Indian River Shoal Draft

Brewed by Florida Beer Company
Style: Kölsch
Melbourne, Florida USA

12oz bottle-pours an off white head with gold/orange color. Aroma is hops. Taste is hops, creamy, caramel.

Like the Amberjack - Bottle. Not sure if they are brewing this again or they found some in a warehouse somewhere. I remember this years ago when there were no kolsch brews to be found anywhere, so it was a pleasant change of pace. Lightly hazed straw color with a white head that fades rather quickly. Sweet wheat and pale malts lightly detected by the nose. Only a faint wardering of floral hops. Floury bread flavors (think potato bread). Light floral flavors also welcome. Not a bad Kolsch.

Kölsch - One of those styles that I am trying to get a handle on - nice to see a somewhat local brewer trying to tackle this difficult and underappreciated style. Dark golden color, slightly murky, slight white head. Aroma was off, it reminded me of glue and over yeasted baking bread - grows on you after awhile. Mouthfeel is sticky and buttery. Flavor has some freshly baked bread qualities to it with a heavy dose of yeast - not bad - but not thirst quenching. Quite chewy. Not as refreshing as other Kölsch’s I have had - seems more suited to winter. Mark me unimpressed, but willing to give it a B+ for effort.

Amazingly, most raters hated this brew and I loved it! The aroma is malty (for a kolsch) and delicious. The body is quite drinkable and delectable - bready malt with no sign of bitterness. The only bummer is the difficulty getting much head on it. Possibly as good as Reissdorf Kolsch.

Little head, and what was there was very quickly gone. Aroma was distinctly of popcorn with lots of butter, with a little bit of freezer burn. Flavor had some wit-like notes, but somewhat on the ugly side. The finish tends to watery side as it warms. Not terrible, but not much to write home about either.

Looks nice, but the aftertaste is reminiscent of a bait shop. Good thing I only paid a buck for a single in Nacadoches, TX.

12 Feb 2004, bottled on March 18 (2003?). Pours a fair amber-ish brown; but color hard to tell in this frosted plastic cup (ick). Medium frothy head, fading. First aroma is of meat, burnt toast. Yuck, what is this? Flavor is of raw wheat, grassy and sticky up front followed by a taste like reheated shepherd’s pie. Is this for real?! Not entirely good, but so curious. I want to put ketchup in this beer, it might taste like dinner. Finish is dead, bland, wet. Do I sense a broccoli-like aftertaste? Very odd beer. I was so hoping to like this local brew since it’s made just down the road from where I am staying in Florida. Bummer.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a mostly clear orange gold with a thin linen white head that faded to a thin film after the first sip and left a couple of dots of lace. The smell (notice I call it smell and not aroma) of this beer is very reminiscent of dirty socks. Really sweaty ones. Socks that have been laying around in a damp place for a week or so festering. A warm damp place. The flavor is a bit better than the aroma, and I can pick up some malt, but that damned smell is too overpowering. Some light bitterness at the finish, but I honestly swallowed quickly to get this stuff down. And now, I am walking over to the sink . . .