Review of Schlafly Kolsch

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Review of Schlafly Kolsch

02 May

Hello again everyone. I hope you are ready for another craft beer review. I know I am.

For today’s tasting I’m going to be trying the Schlafly Kolsch produced by the St. Louis Brewing Company located in St. Louis, Missouri.

I’ve already reviewed quite a few Schlafly products so let’s just go ahead and jump to the website, schlafly.com, for a bit of information on this brew.

Our Kölsch is a classic golden ale that uses a centuries old yeast strain sourced from a famous Kölsch brewer in Köln, Germany. Fermented at 62 degrees, then cold conditioned, it has the delicate fruity aroma of an ale with the crisp, clean finish of a lager. It is brewed with lightly roasted malt and 100% German Noble Hops: Perle for bitterness and Hallertau Traditional for flavor and aroma.

In 1918, the term Kölsch was used to describe the ale brewed in Köln, a city on the Rhine River in western Germany. The style began to rise in popularity in the 1960s and now, many American craft brewers brew variations of the style, labeling it a golden ale. Our Kölsch is unique to the Schlafly brewery because Ulrike, a native of Köln and wife of brewery co-founder Tom Schlafly, connected Schlafly Beer with the Gaffel Brewery of Köln. Schlafly Beer won the Gold Medal for Best German-style Kölsch in the World Beer Cup in 2010.

Let’s drink, shall we?

This brew has an ABV of 4.8% and it comes in a 12 oz. bottle.

It poured a clear, golden/orange color with some bright, burnt yellow highlights adorning the edges and bottom of the glass. The head was white, soapy and somewhat thin. The size was average, the retention time was so-so, but the lacing looked ok.

The nose was very clean and crisp with hints of grain and dried wafers. A slight corn husk fragrance pulled through while just a touch of sweetness from some lemon citrus added another component. Overall, none too complicated or complex, but fitting for the style.

The taste was, again, very clean and crisp. White bread hints. Savors of cracker and grain. Light grassy hops and a very light lemon sweetness. Not a whole lot to the flavor to be honest, however it seemed to be harmonized and balanced well.

The mouthfeel was medium to light bodied. Very crisp, refreshing and thirst quenching. Mostly dry with a solid snap. The carbonation was good, however not much flavor was left behind after each sip.

Well, without a doubt this would be a great Summer brew. Very easy to drink and a beer that would fit in perfectly around the BBQ pit or while doing yard work. Really, there’s not much left to say about it. Just a straight forward, easy drinking, sessionable beer that exemplifies the style very well. It’s more of a beer to just sit back, relax and enjoy. I find that most Kolsch style beers are that way to be honest. Anyway, pick up a Schlafly Kolsch, give it a try and see what you think.

Thanks for reading and commenting guys. I really appreciate it.

Until next time. Cheers.

Score: 3.6 out of 5
Grade: B