Peoples Pint Sprocket Kolsch

22 oz bottle, Julio’s Liquors. Pours a hazy straw yellow body under a very small covering of white creamy head. Moderate visible carbonation. The nose is pale doughy malt with a light smack of lemony citrus rind. Lightly hoppy, with just a touch of sweaty sock creeping in. The flavor is pretty decent, quite refreshing really. Light soft maltiness with alot bigger bitterness than I expect for a Kolsch. Finishes with that light cirusy note. Mouthfeel is light bodied with moderate fizzy carbonation. As it warmed and breathed it gained a little creamyness that seems a bit out of place as well. Overall, it was a decent beer, just not particularly to style. I’d drink it again.

Very light, even watery. C hop here, a little crown. Dry with malt backbone. I was not getting the taste sensations of the earlier reviewers, so I imagine it was a happy accident that could not be repeated. OK carbonation. Average beer.

22 oz bottle. Golden, battery-acid color. robust 1 1/2" head. Lemony, citrus, lightly hoppy. Yeasty, grainy to the tongue. Thin body and evaporates quickly, leaving a lingering hoppy residue on the back of the throat. Solid.

1 month-old bomber drunk on 5/23/07
Man I hate to have to write this one, but despite this stuff being flawless, dry-hopped and unfiltered/unpasteurized (three traits that generally go ALONG way in my book), I wan’t too impressed. And ironically, it was because of the unfiltered/bottle conditioned and dry-hopped character of the beer. Looks perfect, of course, as do most of their bottled beers, but even from the nose, you get a hint that something is a bit "off". It’s powerfully pungent, not really acidic or bitter in the normal PNW sense, but just resinous and dry. Think somewhere along the lines of SA Imperial Pils, though more dry than that and not as powerful. Herbs, grass, lemon, lemongrass and fresh hay all show of liberal dry-hopping, but that typical kolsch-yeast character, very mineral-rich is retarded by the hops. Some crisp grains make brief appearances (a bit of toasty and bready malts) but are also inhibited by the resinous pungency.
In the flavor, it’s even more apparent, and sad to say, the tight, brisk carbonation exacerbates the problem by flinging apart the malt and pronouncing the hop character. But yet, the full carbonation gives it a sense of a full body, which is undesirable for the style. It’s just too green, resinous and dominating. Almost like a bitter herbal gruit. It creates a lot of tackiness and fatigue on the finish, with late dough and minor honey suggestions somewhat discernible below all of this. Leaves an oiliness on the palate as well. No alcohol or flaws, but a Kolsch needs to be indentifiable as such, this is just a massively hopped, vague golden ale.

sampled at the brewpub. This beer was a diacetyl bomb, vanilla and buttery in the aroma. Same in the taste. overwhelmed other characteristics.

Bottle. Pours off yellow/gold with a thin but persistent white head. Smells of grapes, citrus and light spice. Tastes of grapes, citrus, doughy malt, and some peppery splashes. Very good and full bodied even for a kolsch.

22 oz bottle from Spirit Haus in Amherst, MA (September 2006) consumed a bit above fridge temperature from a lovely Ramstein glass. Deep yeast-flecked cloudy gold body with a moderate creamy slow-dying head that leaves thick lacing....sweet, heavily floral aroma, lilac and hibiscus dominate at first but the honey sugariness fades in a short while and an assertive, sharper grassiness takes over....the body has a lovely balance with just enough sweet light malts to cut the dry, mineralic, herbal qualities....moderate to high carbonation, a growing biscuity mouthfeel as it warms, bitter and bracing European-hopped finish. Nicely done.

Cold 22oz bottle: Pours a clear dark golden color with a small alabaster head and lacing. Aroma is of sweet grains, light fruits, grass and spice. Taste is of sweet grains, mild grassy hops, light fruit and spice. Smooth with a watery texture; light bodied and moderately carbonated. Begins lightly sweet and ends lightly bitter with light sour notes.