Shiner Kosmos Reserve - Spoetzl Brewery

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a crystal clear, bronze-colored head with a rather brief, white head.

Smell: A little breadiness to the nose with some sweetish hints to it, more so than come across in the taste. Vague spicy, grassy hop notes, less so than deliver in the taste.

Taste: Lightly grainy, faintly bready soda cracker-like maltiness with a small, very temporary taste of sweet caramel. Infinitesimal hint of white grape. A drop of lemon juice. Though this beer is apparently "hop-jacked", you'll get no more than a meager spiciness, a sparse grassiness, and some supporting bitterness. Quite clean and crisp at the finish.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation. Light on the tongue, but not quite watery.

Overall: Let's be honest for a change, it is Shiner, so roll in with simple low expectations, and you'll be treated to simple, clean lager with a bit of bitterness to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 19:52:12 | More by ChainGangGuy

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.05/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A pretty simple yet hoppy beer that draws comparisons to Extra Pale Ales.

The beer decants with a strong straw, lightly golden color. Lively carbonation brings an initially formitable head with fair retention that never fades completely.

Bolder hops arise from the glass than expeted from the Shiner brand. Somewhat earthy, piney, and herbally, the hop blend does also show light citrus. Malt flavor is light and borrows some caramels, cracker-like crispness, and clean grain flavor. No much ester depiction, nor yeastiness, sulfurs, or vegital notes, this lager based beer takes on the complexion of a very clean Pale Ale.

Body is creamy and moderate up front, largely due to the abundant carbonation. But as the C02 digresses, the beer's weakness and paleness shows. Bitter and clean well into the finish.

A nice but small beer within the same class as Summit's Extra Pale and Budweizer American Ale. Thanks Exiled!

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2009 18:25:50 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a becker a clear medium golden with withalmost a creamy-like top with good carbonation.Aromas of toasty cereal grain and dryish cracker malt,the aromas are pretty light.Dryer flavors with a little smattering of leafy hops,a bit of sweet dough in the finish.No frills but not a bad lager beer,average to above average like many Shiner offerings.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 21:53:26 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The story behind Shiner is interesting, and at least you get that on the label of the bottle!!!! I'm only kidding... there's a lot more to it than that.

It's a golden Euro lager, yes, but there's a nice malt character to it; and there's more malt to it than many. I'm not sure if I'd call it a Munich helles as it seems lighter in body and gravity, but maybe not... it's at least somewhere in the same vein.

It's also got some nice floral/grassy/spicy hops to it, but the malt seems to be the real emphasis. And with that said, it's at least nicely balanced with bitterness as well. It's rounded and smooth.

I'd originally thought of it as a kind of an American pre-prohibition beer, but it's really not bitter enough for that. It is, in fact, more of an original "imported" German-style lager. Take that as you will - and I'm sure some of you will think something along the lines of "Ahh, it's like Moosehead" - but it's actually got a little more depth of malt than that. So...

Overall...? Not a bad quencher. It's got enough character to interest you - as opposed to a mainstream American pale lager - and it goes down easy. Worth at least trying the next time you BBQ!!!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 02:51:20 | More by NeroFiddled

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

Mora2000

Texas

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

The beer pours a yellow orange color with a white head. The aroma is sweet adjuncts with some earthy hops. The flavor is a mix of corn, wheat, grassy hops and grapes. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not terrible by any means, but not too good either.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 04:06:37 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, golden amber color with a good deal of bubbles from the carbonation. It had a one-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam.

S - It smelled malty and floral. Not much else.

T - It tasted of bready malt with sweet caramel. A very slight bitter bite.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light bodied lager with a dry finish.

O - This is an okay pale lager. Nothing I need to stock up on but worth a try because I appreciate Spoetzl Brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 13:46:50 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Acquired via trade from gramatton, so a big "Thank you" goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light amber color with a thin white head that slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains light caramelized malts, grain and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out bready with flavors of grain and a thin malt character followed by mildly sweet flavors of caramel and tea. There's a very mild hops presence but enough to bring some balance. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, it's not a bad beer, but there isn't much to it that would make me select it over many others.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2009 02:29:20 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.8/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours an effervescent honey with 2+ fingers of cream colored head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Cereal notes & grassyness, some perfumy notes

T: Cereal notes, slight honey notes & some grassyness up front. Crisp lemon as this warms along with grassyness & crackery notes. Finishes crisp with grainy notes

MF: Light/medium bodied, firm carbonation, nicely balanced

Very drinkable take on the style. I could do a few of these on a hot Summer's Day...

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 04:03:04 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Single from Fox River, $1.49 12oz. bottle.

Bright high clarity amber gold. Initial head was about a half inch in width, and dissipated quickly. No lacing.

Clean, bready pilsner malt, some honey graham sweetness and initially a vegetal hop note. Supposedly dry hopped according to the label, so wondering how old this is.

Dry pilsner malt, clean inoffensive malty flavors, little to no hop flavor or bitterness really. Sightly watery, with a dry finish. It's ok, but probably wouldn't pick it up again unless freshness was guaranteed.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 22:15:49 | More by emerge077

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

jwc215

New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours straw yellow with a thin creamy head that thins, but sticks around. Some lacing sticks.

The aroma is light - some grain - not offensive, but not very aromatic. Nothing notable, though not "flawed".

The taste doesn't have much going on either. Clean and "inoffensive". Neither sweet nor bitter.

It has a crisp, light body. Carbonation is slightly aggressive.

A typical pale lager, IMO. Easy enough to drink as a "thirst quencher". Nothing "bad" about it, but nothing particularly unique either.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 00:46:47 | More by jwc215

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

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle obtained via Local BIF from twiggamortis420. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into a pint glass, formed a 1" beige head above the clear golden amber brew. Head lasts very well, with lots of chunky lacing. Aroma is balanced but minimal. Taste is moderately sweet to start, balancing bitterness is quick to follow. A bit of earthiness present that isn't quite my bag. Mouthfeel is nice, and drinkability is pretty good. Not a bad representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 21:19:13 | More by ppoitras

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

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The Shiner Family Reunion will end for me once this review is finished. I am really glad that I picked up this mixed-six pack while in DC and I would encourage others to try it.

From the bottle: "The original brewmaster of Shiner Kosmos Spoetzl [pictured]"; "This aromatic dry hopped lager is specially brewed to celebrate the man who started it all."; "Every drop of Shiner beer is brewed in Shiner"; "Prosit! to the original brewmaster of Shiner"; "The original brewmaster of Shiner Kosmos Spoetzel knew how to brew great beer. Born in Bavaria, Kosmos' mastry 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 himslef and our way of saluting the brewmaster who started it all. Prosit!"; "There's nothing finer!"

I am unsure of how Kosmos might have felt about twist-off caps, but I am not a fan. There is no Pop!, no nothing until the pour, in this case resulting in a foamy, soapy finger of eggshell-white head with moderate retention. Color was a gorgeous deep-gold with NE-quality clarity that would have made both Midas and Croesus sit up and take notice. Speaking of taking notice, the presence of earthy, grassy Noble hops really stood out on the nose. Mouthfeel was medium with a solid hop presence up front, underlain by a light malty sweetness. It was very clean and totally refreshing, especially for a lager. Finish was semi-dry and the hops really held their own throughout. I would drink this more often a) as an alternative to Pilseners and b) if it were sold in its own six-pack, instead of being lumped in with the Family.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 19:33:37 | More by woodychandler

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours golden with a fairly stable head that sticks around as a cap for quite a while and even leaves some lacing. Both the smell and taste have light notes of lager yeast and a nutty, rice like finish. There is a yeasty tang in the taste, and a rounded, slightly bready maltiness. The hops are almost nonexistent. Not terrible, and it even grows on me as I drink it, but it is awfully light and there is a late metallic tang I can't say I'm a fan of.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 03:22:08 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Shiner Kosmos Reserve

Pours ½ finger of white head. Color is a clear golden orange. Active carbonation in the glass.

Aroma: Orange citrus, pale malts, earthy hops. This one has a bit more flavors than the other Shiners I have had.

Taste: Orange citrus again, pale bready malts, grassy earthy hops with a slight floral bite.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and dry with a touch of bitterness. Light to medium bodied with a medium to high amount of carbonation. Ends sticky.

Overall, better than the first 2 shiners I had, but nothing really special. Guessing this one is a pale lager or something of the sort. Somewhat drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 02:30:40 | More by mothman

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

ZAP

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

An interesting lager...supposed to be dry hopped..aroma gives off an herbal like impression...nice frothy white head on top of this golden colored beer...

Definitely more of a hop impression on this than their regular lager...the hops lend a grassy, lemony dimension....the maltiness is bready as it seems with most of their lager style beers...

A nice drinker with some interesting notes....kind of a pale ale/lager blend....solid beer...

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 20:33:47 | More by ZAP

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I picked this up at Quick 6 in the iced cooler, poured chilled in a mug from the 12oz bottle.

A - 1/2 fingers of pale cap atop a light caramel colored lager w/ good clarity. The bead is fine, streams of small bubbles rise to the head which settles to a film

S - A sweet aroma like cereal w/ mild nuts and slight herbal notes from the hops w/ mild biscuit and bready aromas

M - A very light feel w/ moderate carbonation and semi-sweet texture w/ mild spice in the finish w/ light seltzery feel.

T - A light toasted malt flavor appears and recedes w/ very light spiciness from the hops. The flavors lead to a mild sweet biscuit note. A very bland flavor as it finishes, it seems thin

D - A basic lager w/ a bit more hopping flavor wise but doesn't make me want another-average drinkability

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2009 14:16:18 | More by Slatetank

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.38/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm on a Shiner kick if you can't tell. LOL

This pours a clear gold with a small and shrinking head of foam. No lacing to speak of.

The smell is decently malty and kind of hop/fruity. Again, it's tough to pick out what's going on.

The taste has a decent hop presence with some light citrus most noticeable near and through the finish. The rest of the flavour is of light malt sweetness and light grain. I taste *some* notes of corn but it's quite subdued compared to most of the others of theirs that I've tried. That's a *good* thing in my book.

Light bodied and medium carbonation are here as well. Standard for the brewery, me thinks.

Drinkability? Pretty good. Decent tasting and, I'm guessing, pretty low in the abv department, I wouldn't have a problem drinking another bottle or two.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2009 23:39:35 | More by Bitterbill

Tone

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, copper/orange color. 3/4 inch head of an off-white color. Poor retention and poor lacing. Smells of pale hop, yeast cleanliness, and slight sweet malt. Fits the style of an American Pale Lager. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of hop, yeast cleanliness, sweet malt, and a dry hop finish. Overall, my most favorite pale lager I've had.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 01:40:27 | More by Tone

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

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