Spring Ale
Nodding Head Brewery

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From:
Nodding Head Brewery
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Kölsch
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
86
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 14.06%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
10
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 11, 2014
Added:
Dec 23, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 3.5 by Zetcha7x from Pennsylvania

Mar 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

Jun 04, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by THECPJ from Delaware

Apr 27, 2012
Photo of mhatters
Reviewed by mhatters from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A superb ale on cask at Nodding Head in Philly.

Great balance of sweet and hopped (Saaz) - dry hopped and beautiful.

Golden in color, spice in the nose, but not too much.

A great session beer from a great brewery, if you go to Monks, take the block walk to Nodding Head for this and others...
Apr 19, 2009
Photo of micahgoldfus
Reviewed by micahgoldfus from New Jersey

4.27/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Looks pretty average when served: golden color, quite clear, bubbly, and a small white head. The smell was more like an IPA than anything else: very hoppy, with floral and citrus tones. Smelled crisp and refreshing, I was ready to taste, expecting a mouth full of hops. However, the taste is incredibly well balanced between grassy, floral hops and a firm, wheat-based malt taste. Plus, there were some citrus tastes floating around there too, especially orange. It hit the tongue a little subtle and malty, but the after taste was wet and hoppy with a little bite. I was very impressed overall: I really enjoyed drinking this beer, and it was light enough to have a few more!
May 20, 2008
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +27.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
This was served as part of Paul Pendyck's monthly Cask Night at the General Sutter Inn in Lititz, PA. It occurs the last Friday of every month and this was the 28 April 2008 edition.

My pint was presented to me with a half-a-finger's worth of snow white head that had good retention. The color was a bright lemon yellow with NE-quality clarity. The nose was slightly lemony-citrusy. The mouthfeel was medium with a definite lemony bite on the tongue. The finish was clean, dry, refreshing, and quite lemony. Spring?!? I would say more like summer! Recommended!
Apr 27, 2008
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

3.41/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A pint glass served from a hand-pulled cask at the General Sutter's Nodding Head cask night.

A: The kolsch is a pale straw yellow color, crystal clear with a thin white head that appears in clumps and pools atop the ale. The clarity is slightly impaired by some sediment.

S: The nose is off-putting. It comes across as very vegetal with a slight metallic note. Could be from the cask but I don't know. If you search long enough with your nose in the glass, kolsch crispness and a touch of citrus sweetness emerges. Overall the aroma is decent but the start is poor.

T: The taste is an improvement over the unusual nose. The hand pump has sapped the ale of most of its carbonation, so the cleansing effect of the bubbles is gone. What remains is a malty, slightly hopped ale with a pleasing citrus presence. The maltiness lingers on the palate, as does the citrus, resulting in a good finish.

M: The mouthfeel is dulled by the lack of carbonation. The flavor profile remains but it is not as vibrant as I'd expect a kolsch to be.

D: The ale is lightweight, a good sippin' beer. Cask tends to enhance most styles, it seems that kolsch is not one of them though.
Apr 26, 2008
Photo of Gavage
Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: clear pale yellow in color with a 1/2" head that quickly falls. Nice lacing develops.

Smell: light grass and hint of citrus. Not much of an aroma overall.

Taste: decent malt level with grass, touch of citrus, and a very mild bitterness. A nice springtime brew, more like a blond ale.

Mouthfeel: crisp from start to finish. Dry finish too. Light in body.

Drinkability: very easy drinking as this can be consumed all night. Not one of the better beers at Nodding Head, but very refreshing and lite.
Apr 29, 2006
Photo of cracker
Reviewed by cracker from Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
The color is light, straw yellow and appropriate for a kolsch. However, this is definitely americanized with the addition of NW hops (probably cascade). Not really a kolsch in the purest sense (lacks that unique spicey flavor). Probably more like the name suggests American "Spring Ale". Almost like a lighter version of their BPA. Very drinkable and a good beer to drink if not used to microbrews.
May 02, 2004
Photo of PSUDREW
Reviewed by PSUDREW from Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
hmmm, my 1st Kolsch, and, really, I am not impressed.

Light color, little head, the dominant tasty wast the tangy/tart of citrus with hints of malt. Honestly, I think there was more of a hop taste in monkey knife fight, but this was OK. Nit great, but OK
Apr 26, 2004
Spring Ale from Nodding Head Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 10 ratings