Shiner Kosmos Reserve - Spoetzl Brewery

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

A - A clear yellow pee color, maybe a touch watery with a bit of head that quickly turns to a light lace ring.

S - Biscuit like malts, mild grass, and a touch of lager yeast.

T - Again bland but not very offensive. Mild touches of sweet biscuit malts and hops but faint and almost no existent.

M - Light and pretty flavor less. BMC lovers would enjoy this.

Overall aside from the blonde this is a very watery lager that isn't had to put down but not really flavorful to make me really enjoy my last two. Worst beer they ever made.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 01:11:00 | More by DrDemento456

beergoot

Colorado

2.1/5  rDev -36.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Appearance: Dark yellow and gold; lively carbonation; initial 1.5 finger head that quickly dropped to one finger, no lacing or rings.

Smell: Earthy, light malt, no noticeable hop aroma except for a very, very slight fruitiness.

Taste: pretty bland; a light roasted, biscuit-like flavor. Bitterness is pretty well hidden, too - didn't notice it until way after swallowing and it seemed mixed with some sort of metallic off-taste.

Mouthfeel: okay - light to medium body

Overall: can't find much difference between this 'hop jacked lager' compared to other main stream consumer beers like Budweiser or Miller High Life. Drinkable in a pinch, but not for someone looking for a more distinctive hoppy and/or malt flavored craft beer. Great example of a below average beer!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 03:29:33 | More by beergoot

rangerred

Tennessee

2.93/5  rDev -12%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a clear gold with a fizzy white head. Not much in the way of head retention or lacing.

Aroma is of stale grain and cooked vegetables. Maybe a little hint of lemon.

Flavor is honestly pretty weak. Some light graininess along with a slight vegetable taste. There is a distinct bitterness throughout but not as much malty flavor as I would have liked.

I feel like this beer just misses the mark. It is not terrible by any means but is simply boring.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 22:24:03 | More by rangerred

blakelive784

Colorado

2.15/5  rDev -35.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

12 fl oz bottle served in a pilsner glass, reviewed live:

A - Pours a transparent golden/orange color. The head is 1.5 fingers and dissipates quickly and leaves no lacing.

S - Pale malt, indistinct hops, stale adjunct and honey. Mild and uninteresting.

T - Cloying sweet pale malt, and an obtrusive bitter finish. Muddy simple, and not really very good. Poorly built. Entirely too simple.

M - Light and crisp. Probably ideal, for the style (if you can call it that).

D - It's drinkable and definitely sessionable, but really simple and boring. Don't waste your time.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 02:59:59 | More by blakelive784

match1112

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

a: light copper colored body, finger and a half of tan head, no lacing.

s: grains, grass, straw.

t: more grains with a slight off flavor on the end.

m: thin body with good carbonation, slight sour after taste.

o: just another average beer from this brewery. dont let the reserve fool you, there is nothing special about this beer. once again i feel this beer could use some hops to add body and character.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 14:38:50 | More by match1112

rebel1771

Florida

3.78/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a pale yellow color with a white head that fades quickly.

S: Has the strong aroma of cooked corn with a grassy undertone.

T: Clean light malt flavor with a hint of sweetness.

O: Honestly this isn't a bad beer. This style gets such a bad rap from the macros that decent lagers like this one get lost in the shuffle.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 00:48:37 | More by rebel1771

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

2.88/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked this up at Buy-Rite in Jersey City a few weeks back without having to buy the whole mix pack that this came in. I thought that "Reserve" would be an indication that this would be a great beer but upon a few sips of this, it was apparent that this had the characteristics of a mass-market Lager. Nothing memorable here and it's a bit of a struggle to find out the unique characteristics of this beer.

The pour to this had a dark golden hue with practically no head or lacing to speak of. Not much of an aroma to this either and the taste was pretty malty - mostly bread, with some caramel, grass, and straw tossed in as well. The carbonation was light and the aftertaste of this was sour, but not in a good way. Because the body is too light, there wasn't any wheat or enough malt to compensate for that. This went down easily - too easily - but the aftertaste kept me from enjoying that could have been savored from this.

The alcohol in this is weak enough that this could be a session, but if given a chance, why not just enjoy the flagship beer from Spoetzl? My glass looked and smelled like I just washed it after I downed the contents and amazingly, that's the figurative memory that I will take from this beer. Shiner fans could do better than this offering.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 21:47:05 | More by JerzDevl2000

dacrza1

New Jersey

2.93/5  rDev -12%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Situation: Feeling good, so I will review a second...
Glassware: Standard pilsner...
Appearance: choppy, off-whitehead creates islands of thin head atop a copper-bronze body with little effervescence...
Aroma: having trouble smelling the hops promised by its label; malt is present...
Palate: balanced mouthfeel with an oily end to a medium-bodied intro...
Taste: the straight-up lager base that Shiner has perfected seems slightly amiss here, with the subtle fruitiness not distinguinshing tself among its fellow Shiners...
Overall: I began eating chips halfway through this tasting--it wasn't in search of a proper pairing--actually, not an indictment, but the word RESERVE usually is, well, reserved for a beer that stands out... and this does not...

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 04:10:02 | More by dacrza1

smakawhat

Maryland

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

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

An off white head that falls fairly quickly, but has some foamy and somewhat retentive quality too it. Not unlike the blonde but a little less soapier. Body color is a very pale amber, almost hints of brown with mostly a dark gold aura. Clear, and some good noticeable slow crawling carbonation.

Nose is small bread, and some spice. Not bad quite good actually. Hints of toast possibly also, somehow I am thinking cinnamon on this strangely.

On the palate there is a quick hop flash, and good malt. Finish leaves a small lime and toast on the tongue. There's some good density here as the beer doesn't feel too wet. There's a bit of excessive gas though on the taste and a strangely prickliness feeling a little chemically.

Overall this is fairly decent, however I am just not really drawn to it. I could easily have more though so I have no real major complaints.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 01:38:39 | More by smakawhat

DavidST

Texas

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

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. This pours a light golden color with a white head which quickly dissipates and leaves no type of lacing. The smells are of light malts and light hops. The feel is lighter. The taste is good for shiner, a little hop bite with some light bready malts.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 01:40:48 | More by DavidST

mikeg67

New Jersey

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

12 oz bottle. Pours golden with a short lived, thin, white head. Aroma is of caramel, biscuit malt and perfume hops. Medium, slightly crisp body. Some herbal hops and bready malt fill the mouth. Short, forgettable finish. This is nothing-special brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 21:59:18 | More by mikeg67

FickleBeast

New Jersey

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

12 oz bottle poured into a goblet.

Pours a clear, deep yellow color with a finger of foam. Aroma is a bit grainy, bready, with a hint of earthy hops.

First sip has a harsh bitter kick up front, quickly finishing dry and crisp. Lingering stale malt flavor. I like the crisp finish, but the beer itself is pretty unremarkable. While there is substantial hoppiness for the style, there isn't enough complexity with the malt flavors to give this a well rounded appeal.

All in all a pretty average beer. Nothing glaringingly wrong here, just not something I'd be excited to get again.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 00:13:04 | More by FickleBeast

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.1/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured a dull, very light brownish gold. Very transparent. It had no head, oddly. It smelled fruity with hop sharpness to it.
The first thing that hits me is its high carbonation, followed by a sharp bitterness, followed by a dull bread flavour. It's better than I was expecting considering that the packaging referred to it as being loaded with hops. It is certainly better than I remember it. This is one of the first beers I had that I considered hoppy. I hated it, saying that it tasted like a straight Christmas tree. But I guess my palate has become more tolerating of hop use. I still think that it should be used only in moderation and only to subtly balance sweetness in some beer styles, but its use in this brew doesn't really bother me much. I won't buy it again, but I am not repulsed by it. Still not really anything special about this beer. It's fairly lame all around.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 06:56:10 | More by ElCommodoro

deaconoflove

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

ap. Pale gold with a very nice size head.
sm. A blink of malt/caramel followed by corn/grain/beer.
ta. Bit of caramel, mostly grain, standard beer stuff with long bitter finish.
mf. nice carb and filling.
Dr. I keep forgetting it's American Pale Lager and want to say it's crappy stuff. But it's good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 16:34:31 | More by deaconoflove

Bung

North Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. Clear gold pour, layer of white head. Doesn't last too long.

Aroma, light malt, grain, corn.

Taste, a little sweeter malt, corn puffs. Pretty standard stuff. Nothing really off.

Lively light body. Doesn't really coat or do much else. At least there's no alcohol.

A fine macro alternative.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 02:33:42 | More by Bung

wesbrownyeah

Florida

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

Shiner Kosmos Reseve... 4.98% alcohol poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint.

A- Smooth amber and gold fluid producing a mild off white head.

S- Metallic scents upfront with slight malty backbone.

T-M- Taste is a sweet and lightly malted watery mix. Nice and easy for the drink...

Overall a good beer with excellent potential.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 09:18:40 | More by wesbrownyeah

Crossmd

Virginia

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

Poured 50 degrees Fahrenheit into a Sam Adams pint glass. No born on date.

Pours a lucid light-copper with a nicely retained two finger head and multiple columns of bubbles rising From the floor of the glass.

Smells of a clean malt, maybe a little bit of corn and the faintest hint of apple. Not much there.

Tastes of a round, pleasantly tasteful thin malt with just a hint of sweetness. Runs nicely down the middle of the tongue.

Refreshingly slick. Coats the mouth a little bit, dries down a little oily. Would have loved for this to have cleaned up a little bit.

As a hophead, I have to look at this a little bit from the position of the style more than my personal palate, but I think it does have a nice degree of flavor and roundness that make it worth while. Refreshing qualities to it, sessionable. Relatively well rounded.

83.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 20:22:29 | More by Crossmd

aval89

Arizona

3.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a: pours a bright golden orangish color.. 1.5 finger head.. settles to a thin film.. clarity with streaming carbonation..

s: musty apple with some spice hops. touch of pale malt sweetness to round it out..

t: pale malts right upfront.. middle of the tongue brings more of that mustiness.. some apple cider qualities.. backend has a quick but present spice hop bite.. very clean finish with some lingering sweet malt & some hops..

mf: light bodied with crisp carbonation.. very good for this style.. crisp clean finish leaves you wanting another sip..

o: im pretty impressed.. goes down easy & is flavorful for the style.. would choose this over any macro lager.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 09:48:50 | More by aval89

DCon

Missouri

3.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pulled a 12 FL. OZ. bottle out of a Spoetzl Mix Pack I bought @ Shop N' Save in Valley Park, MO for $15.99. Poured from the Light Tan "Kosmos Reserve" bottle with no Freshness Date into a Samuel Adams Imperial Pint Glass.

Aroma- Very low malts, but is grainy and sweet on the nose. Has a hint of apple but very light and can barely tell.

Appearance- Pours a 2 finger head thats nice and frothy and has great retention. Has a pale straw color body with great clarity. Only a bit of lacing.

Flavor- Sweet, almost cider like with hint of apples. has no hops or bitterness, only grain and corn like tastes.

Mouthfeel- Light- Medium Bodied, High Carbonation, Easy and like an adjunct.

Overall Impression- Very refreshing, great for a first beer of the night and reminds me of an adjunct. Very smooth and easy. Would definitely recommend for beer pong.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 05:05:06 | More by DCon

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

kcopelan002

Texas

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

serving- pint glass
appearance- a nice dark gold
smell- sweet hops citrus
taste- a spicy hops
mouthfeel- medium carbonation and body
overall- I was finally able to pick this up from the family reunion 12 pack. I heard the story about this beer on the tour at shiner. this was a nice refreshing beer. I has a nice spice to it and is very drinkable. A very fine beer overall

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 01:48:18 | More by kcopelan002

2xHops

Texas

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

I picked this up by buying a 12-pack "reunion" sampler.

The beer had dark gold color with little head forming. The taste was somewhat anticlimactic. It had a somewhat bland taste for something advertised as "hop-jacked." It certainly had more taste than other lagers, but it's not something I'd say is quite hoppy.

The mouthfeel is quite dry, but the aftertaste is what bothers me. For me, it feels like I'm drinking stale bread.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 02:35:51 | More by 2xHops

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

claspada

New Jersey

2.85/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

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

Aromas begin with bolder hops than I expeted from the Shiner brand. Somewhat earthy, piney, and herbally; the hop blend does also show light citrus. Malt flavora are light with some light caramel, 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.

The mouthfeel is creamy and moderate up front, largely due to the abundant carbonation. Body is medium with a bitter and clean well into the finish.

By far one of the better Shiner offerings I have had but that is not saying much. Spend the few extra bucks on a decent 6-pack because the flavor upgrade is well worth it. Much better 6-pack offerings in this $ range as well including Long Trail, Victory or even Sam Adams which mildly pains me to say.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 14:28:01 | More by claspada

tdm168

North Carolina

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

Pours a nice copper color with a 1/4" of head. Very little retention. Smell is a mild pine hop aroma. Taste is grainy up front but with a nice pine hop bitterness in the finish. Taste like the smell is very mild. Mouthfeel is a little thin but still close to medium bodied; decent carbonation.

Overall, this beer is not very memorable, but it's a decent thirst quencher if you're looking for a simplistic, lighter beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 23:51:47 | More by tdm168