Beer Styles: Kölsch

One of my favorite summer beer styles is the Kölsch, originating in Köln (Cologne) Germany. Goose Island Summertime is a popular representative of the style. Follow these links for more information:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/85

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6lsch_(beer)

http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/K%F6lsch.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/dining/kolsch-a-summer-beer-worth-the-fuss-the-pour.html/?_r=0

Sam Adams Longshot Contest Winner - Strawberry Lager

Tastes like...strawberry
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Hah! Just kidding, some IGB humor there!

For new readers of IGB Beer Reviews, Sam Adams  has a home brewing contest called Longshot, each year where both employees and the general public can enter. The winners get their beer brewed and bottled by Sam Adams and distributed in six packs. This is one of this year's winners.

Despite my usual stance on fruit flavored beers, the strawberry doesn't really detract from the beeriness of the beer. Since it's a lager, the fruit flavoring isn't competing with any of the flavors and aromas that might be produced in an ale. It's crisp, it's clear, it's a great summer beer...too bad it's a limited edition.

Blue Moon's Short Straw - Farmhouse Red Ale

Short Straw is part of Blue Moon's new seasonal 12 pack that includes the previously reviewed Blackberry Ale, Agave Wheat Ale (reviewed last year) and Rounder, their Pale Ale.

I've seen some negative reviews on short straw, but for my money it was the best one in the 12 pack. Several of my co-workers in an informal tasting last Thursday agree with me. I'll not discount the influence of the 81 degree temps today, but this baby went down smooooth! Before you ask, I have no idea why it's part of the "Expressionist Collection", and the name Short Straw and the red packaging fooled me into thinking it was a strawberry ale (not a bad idea).

I'm not going to get all beer advocate-y, but this brew has the smooth sweetness of a good farmhouse ale and the malty character of a solid red ale. Two, two, two ales in one!

Enjoy.

New Belgium Rolle Bolle

Named after some Belgian cross between bowling and hockey, New Belgium's summer seasonal is pretty darn good, although I have no idea what soursop or monkfruit are. It pours a lemonade tinted yellow, and tastes a little like lemonade too. Lots of citrus and mango in the mix. It's definitely a pale ale, despite the frills, with some nice clean bite from the hops. Stock up for the summer heat that's sure to come!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soursop

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siraitia_grosvenorii

Blue Moon Blackberry Tart Ale

Taste likes blackberries.
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Okay...maybe I should say more, but I've long been of the opinion that all this extra flavoring just detracts from the beeriness of the beer. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad tasting, not like that Valencia orange crap that came out a few months ago, but it more of a gimmick than what you want your beer to taste like. If you just forget that it's supposed to be a beer, and try to enjoy it as a refreshing summer beverage, then you'll probably be okay. Me? I think it's a marketing ploy to get the curious party crowd to try their better stuff.

New Belgium's Rampant Imperial IPA

Whoa! Smack me in the face with a pine cone! It's crazy freakin' mega hop week at IGB beer reviews! For a beer style that often inspires neophytes to utter the words "what's wrong with this beer?" IPA's have gotten pretty popular these last few turns around the sun and if that wasn't enough we get a crowd of über-IPA's to peel the paint off your Pontiac. Rampant pours the color of the inside of an over-ripe peach with a towering thundercloud of a white head. Pine and citrus battle for supremacy on the tongue Some malt sweetness cuts the edge a little...but one per day is plenty...good stuff, but it'll hurt ya.

Squatters Hop Rising Double IPA

Pours a tangerine-orange, with a thin white head. Peach and citrus aromas right off the bat. The 9% ABV and 75 IBU's would guaran-damn-tee  that this baby would make the trip around the cape and over to India without any problems...in fact, wasn't this the beer that Neil Armstrong took to the moon? No? Well, the Mars mission for sure! The hops are strong, but not astringent, citrussy rather than piney, and integrated well with the malt character. There's a little bit o' mango in the mix, and maybe some ripe pineapple. Goes down smooth despite the double assault of ABV and IBU...handle with care.

Henry Weinhard's Woodland Pass IPA

Not especially bitter for an IPA, but pretty tasty. Poured a golden-copper color with a healthy head. Citrussy hop taste with a little caramel on the side. Pretty drinkable for an IPA, borderline sessionable at 6% ABV...short session maybe. Have one of these before moving on to a lighter, lower alcohol content beer and you'll be fine. I'd recommend this for a neophyte who hasn't had much experience with IPA's.

New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

You know...I just don't drink enough beer from New Belgium. I saw this in the mix-and-match section at Russ's today, realized that I'd never had one and into the cart it went. Considering it's not a stout or even a porter, 1554 pours a deep, dark brown, with a hefty tan head. Coffee, chocolate and roasted malts all vying for attention. Fairly creamy consistency, and more carbonated than I expected. About halfway down, as it warmed up I thought there was a subtle hint of Belgian-ness to the  taste. The hops are there, but in balance with the rest, not bitter at all. Good one try if you're just experimenting with darker brews.

Green Flash Hop Head Red

Poured a coppery red with a tan three finger head. The 70 IBU's contribute a lot of hop character to this brew, but if you patiently machete your way through the hop jungle you'll encounter some malty sweetness. A little bit of floral aroma and some caramel as well. A touch of pine from the hops, but more evident is the citrus-grapefruit. Green Flash is fast becoming popular in this area; they present a wide variety of styles and do them all right. If you like your hops, you'll love the red!

Old Rasputin Imperial Stout

Beer Review from 2009: Old Rasputin is jet-black, thick as tar and purs a thick chocolaty brown head that reached own to the bottom of the glass before slowly shrinking to a frothy head. Molasses and chocolate overtones. Drinking this one was like drinking a malted beer shake. Creamy, smooth, high ABV%, best tasting beer so far...10 out of 10...maybe 11

Since we're obviously not quite done with winter yet, I thought it appropriate to break out some Russian Imperial Stout, and what RIS is the best that there is? Your mileage may vary, but for my money it's Old Rasputin. In addition to my notes above, in tonight's glass (a Leffe goblet) I'm detecting some roasted coffee beans and cocoa. It's a lot hoppier and more carbonated than I remember from the last time and some tangy dark fruit: figs and black cherries in the aftertaste. Everyone should have one of these at least once a season to keep it all in perspective.

Abita Spring IPA

Apricot hued, with piney aromas tickling the nostrils. Tangerines and apricots in the flavor mix, with some grapefruit dancing with the pine in the hops department. Medium carbonation and a medium body: not too heavy and not too light. Abita has been hit and miss with their offerings, some styles stupendous and some falling flat. This one is closer to stupendous, maybe a 7.5 on a scale of 10.

Schell's Maifest

Maifest

Maifest is a seasonal specialty beer offered in the spring months. It is brewed with a blend of three different specialty malts and the finest imported and domestic hops, in the tradition of Munich's Hofbrauhaus Maibock (My-Bock) beer.

Considered by the locals as the birthplace of the Bock beer style, the Hofbrauhaus brews different versions of Bock beer at several points during the year. Most important of these is their Maibock or Maifest beer. The Prime Minister of Bavaria and the Mayor of Munich are quite likely to take part in the tapping of the first huge barrel of Maibock each year, as they celebrate the end of winter and the promise of warmer weather.

This full-bodied, blond dopple bock has a rich, assertive maltiness with a slight, but unique sweetness balanced by a moderate hop bitterness.

Beer Style: Maibock, a blonde dopple bock

Alcohol by Volume: 7.2%

Characteristics: Deep gold in color with an assertive sweetness balanced by a moderate hop bitterness.

Available: March-April

From Schell's website

Good stuff Maynard! Schell's makes a variety of fine beers, and seems to have several different kinds of bocks. Maifest is similar in taste to Belgian whites, rich and creamy with a nice warmth from the 7.2% alcohol, and some easy drinking smoothness. 

Boss Tom's Golden Bock by Boulevard Brewing

Pours a coppery amber, with a head that quickly becomes invisible, Kansas City's Maibock lets loose with a nutty aroma, with a medium bitter tinge at the end. Highly carbonated, with hints of bready malts and honey as well. Very smooth - as it warms up a bit I'm catching some lemon and orange peel, and a touch of coriander and maybe a grain or two of cinnamon. Overall, this a sessionable beer if ever there was one, the flavor is there, but nothing too distracting. And of course, what a great name: Boss...Tom's...yeah...

Brush Tail farmhouse Saison by Big Sky Brewing

I often forget how good these farmhouse ales are until I happen upon another good one. Historically a saison (French for "season") was brewed during the cooler months and set aside to be consumed in summer. Also known as a farmhouse ale, as well as generically "Belgians", the style tends to be sweet and fruity and is unfiltered and bottle conditioned, with additional yeast added after the bottling for additional fermentation. Brush Tail pours a hazy/cloudy lemonade yellow, with a puffy white head. Very sweet on the initial sip, with a kind of mango-lemon-pineapple fusion popping in early. Lots of citrussy hops, and distinctive wheatiness. A little too sweet for a session, but very serviceable for an after dinner drink.