Gordon Biersch SommerBrau - Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

clemtiger8202

3.9/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap from the Myrtle Beach location. Poured a clear, light gold/honey color with a small but lingering white head. Citrus notes like lemon and grapefruit. A slight bread note. Tasted of bread, citrus fruit, and a little herb/pine on the finish. Light bodied. Didn't finish as dry as I thought it would for the style. Very drinkable and probably one of the better ones I had on my visit.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2012 18:56:24 | More by clemtiger8202

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This "kölsch"strikes me as typical of a lot of American produced examples of the style: a bit too thick and bodied. Consistent, sure. But too much on the profile. This seems a very difficult style for American producers to get close to doing well on.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 05:19:00 | More by RblWthACoz

scottfrie

California

2.55/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle into nonic glass. Bottled 6/25.

A: Pours a light golden with three fingers of active bright white head that faded into a thin collar that left a few sticky streaks of lace down the glass.
S: Light nose. Pale malts and dry grains dominate with a hint of yeast a light citrus.
T: Disappointingly flat tasting and almost metallic. Grains are dirty and almost sour tasting. Flavors are not clean or refreshing. There’s a hint of roast, bitter hops, and citrus in the finish, and the aftertaste is full of toasted bread crust.
M: Extremely thin, even for a kolsch, with very active bubbly carbonation and a watery mouthfeel.
O: Having just had an amazing kolsch a few days ago, I can say this is a less than amazing example of the style. Flavors were off putting. I won’t be drinking this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 00:37:47 | More by scottfrie

Jason

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz brown bottle with a freshness date.

LOOK: Clear shiny golden hue, thin but sticky lacing

SMELL: Bready, faint pear, grassy, mildy nutty, herbal, hop spice

TASTE: Very crisp, ample hop bitterness, grassy, crackers, doughy bread, spicy, herbal, kiss of fruit, faint tartness, semi-dry finish

Solid all around, definitely comparable to the few Kölschs we get in the US. I'd prefer to drink this from a bigger mug ... Eine Maß!!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 01:39:00 | More by Jason

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.78/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled July 2011
Brilliantly clear, full gold color that is topped by a frothy, thin, quarter finger thick, off-white colored head. The beer has quite a fruity smell to it up front and sort of reminds me of a floral pear. There is a a noticeable, though light, herbal character here in the nose too that lightly accentuates the up front fruitiness. Honey like malt notes meld well with the fruitiness and towards the middle and finish there is more of a cracker like malt character that has a hint of biscuit like softness to it at times.

The beer has quite a carbonic bite to it which serves as a nice foil to a solid fruitiness found in the middle of this beer. The fruit accentuates a honey like malt sweetness, which in turn is off-set by a firm bitterness that lingers on the palate in the finish with a fair amount of bite to it. There is a nice hop flavor to this beer that is at times a touch lemon like, but is really more herbal than anything; the herbal notes are nothing too distinct, but hint at a touch of pine, perhaps a touch of menthol and maybe something sort of like lemon thyme.

Not a bad Kolsch, it perhaps is a little more fruity than I had expected, but not so much that it keeps this from being out of style for me. Certainly at the very least a beer I am happy to be sipping upon as I while away a few hours in the airport.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 14:16:13 | More by Gueuzedude

GrumpyGas

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A very clean tasting beer with no aftertaste. Served in a tall pilsner glass, the golden yellow beer was topped with a fine dissipating foam.
SummerBrau has a crisp mouth feel that still makes it's presence known and is perfect match for the seafood specialties.
I could drink this all day long.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2011 05:23:05 | More by GrumpyGas

Gobzilla

California

3.2/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A: poured a transparent golden yellow in color with yellow highlights and a very thin head leaving almost no lacing sticking to the glass.

S: pretty much the nose was made up of sweetness coming from the malts and had faint citrusy, grainy, and honey notes.

T: the flavor was also big on the malty sweetness alongside citrusy honey notes and a touch of grainy crispiness.

M: the brew was light in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a a lot of malty sweetness, citrusy, and grainy crisp finish.

D: very drinkable beer that would be a great session brew to take to a party for everyone to sip on.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 21:17:21 | More by Gobzilla

UCLABrewN84

California

2.65/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Part of the Summer Brews pack from Cost Plus World Market.

Pours a hazy light yellow with a 1/2 inch off-white head that fades to a film on the top of the beer. Decent thin rings of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grains and mustard seeds. This is very weird. Taste is of toasty grains, citrus zest hops, and a bitter metallic flavor. There is a medicinal bitterness that lingers after each sip. This beer has a pretty good level of carbonation with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer with a weird mustard/metal thing going on. I am not a fan of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 05:23:14 | More by UCLABrewN84

nickthetick

Maryland

2.6/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: pours a clear gold color into an American shaker with a tiny skim of white bubbles. No lacing.

S: light malt and wheat. Grassy and a bit lemonade like.

T: orange notes, lemon and malt. I get a good bit of wheat and bread. Honey sweetness but not a whole lot else going on.

MF: refreshing, sweet(almost cloying), heavy.

O: not a fan of this kolsch. I don't find a whole lot going on that I enjoy.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2011 02:01:26 | More by nickthetick

yemenmocha

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed to style: kolsch

Pours a very appetizing color of golden/honey with white head. Lots of light here. Nose is soft with some bready notes, and floral/herbal complexity. On the palate there's a big kolsch character that is delightful with plenty of herbal hop qualities, minerals, and light malt. Finish is overall deliciously herbal through the aftertaste. Medium bodied. Incredibly drinkable, yet also flavorful. Too bad most folks don't appreciate Kolsch.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 19:42:51 | More by yemenmocha

BucannonXC5

California

2.93/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a tap into a pilsner? glass. Color was dark gold. Had an inch and a half of foam that remained there for awhile. Smell was a slight hint of honey but not a strong odor elsewhere. Very carbonated. Lots of flavors, but honey stood out. Golden honey would be a better way to describe it. Good summmer beer and was refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 07:48:42 | More by BucannonXC5

DaveHS

California

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours pale clear blonde with 1/4 inch of creamy brilliant white head. Leaves streaks of soapy lacing.

S-Very light and crisp, with perfumey sweetness and notes and hints of passionfruit and mango.

T/M-Super light and crisp. Very delicate flavor profile. I can barely make out any distinct flavors. Some light tropical fruit sweetness and
a touch of dry, earthy hops on the back end. Light bodied with soft, light carbonation.

O-Great for hot weather. A good candidate for a lawnmower beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 04:56:13 | More by DaveHS

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #42 (Jul 2010):

With its brilliant golden color and superb lacing, this is a beautiful beer to look at. This beer has a fresh grain aroma with a hint of yeast, and is slightly floral from the hops. Its crispness is spot-on and holds the light- to-medium body together. Malty, bready, grassy and faint biscuity flavors paint a broad stroke on the palate. Moderate hopping gives a balanced bitterness and a long trail of herbal flavor. This beer is a little nutty in the dry finish. Super drinkable and loaded with flavor, this brew is an amazing example of its style.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 03:28:35 | More by BeerAdvocate

beer2day

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Featured beer for the summer at GB.

230z pour. Light lemon color. 1-finger head with thin retention. Just a trace of lace down the glass.

Tart lemon citrus nose.

Bright fizzy taste. As in the nose, lots of tart lemon. Weak banana backs that up. Creamy up front with a tart bite in the end.

Quite thick for the style.

Very nice beer on a blazing hot day in MB and easily their best offering.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

08-21-2010 01:15:30 | More by beer2day

clayrock81

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

For some reason, probably money (and that's it), GB released a new summer seasonal, listed as a Pils, although they released one a couple of summers ago under a different name that is a Kolsch but pretty much the same although the tweaks aren't improvements at all.
Pours a golden body with minimal but frothy head with great lace on a light fruity body with pils malt smell. Light-bodied, dry pils malt taste yet a slightly sweet fruit taste that has some sugariness to it and is balanced with a sour apple/pear fruit taste. Not a bad summer beer.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 4561 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach

08-09-2010 12:59:51 | More by clayrock81

SpencerT

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +30.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The ale was served in a variation of the traditional Stange. This brew had a clear effervescent body with a whipped egg white head. The aroma was of malt and floral aroma hops. The sweetness of the malt is well balanced with the hop bitterness. This beer is a great example of the Kolsch style. Very similar to Reissdorf Kolsch. I highly recommend this as an alternative to the BMC brews for your NON-BA friends.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 4561 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach

08-07-2010 13:59:03 | More by SpencerT

briman

Texas

3.6/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very pale straw color, cloudy, with a moderate stark white head that retains well, and leaves moderate lacing along the edges of the glass.

Aroma has elements of fresh bread, with what seemed like a light wheat note right at first, and a touch of floral hops in the background.

Bready flavors upfront, and settling into a somewhat grainy finish, with a distinct grassy tone. A light bitterness comes through in the aftertaste and lingers only slightly.

Body leans more towards medium that light, with just the right amount of medium-high carbonation.

As for being a Kolsch this is not an authentic interpretation, but nevertheless is within style guidelines even considering the wheat addtion.

Overall, this is a clean, crisp, and refreshing beer. Pleasant certainly, and perfect for summer. Not a style I normally gravitate to, but worth checking out for something different.

Serving type: growler
@ Gordon Biersch, 4561 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach

07-26-2010 04:01:18 | More by briman

zeff80

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a cloudy, golden yellow color with a thin, white head of foam. It left almost no lacing.

S - It smelled fruity and yeasty with a grain and caramel kick.

T - It tasted of grains with fruitiness and some yeasty. There was a very mild spiciness.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A light bodied kolsch-style ale that was very easy drinking.

D - This is an okay kolsch. A little more bland than most.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

07-17-2010 01:42:01 | More by zeff80

kflorence

California

3.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a golden, straw color with an ample amount of head that leaves a bit of of lacing around the glass. I would not say this beer is pale, more on the pilsener side of the golden spectrum (ever so slightly copper).

S: Smells of bread, honey, caramel and some buttery, toasted malts with a faint floral hop aroma. I would say the smell is mostly sweet, dominated by the honey, malts and bread smells.

T: The taste is very similar to the smell, with the buttery, toasted malts shining up front, however, the hops are definitely more distinguishable on the palate coming in with a grapefruit tang towards the backend of the swig. Unfortunately there is a very slight metallic flavor in the aftertaste, but the hops are what truly linger on the tongue. Overall nicely balanced.

M: Pretty decent feel on the tongue. A little buttery and a little watered down, and perhaps slightly over carbonated for my tastes, but it's light and goes down easy.

D: This is a pretty good beer with a nicely balanced malt/hop ratio that is easy to drink and quite sessionable. I don't think I would seek it out, but I wouldn't turn one down. More good stuff from Gordon-Biersch!

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

06-22-2010 03:32:03 | More by kflorence

BlackBearForge

Florida

3.35/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

SommerBrau pours a clear lemony yellow with warmer gold highlights and a nice big whit head that leaves a fair amount of lacing as it falls.

The aroma has faintly spicy and freshly floral hops with a nice freshly baked bread background.

The flavor opens up with a faint lemon taste behind a bready pale malt, hops are floral and somewhat spicy. Bitterness is almost equally balanced with the slightly sweet and bready, somewhat grainy malt. Finish is light, dry and moderately bitter.

Mouthfeel is light and lively, though slightly rough from the carbonation.

This is an unobtrusive, highly drinkable and refreshing beer. Like most of the beers from Grodon Biersch I have tried I feel it would accompany food extremely well just as all the others have.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

06-17-2010 23:34:13 | More by BlackBearForge

kshankar

District of Columbia

3.6/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Okay, so this pours pale, golden yellow with some minimal foam. The foam sticks around for a decent amount of time. Looks like beer.

Aroma is grainy, grassy and minimally malty. Whiff of lemon in there too.

..Which all reflects on the taste. Doesn't taste too much different from the aroma. Pretty Kolsch-like, which isn't a bad thing. Mouthfeel is Kolsch-y as well, crispy and light. High drinkability.

I prefer wits and hefeweizens as summer beers, but I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

05-17-2010 04:02:57 | More by kshankar

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle - $1.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours out a translucent, pale gold body with a smallish, scant, white head.

Smell: Lightly toasted, grainy malts paired with an equally strong scent of floral hops.

Taste: A sweetish taste of toasted grains, with a slight mealy homemade dough character in the background. Floral hop character, a bit of spiciness, too, and a light, complimentary bitterness. Finishes rather dry, a lingering spiciness.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Drinkability: Boy, I just had a good Kölsch. As in the new brew from Stoudts I had a few hours ago. This one, well, it's okay. As in terms of "how was the beer" it was acceptable, sufficient even. Can't we just leave it at that?

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

05-16-2010 00:25:47 | More by ChainGangGuy

Vengeance526

Louisiana

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear light golden color with a very thin white head that quickly fades to a light ring and leaves little lacing.

Light bready, malty aroma. Some grass and grain show up as well but overall this aspect isn't all that appealing.

Taste comes off better with toasty malts upfront along with graiin and grassy hops in the background. A very faint hint of citrus also shows up toward the end. Again, nothing special but still refreshing and much more pronounced than the weak aroma.

Light to medium body with light carbonation and a crisp mouthfeel. Not too bad, drinkability is fairly high, seems like a decent summer beer.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

04-26-2010 02:11:35 | More by Vengeance526

whtguitarguy

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This just started popping up around here recently, by recently I mean within the last 6 months. Pours to a clear yellow. It is rather crisp and refreshing and has a consistency like some kind of soda. It is slightly bitter with a citrus note. It is a good brew for summer. It's got that fresh kind of feeling to it.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

12-25-2009 03:50:36 | More by whtguitarguy

oberon

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well obviously it a little dated, but this beer is pretty darn good on a damp, chilly early autumn day as well.Poured a clear straw color with a very tight formed one finger bone white head that has great lasting power.Aromas are toasty with light floral notes,crisp and clean on the palate with toasted cereal grain and a decent smack of leafy hoppiness in the finish.To me this is a great kolsch it stays delicate but has flavor,this was bottled back in April and it held up well,nice job GB on this one.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 3060 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach

10-06-2009 20:12:51 | More by oberon