As you may have noticed, I’ve been drinking a lot of Sierra Nevada beers lately. This is partly because I visited the new brewery in Mills River, North Carolina recently, but that’s not the entire reason why. Witness my recent raves for Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest, 2015 edition, which I bought only a few weeks ago. The simple truth is that Sierra Nevada is one of America’s finest craft breweries, and has been since the dawn of American craft brewing. So perhaps you’ll forgive me for gushing over them (after all, I’ve been there since that dawn of craft brewing and I’m feeling a little sentimental).
I’m also gushing over Sierra Nevada Kolsch, a German style ale that I’ve only seen in 12-pack samplers but managed to pick up all by its lonesome at the Mills River, North Carolina brewery. This is a perfect beer for summer that’s soft malty and well hopped, flavorful but smooth enough to be quenchable and easy drinking.
From the label:
From Cologne to California, Kolsch-style beers are a favorite around the world, prized for their incredible drinkability while maintaining a depth of flavor. As our stamp on the style, this Kolsch-style has a punch of bright, citrusy American whole-cone-hops to add West Coast character it is well–traveled ale.
Ingredients from the website:
Yeast Ale yeast
Bittering Hops German Magnum
Finishing Hops Strisselspalt, Simcoe
Malts Two-row Pale, Pilsner, Wheat, Acidulated
Sierra Nevada Kolsch has an alcohol content of 5% by volume with 34 IBUs. My bottle was packaged on June 3rd 2015 and I drank it about two months later. I paid $9.99 for a mixed six-pack of singles including the Kolsch at the brewery.
Sierra Nevada Kolsch pours to a beautiful golden color with a thick frothy head and an incredible biscuit malt and grassy hop nose. Taking a sip the beer is creamy at first sip with a hearty crisp biscuit maltiness, a hint of soft fruit and an aggressive herbal grassy hop aroma and bitterness (from the Strisselspalt). I don’t get as much citrusy character from Simcoes as Sierra Nevada implies, but it’s there.
Really, this is a dead on Kolsch with a twist of American flair. I know today’s beer geeks eschew beers like this for sledgehammer brews, but Sierra Nevada Kolsch has perfect balance between malt and hop and rates a corresponding perfect 5 out of 5 in my book.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler