they are...

    Thoughts:

    We both thought this was a very difficult taste test as there are such subtle differences between these. We both picked out the Reissdorf even though neither of us ever had it before. It was slightly different than the other four. Overall we each only identified two correctly. I hit on Summit and he hit on Schells.

    Our overall conclusion was all the American offerings were very similar and all were quality beers. Usually when we do these several just separate themselves from the others by their pure "badness"....not in this one.

    I thought Summits malt profile was a bit more impressive and it was the most flavorful offering...I had Goose second and Schell third......Hugey voted Alaskan #1, Summit #2, and Goose #3.

    Overall scoring was as follows: (lowest points better)

    1. Summit (3)
    2. Goose (5)
    3. Alaskan (6)
    4. Schells (7)
    5. Reissdorf (8)
     
    #1 ZAP, Aug 4, 2012
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  2. minnesotaryan

    minnesotaryan Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2010 Minnesota

    that is a cool way to do it, I should do something similar sometime for a tasting.
     
    #2 minnesotaryan, Aug 4, 2012
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  3. bsp77

    bsp77 Pooh-Bah (2,185) Apr 27, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Any idea how fresh (or likely in this case, old) the Reissdorf was? Hard to believe the boring Alaskan is better.
     
    #3 bsp77, Aug 4, 2012
  4. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had Alaskan last personally. I don't know how old the reissdorf was but likely not as fresh as the American offerings..
     
    #4 ZAP, Aug 4, 2012
  5. bsp77

    bsp77 Pooh-Bah (2,185) Apr 27, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Have you had the Mankato Original (Kolsch)? I picked up a bottle of that and their Stickum (Altbier) the other day. Need to try them still. Heard positive things about both.
     
    #5 bsp77, Aug 4, 2012
  6. bsp77

    bsp77 Pooh-Bah (2,185) Apr 27, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Another Kolsch that I think is quite solid and worth trying is New Holland Full Circle.
     
    #6 bsp77, Aug 4, 2012
  7. olympuszymurgus

    olympuszymurgus Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2009 California

    I fully support such tastings. We(craft-dweebs) get at times too tied up in bigger, stronger, rarer to appreciate such delightful beers as a kolsch. I for one really enjoy the Summit and the Alaskan, but I never took the time to do a side-by-side. Looks like I'll have to buy a GI sixer and give it a whirl.
     
    #7 olympuszymurgus, Aug 4, 2012
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  8. Coveralls

    Coveralls Initiate (0) Sep 27, 2008 Minnesota

    Add Sunner to the mix next time. I love that beer.
     
    #8 Coveralls, Aug 4, 2012
    zencigar likes this.
  9. morimech

    morimech Grand Pooh-Bah (3,803) Nov 6, 2006 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Mankato Original is definately a good one.
     
    #9 morimech, Aug 4, 2012
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  10. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have not had or seen either of those offerings but would love to try them sometimes...
     
    #10 ZAP, Aug 5, 2012
  11. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    We looked for all we could find for Kolschs and didn't find that one...I'm sure it is around and I think I've had it before in Minnesota but this time we didn't cross paths..
     
    #11 ZAP, Aug 5, 2012
  12. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the suggestion...we were looking for as many as we could find but didn't know of this one...next time...
     
    #12 ZAP, Aug 5, 2012
  13. WYVYRN527

    WYVYRN527 Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2007 Minnesota

    I have Sunner Kolsch at Haskell's in WBL. It's pretty tasty, although I prefer Reissdorf over it. I find the Sunner to be just a touch sweeter with a thicker body.
     
    #13 WYVYRN527, Aug 5, 2012
  14. LittleGus

    LittleGus Crusader (476) Mar 13, 2008 Minnesota

    I love this method and the fact that you did a Kolsch tasting. It's an under appreciated style in my opinion. I'm surprised the German version finished so low. The only American Kolsch I've had that tasted like a German Kolsch was Summit's first unchained.
     
    #14 LittleGus, Aug 6, 2012
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  15. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hey to be totally fair I am not certain on the age of the German Kolsch....it was still tasty but slightly different in flavor...drinking the Summit Summer right now and while I still think that first unchained Kolsch was better this is a tasty Kolsch....I'll stand by it as #1 out of that group we sampled...now thinking I may have heard the brewer who did that first unchained Kolsch is at Mankato which makes sense with all the buzz on their Kolsch which I have yet to try..
     
    #15 ZAP, Aug 6, 2012
  16. bsp77

    bsp77 Pooh-Bah (2,185) Apr 27, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Ok, just had the Mankato Original. Simply fantastic Kolsch. I may even like it better than his old Unchained.
     
    #16 bsp77, Aug 7, 2012
  17. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Any idea how far north they distribute? Are they in the Twin Cities at all?
     
    #17 ZAP, Aug 7, 2012
  18. millah

    millah Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2008 Minnesota

    They had both Original and Stickum at the Ale Jail three or so weeks ago. The Original is a fantastic Kolsch, a bit lighter in body than the Unchained, IMO.
     
    #18 millah, Aug 7, 2012
  19. bsp77

    bsp77 Pooh-Bah (2,185) Apr 27, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Still at Ale Jail. That's where I got them on Friday.
     
    #19 bsp77, Aug 7, 2012
  20. Redrover

    Redrover Grand Pooh-Bah (3,676) Jan 18, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Great report as usual! Thought you may have thrown in the new Kolsh from Point. I thought it was a pretty good stab at the style.

    I love the Reissdorf but freshness for Kolsh seems to be must given the style.
     
    #20 Redrover, Aug 7, 2012
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