Shiner Kosmos Reserve - Spoetzl Brewery

Billolick

New York

3.16/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Part of the Shiner Assorted family reunion 12 pack box

Pours clear, dull medium almond amber, minor head, minor lace

Malty nose of no great interest.

American pale lager...yup....hmmm....not much going on here..just a hint of malt , next to no hops and basically very little of note to comment on here...kind of a nasty metalic after taste..best thing I can say is thankfully there were only two of each beer in the box..

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:19:08 | More by Billolick

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.03/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours when pulled out the family reunion mixed 6. Cool idea. Pours yellow and gold, looks like a lager, and it has about 1/2" of white head on it, small bubbles, not really something that leaves any lace.

Aroma was pretty neutral. A little bit of sweet malt.

Taste yields a marginal lager yeast profile. Undercarbonated for style. Is kinda plain, the hops don't stand out, but there's enough there to get the ibus into the mid 30s I would guess. The malt sweetness isn't heavy. Nothing is heavy about this beer.

This isn't a beer that is probably on anyones wants list. Its fairly non descript. I have no idea what makes this a special reserve beer, as it seems pedestrian. But the good news is no off flavors of any kind. There probably isn't anything too challenging for your average non beer geek person. I dunno, maybe someone's mom would find this to still be too bitter, as it isn't as watery and mild as a bud light.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 23:18:12 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Gmann

New York

3.24/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a crystal clear straw color with a fizzy pure white head that settles into a light ring. Very macro look.

The aroma is of grains, slightly bready with a subtle floral hop. A slightly bready macro with hint of hops.

The taste is quite grainy with just a subtle hint of toasted grain. The beer has an adjunct flavor, lightly metallic. Meh, all of the Shiner beers basically have the same flavor.

The feel is light and crisp due to the fizzy carbonation. Drinks well cold. Grainy sweet on the palate; I fear what this would be like warm. Finishes with a grainy astringency.

A slightly better macro but nothing worth purchasing.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 01:36:01 | More by Gmann

kshizzle101

Washington

2.96/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A - Clear straw in color, less than an inch of head which dissipates quickly.

S - smells of grains, faint malts, fruity hops

T - grains and hops come through with a malty backbone. slight fruitiness to it

M - light bodied, pretty heavily carbonated

Overall - you can skip this one, not unpleasant to drink but nothing special here. everything about this beer is average.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 02:06:59 | More by kshizzle101

mjurney

Texas

4.19/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance:
Deep golden color, clear. Lots of carbonation rising up. Thin head.

Aroma:
Sweet malts, a little caramel, spicy-grassy hops.

Taste:
Sweet pale malts, biscuit, touch of caramel and butter. Hop bitterness is mild-medium, mainly spicy, a little citrusy. Finish is crisp, clean, a little dry. Body is medium, crisp, refreshing, semi-dry, well carbonated.

Overall:
Very good for an American Pale Lager. Sadly it only available in variety pack, only wish Spoetzl Brewing Company release a 6 pack of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:24:10 | More by mjurney

Immortale25

Florida

3.48/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Florida Beer Co. tapered glass. No freshness date.

A- Pours a clean dark golden color with a 1/2 inch off-white head that retains decently before making its way down to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a light patch of surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing.

S- Crisp aroma of light cereal grain and even lighter vegetal-type hops.

T- Very neutral flavor of husky malt and maybe even some adjuncts like corn or rice. Smooth, almost too drinkable. Yep, this is a pale lager all right. Barely any alcohol taste.

M- Just enough body to keep it from being too thin and watery. Medium carbonation.

O- I'll say I've definitely had worse beers, but it's still nothing special. Not bad for the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 01:20:02 | More by Immortale25

beertunes

Washington

3.09/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured into 9oz pils glass. Poured a clean, clear golden-honey color with just a thin cap of white head that had no retention or lacing.

The aroma was fairly neutral, just some soft grains and very gentle, light hops. The flavor was equally nondescript, just a basic "beeriness".

The body was smooth, clean, and even. Drinkability was very good, you could easily have a pile of empties before ya knew it. Overall, an OK little brew, worth trying if you see it. Not worth hunting down.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 01:25:58 | More by beertunes

TCMike

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Produced a finger, and a half of white head. No lacing. The beer color is a translucent medium gold.

The aroma is of lager yeast, and biscuit.

The taste was the same, but with a lite sweetness. light mouth-feel, and medium carbonation.

Easy drinking. Not bad, but...just a notch above BMC, IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 21:54:03 | More by TCMike

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Nice looking, lightly orange to tan, clear, with a very nice head and lacing.

Aroma is kinda grapey and fruity, a little malty, not very hopping.

Taste isn't quite what I expected, despite the category I think it's pretty average in taste. Kinda sweet and grainy/corny with a little fruitiness but not enough hoppiness.

Body is light and drinkable, slightly sweet aftertaste.

Overall it's ok but not one of spoetzl's best.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 21:13:32 | More by AlCaponeJunior

mooseisloose

Florida

3.48/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Twisting the top, smell is adjunct but grape like. On the pour its a maple syrup color with a foamy white head that holds then fades. On the taste the brew has notes of black licorice and cascades. This brew is an interesting combination of saaz hopping and a blonde malt, combined with a carbonation that is Tricky and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 03:02:14 | More by mooseisloose

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Hey, you guys spelled "cosmos" wrong... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear brass topped by a a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises wheat, sweet flowers, and a touch of grass. The taste brings in more of the same, with a bit more grass and a kiss of lemon peel in the background. The body is a hefty light, with a light moderate carbonation, a slightly watery feel, and a sorta/kinda almost-drying finish. Overall, a boring little lager, one that makes me wonder why this particular formula was the "reserve"...

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 06:19:21 | More by TMoney2591

mactrail

California

3.58/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On the amber side of golden, and looks nice in the glass. Reasonable head and decent carbonation. Light but full mouthfeel.

A tang of hops with the undertone of malt makes for a pleasant beery experience. Some malty sweetness. Barely a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste. Some tanginess, but just slightly acidic. A good spritziness on the tongue to the last pour. Just a little bitter, earthy, fruitiness to finish.

Definitely a better than average specimen of this often uninspiring category. Quite drinkable if not noteworthy. From the 12 oz bottle purchased at H and H Beverage in Abilene.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 23:41:42 | More by mactrail

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Amber-red with pretty good lacing and carbonation.

Smell: Bourbon and vanilla. Very malty. A tad herbal with a good deal of caramel.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Mostly pine with a hint of bourbon and/or vanilla. Mouthfeel is crisp overall, but a tad watery in the finish, especially after it warms a bit.

Overall Drinkability: Definitely one of Shiner's better beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 07:31:07 | More by tjsdomer2

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Available as part of the Family Reunion Mixed 6 and 12 packs, otherwise difficult (if not impossible) to come by. According to the label, "Kosmos Spoetzl knew how to brew great beer. Born in Bavaria, Kosmos' mastery of German brewing carried him as far as Egypt before he found his way to the small Texas town of Shiner. Our proud brewery still carries his name and commitment to excellence in brewing. This full-flavored, hop-jacked lager is every bit as unique as the man himself and our way of saluting the brewmaster who started it all."

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to my Shiner Pint glass. Served at 43º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) An aggressive pour yields a thick frothy head with a bit of crispness to it, receding gradually, the quality is a bit better than the average Shiner brew, although it doesn't stick around long enough still, and lacing is still nonexistent. Body color is a clear orange-amber with moderate relaxed carbonation. Not a terrible appearance, but there's still lots to be desired in the head quality, which brings the appearance to an average-at-best score. 3

(Smell) Clean pale lager malts, a touch of cider and lemon zest, and a faint breath of grassy hops makes for a simple and accessible aroma. Potency is medium, balance is pretty nice; there's certainly some grassy bitterness to match the malt base in this beer. Smells clean with a tart biscuity yeast profile. Aroma is pleasing, if not all too predictable for the style. 3.5

(Taste) A thin but substantial sweet malt foreground which intensifies when isolated in the finish, paired with a grassy hop pinch, providing some flavor and a touch of bitterness. Other subtleties include a mild citrusy lemon rind, faint caramel trace and a faint bready yeast dryness. Although none of these subtleties take the forefront, they compliment the flavor well, lending originality to a beer that is not just malt and water. Malt body is more prominent than the average lager and bitterness is moderate. Yeast leads a mild acidity with a clean finish. A decent flavor. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Texture is of a medium tingly crispness with a faint acidic finish. Body is medium for the style, light overall. Alcohol presence is low/medium. A bit crisp and a slightly tart finish are two discrepancies in an otherwise decent mouthfeel. 3

(Overall) One of Shiner's better brews, although there are still key issues in the flavors here that prove all too reminiscent of other Shiner brews. While the flavor was accessible and drinkable and the aroma the same, the texture was a bit intense, and the acidity was harsher than usual, hindering drinkability somewhat. Certainly one of the better Shiner beers available, unfortunately available in small quantities. Expect something impressive for Shiner quality, but anticipate it to have its predictable flaws as well. 3.5

Spoetzl Brewery's
Shiner Kosmos Reserve
3.43/5.00

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 00:16:47 | More by Jadjunk

PorterLambic

Florida

2.8/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Part of the "Family Reunion" mixed six pack.
Aggressively poured into a 12 ounce hotel glass. The color of iced tea with a short-lived, off-white head. Closer in color to an amber than a pale.
Smell is caramel, malt, hops and a hint of grass. Decent balance at best.
Taste is malt, light caramel, hops and grass notes as well. The nose is actually stronger than the taste if you can believe that. Balance is biased to the malt.
Sharp effervescence, almost harsh in its presence. Medium bodied and pleasant after the harshness subsides. I suppose this would be a better received beer on a hot day but as I'm just watching football the weaknesses stand out a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 19:39:58 | More by PorterLambic

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance –Pours a golden amber color with a two finger white head. The head has a decent level of retention, fading over about a 5 min time frame to leave a rather light level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is of sweet caramel as well as a good bready aroma. With these aromas is a lighter smell of a very light earthy nature.

Taste – The taste is bready and malty upfront. Some lighter sweetness is present up front as well. It is mainly caramel in taste and as the taste advances further it sweetens more toward the middle to the end. At the end a very light earthy and herbal flavor comes to the tongue with some of the caramel fading. In the end a rather crisp and biscuit flavor is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the very average side in terms of its thickness and creaminess. It furthermore has a very average carbonation level. Both are fine for the style, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

Overall – Pretty easy drinking, but rather average for a lager. Alright and it is rather easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 00:33:43 | More by Darkmagus82

raznug

Ohio

4/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Kosmos pours a crystal clear deep orange color and is topped with a ½” of white head that dissipate very fast.
Smell: The hops play the main part of this beer but the malt has a very close back up role that makes for a tasty blend.
Taste: The hops and malt blend together nicely to make a very tasty lager that is one of the tastiest beer Shiner brews.
Mouthfeel: Kosmos is medium bodied and just an all around good beer that makes me love this brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 13:00:11 | More by raznug

Mdog

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Gold, ok head.

Smell: Bready, hint of grass.

Taste: Caramel, toffee note. Fruitiness in the background.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, moderate weight.

Last Spoetzl bottle in the mix pack, Kosmos is a pretty decent beer. Kind of reminds me of an English ale, but no tea bitterness, just caramel and fruit flavors.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 22:31:21 | More by Mdog

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a copper color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is malty, some caramel. Taster is malts, some hops, a bit of caramel ,good flavor. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer, complex for this style.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 05:16:33 | More by tone77

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A decent if somewhat forgettable lager. Clear coppery gold color; decent white head that settles slowly. Patchy lacing remains. Mild aroma; some bready malt and a touch of somewhat fruity hops; light floral notes; grainy, cereal, pretty bland.

Flavor is also pretty nondescript. Certainly not bad but this is one of those beers that’s forgotten as soon as the bottle is done, I think. Cereal grains, light caramel malt, some moderate honey sweetness that dries up in the finish, subtle floral and grassy hop notes with restrained bitterness.

Medium-light body; crisp carbonation. Fairly clean drinking and moderately refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 22:19:42 | More by tobelerone

Gavage

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: pours a clear orange color with a 2" head that falls to a spotty surface covering.

Smell: caramel is all you can detect by the nose.

Taste: caramel, bread, a hint of fruit sweetness, and a mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Crisp to start, less crisp and a touch dry at the finish. Short lasting aftertaste.

Overall: this is a bready lager and it is not a beer you can quaff quickly. One was enough in a session.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 19:08:13 | More by Gavage

donmonkey1

Tennessee

3.48/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a copper color with a 1/2" white head. Excellent carbonation that's very inviting. The incredible carbonation is what keeps a head skimming across the top of the beer. Moderate lacing.

Smell: Sweet malt, taffy, caramel.

Taste: Sweet malt.

Overall: Not much taste. I really can't describe the taste well. I don't taste any hops which is unusual for a dry hopped beer. I'm dissapointed. I'm starting to wonder if this brewery has a single decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 20:54:25 | More by donmonkey1

depechemode1983

Texas

2.63/5  rDev -21%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Pours out a clear copper color with an off-white head. Retention is moderate and there is just a bit of lacing. Carbonation seems low.

S - Pungent, bitter pine, bitter grapefuit. Corn meal.

T - Very sweet. Its actually a corn like sweetness. Kinda syrupy.

M - Medium bodied with almost no carbonation. Syrup like feel. eh.

O - Not as good as the first time I tried it. Again all I have is one bottle so no worries. Not a drain poor but almost.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 03:07:13 | More by depechemode1983

kylehay2004

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: two finger frothy head on a clear copper body.

S: toasted caramel malts and mildly musty grains.

T: toasted but otherwise flavorless and bland, wet malts. graham cracker notes.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: fairly bland beer overall for the term "special reserve".

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 00:27:12 | More by kylehay2004

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Very dark golden & orangey & a touch tawny – not quite amber. Good-size slightly off-white cap of foam. Clear with lots of streams of small bubbles rising to the top. Head retains alright & leaves some good lace.

S: Hops are grassy, minty, and a bit spicy & herbal. But not all that strong or forward. Vague background grainy pils.

T: More firmly hoppy than the nose, but all on the bittering – character is actually less. Grainy, sort-of-pils base with some husk & a minimal light floral & honey-like sweetness. Not bad, but it's all base – grainy & husky malts with herbal hop bitterness.

M: Medium body with just the barest bit over-matched carbonation. Initially expansive & cushiony from CO2. Then the hop tannins texture blends into a drying finish.

D: It has flavor, but it falls into the adequate category. All low end, background, and base. It needs some higher and accent notes to liven it up. And have the middle rounded out more.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 09:21:39 | More by SickGnar