Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Draught @ Altes Mädchen, Hamburg. Pours nearly clear ruby with rocky beige head. Clear aroma of fruit, malt and caramel, with notes of yeast. Bitterish and citric flavour of hops, with mild, seeetish notes of malt and yeast. Spicy touches, persisting into a rather bitter and grassy aftertaste. Okay but a little thin for the style.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
From Sep 2007
Purchased at Wilbur's in Ft Collins.
Pours from 22oz bottle(best by Feb 2007) a clear gold with a nice thick head of foam that's a very slow shrinker. Lots of lacing and the foam is there for the duration.
The smell is grapefruit to the max but some malt sneeks in there as well.
The taste on first sip is...huge on flavour. Big citrusy hops literally explode on my taste buds. Big notes of grapefruit and some grass give me an intial impression that here's no malt to be found here but...there *is* some malt. The more I sip, the more I notice that malty sweetness in the background and it's doing a good job of trying to put some real balance in this DIPA. Yep, the caramel is there and I can taste it best when I swish the beer in my mouth but even without doing that, I can taste that malty goodness. That's pretty much what I've grown to *expect* from the style; Big hoppiness followed by a more than ample malt presence. And this one did not disappoint in that regard. In fact, I'm really happy sipping on this 8.5%abv(found on their website) because I think it's a very good example of the style.
The mouthfeel feels right and the carbo is lightly done and the finish? To me, it's yet again a fine balance of malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness. I'm pretty impressed with what Steamworks has done here. Would I buy it again? You betchya!
Further notes: I read some of the reviews saying that it was on the "hot" side when fresh and could probably benefit from some aging and...I did that(drank my sample 7 months after best by date). I think you guys were spot on and thank you for throwing that suggestion out there. I wouldn't be surprised if more aging would give even better results....
Btw, if on my next trip to Colorado I can find some more, who amongst my traders would like a sample? I'll do my best to get you some. ;^)
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
From Aug 2007
Purchased as part of a mixed 6Pack at Wilbur's Liquors in Ft Collins
Pours from 12oz bottle(best by Sept 2007) a clear medium gold and it has a small but solid head of foam that shrinks to some spotting in the middle and a ring around the edge of my glass.
The smell is hoppy with grapefruit and pine.
The taste is pretty darned smooth. The hop character doesn't go overboard but I get some good pine and floral hoppiness and the sweet malt that isn't so far in the background does a nice job when it comes to balance. The more I sip on it, the more balanced the flavours become and that's just fine by me. It's got a good mouthfeel to it and the finish ends up with that pine but I wouldn't describe it as being very bitter. I think this one would be a good one to go to when one isn't in the "hop head" mode. Nice stuff.
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 2 | Flavor - 1 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 3
From Jul 2007
Purchased at Wilbur's Liquors in Ft Collins as part of a mixed 6 Pack.
It pours from 12oz can a very nice clear deep amber with a very large head of billowy foam that shrinks slowly leaving a fine broken layer.
The smell is very floral and borders on chemical-like. Not a good nose in my book.
The taste on first sip has some caramel malt that is semi sweet and. there's something odd here....after the swallow, I smack my mouth and I get a really foul taste. Tastes like..umm...ashes???
Yucky yuck. I've taken about 3 mothfulls and that's gonna do it for me. The rest is going down the drain. :^( As a side note, the can has these numbers on it: 6 04 04 A 1 B A. If this was canned in 2004 asw the numbers may suggest than...it's sad that this one was still in circulation but I have to say, I've been to Wilbur's many times and this last visit was the first occasion that I saw this beer. Anywho, I can't recommend this one from the experience I'm having...
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
From May 2007
Purchased at Wilbur's Liquors in Ft Collins.
This pours from 22oz bottle(best by June 2007) a clear straw colour with a small head of foam and looks to be lightly carbonated.
The foam shrinks to a few islands in the middle after a few minutes with a little lacing.
The smell is hoppy and it's nice but it's light on the nose.
The taste has some nice citrus hops up front that is very tasty.
Swishing the beer in my mouth, I'm getting a touch of sweet malt and some bread...yeah...this is very tasty and very smooth drinking. Nice mouthfeel to it and the finish ends up on a slightly bitter note. I *like* this Kolsch and if it was available locally, I'm sure I'd buy it on a regular basis. It would be a great drinker for the upcoming summer season.
Bottom line: I don't have access to many samples of the style but, imho, this is a fine example of the style and it is *very* drinkable. I recommend it.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
From May 2007
Purchased at Wilbur's Liquors in Ft Collins.
This one pours from 22oz bottle(best by March 07) a clear amber with a small head of foam that shrinks quickly and theres' just some spotty foam and almost no lacing.
The smell hits my nose with spruce and some spiciness.
The taste has big spruce notes up front with some sweet caramel malt and spice...I'm getting cinnamon flavours galore.
Further sips in and there's some earthy flavour coming through along with a touch of alcohol. The aftertaste is pretty spicy, again cinnamon, and overall, the flavours don't seem to work particulary well with each other. I think I'll let it warm up a bit as I had this one in the fridge.
Well, I let it warm up and I can't say I notice any improvement. Too bad. I won't seek this one out again.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Sample at Collaboration Fest on 03/25/2017. Clear pale orange color with a thin white head that evaporates quickly to a sparse outer ring. Spotty lace. Malt, fruit and rice aroma. Light-bodied with flavors of cooked rice, malt and fruit. The finish is sweet with a malt and rice aftertaste. Slightly above average overall.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle thanks to AJ. Pours a hazy gold with small frothy white head that diminish to nothing. The aroma is strong peppers and grass. Medium body, strong chili peppers, pine, light heat in finish, very good.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Clear golden color with a medium white head that dissipates steadily to an outer ring. Stringy lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus, hops and malt. Medium body with flavors of citrus, mildly spicy hops and malt. The finish is mildly bitter with a short fruity hops aftertaste. Decent overall.
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5
Crisp clear golden coloured body with a thin, single centimetre tall white head. Aroma of funky cardboardie malt, some light lemons and otherwise a mellow aroma of funk. Light-bodied; Strong malty flavour with a light lemon and metallic flavour and a touch of grass noticeable. Aftertaste is very mild with only the citrus and funky malt coming through. Overall, a pretty forgettable beer, but one that is light and easy to drink. I sampled this twelve ounce can purchased at Colorado Liqour Outlet in Colorado Springs, Colorado on 02-January-2016 given to me by my boss - Thanks Jeff!