Gateway Kolsch - French Broad Brewing Co.

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An oldie but goodie that I had not had in a long while from French Broad. Decided to pick up a bomber on my last trip. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 03/08/2010.

The pour was nice, very cloudy and bright with a big white head of foamy froth that billowed up from the bottom of the glass through ample streams of carbonation. Nice golden color and when held up into the light really seemed to shine very nicely. Great looking for the style. Light aroma, to be expected with light hints of citrus and banana, a touch of clove and light grain, much more citrus coming through then I remember. Crisp, clean, light, this is how you start off the afternoon! Really very nicely done here with a crisp and clean flavor. Light grassy notes, hints of citrus flavors all over give it a touch of a bite, light banana and grain in the finish round it out well. Nicely done just as I remembered as the lightly dry finish begged me in for just a touch more. Super drinkable and really just a fine example of the style.

Overall a superb session offering from them, I could have seriously gone on with this one for days. Really just a good example of the style and really nicely done

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2010 01:57:22 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.7/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Bobby for sharing this one.

A: The beer pours a pale golden straw color with a huge, rocky, white head.

S: Quite a strange smell for a kolsch. Lemon zest and apple juice are prominent. It's got a slight champagne character (likely from the high carbonation and yeastiness). Moderate bread notes and some floral hops.

T: Light bread and cracker malts provide much of the flavor. More lemon zest along with some floral and earthy hops. Just a light bitterness to it. The carbonation is extremely high, which diminishes from the flavor intensity a bit.

M: Light in body with very high carbonation.

O: Despite not being terribly "kolsch-like", I thought this was a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 17:58:57 | More by womencantsail

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, light yellow body with an inch of white foam that thins out almost instantly.

Smell: Nose of sweetened grains and fragrant, floral Noble hop aromas.

Taste: Light pale maltiness, lightly sweet, and with a slight hint of unrefined grain. Mild, indistinct fruitiness. Floral, even grassy hop character with a nice bite of Noble hop bitterness. Light touch of sweetened grains on the drying finish.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Easy-drinking and keenly refreshing -- just what I want from a Kölsch.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 22:47:20 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: A gusher, with a huge head of foam atop the hazy straw colored liquid; nice stickage

Smell: Biscuity, with a bit of lemongrass in the background

Taste: Bready, up front, with a growing grassy, lemony character appearing by mid-palate; after the swallow, the floral, bitter elements dominate but there is a bit of residual sweetness from the malt

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body but overcarbonated

Drinkability: Aside from the mouthfeel, this is a very nice example of the style as it is well-balanced and flavorful

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2009 18:56:50 | More by brentk56

oberon

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

What a perfect after work beer to be had here in my mind mind.Poured into a standard pint glass a slight hazed light golden, like sunshine basically,with a thin wispy white head.Aromas of toasted grain with some fruity esters,crisp mouthfeel and flavors,quite toasty with a bit of honey-like sweetness and shot of sharp zing in the finish.A highly quaffable pleasent drinking kolsch,again a perfect after work or hot day brew with real flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 20:53:12 | More by oberon

glid02

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Mac's in Atlanta.

Pours a clear golden color with a half-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of sweet light malts with a mild biscuit quality and light floral hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. The malt flavors are a bit sweeter than the smell intimated however the hops bring in just a bit of bitterness and slightly leafy flavors that balance it out. The ending is crisp and slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall this is a solid beer for the style, very clean and crisp. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 23:03:22 | More by glid02

plaid75

New York

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Barley's, Asheville, NC.

Poured a light brass hue with a one finger frothy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a clean pilsner malt and slight herbal hop.

The taste was well balanced with a clean breadiness with a balancing herbal noble hop.

The mouthfeel was typical of the style.

Overall a tasty easy drinking kolsch.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2012 21:17:33 | More by plaid75

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Happy to see this brewery in Atlanta now. I like their focus on some underappreciated styles, and the fact that they make quite a few low alcohol beers. This beer is a case in point. Wonderfully refreshing and very nicely balanced with a nice crisp bitterness and some soft grassiness. Really very close to what it should be for the style with a pilsner bitterness and crispness but kolsch softness overall. Pours a very pale yellow with little head, but the proof is in the drinkability. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 01:07:31 | More by Georgiabeer

avalon07

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to kolsch glass. Had a pale yellow color and a clear consistency. There was a quarter inch of quickly-dissipating, foamy head. Average lacing.

S: A decent, if two-dimensional, aroma of malt and a bit of citrus.

T: Tasted of lemon, pale malt and some hop. Like the smell, the taste wasn't overly dynamic, but decent enough.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a dry finish. Light-bodied.

D: This beer isn't horrible or undrinkable, but it isn't particularly memorable.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 02:14:02 | More by avalon07

kylehay2004

Florida

3.7/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thin head that doesnt last long on a near crystal clear bright golden body. The aroma is very light with barely perceptable pale malts, sweet corn and honey. Flavor has a nice amount of honey flavor with barely, wheat and herbal flavors. Nice body for the style with moderate to high carbonation. Certainly drinkable with nice degree of sweetness and flavor for a style that can be fairly bland.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 01:01:21 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured with one finger of white head on top of a yellow body with good clarity. Good head retention and lace.

S - Light bready malt with some honey sweetness, but no noticeable hops.

T - Slightly sweet malt up front with a little bread richness. Very light, herbal hop flavors in the middle with a bit of honey. Finishes light and herbal with more bready malt.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a slightly dry finish.

D - This is a nice, drinkable and smooth kolsch. There is nothing complex here, but that is just right for the style. A nice, simple session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2010 08:44:10 | More by nickfl

tdm168

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Biere Garden in Asheville.

A - clear gold with noticeable carbonation bubbles; thin lacing of white head; no retention

S - faint grass, hint of lemon

T - grassy, noble hops, faintly bitter finish

M - smooth, little carbonation, light bodied

This is a very light, easy to drink, refreshing beer. It doesn't have much flavor, but it's to style and ultimately enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 08:02:01 | More by tdm168

maximum12

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Rec'd from gford217 during the now legendary FC BIF, along with three other bombers from this brewery I'd never heard of. Thanks Grant!

This brew is macro golden with only a smallish bit of head on the pour. Smell is mild to the point of having on odor only existentially. Shadow of wheat grains in the nostrils.

Gateway is crisp, clean, refreshing. Hey Bud, Michelob, Coors - this is what your beers should taste like! A quick, simple style that would be great on a hot day with the grill spitting the smell of venison brats in my face & a bit of sweat on the back of my neck. Drinkability is insanely high; this could easily be pounded by any Wisconsin small-town homey (& I mean that fondly for all my Miller-pounding WI friends in the cheap seats) or savored sip-by-sip with the geek crowd.

Very nice. If French Broad can make a kolsch this appealing, I'm looking forward to the other three bombers resting in the basement.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 01:52:05 | More by maximum12

srandycarter

California

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Light straw, slightly murky, small near white head leaves to thin bubbly disk.

S - Barny, sharp, deeper malt notes underneath.

T - Crisp, a little funk, finishes clean and snappy.

M - Light body, medium coating, good carb.

D - Easy enough to drink, just doesn't keep my interest.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2009 04:21:21 | More by srandycarter

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I was very surprised and delighted to see the line of French Road beers in stock at Newton Farms @ Kiawah Island. I loved a couple of their beers when I last visited Asheville.

Kolsch remains among the most under-rated styles that exists. Too many folks assume that since it’s light, golden and delicate that it must be compared to BMC lagers. One man’s opinion is that this is just not right. In the proper context and mood a wonderful Kolsch is just what the Dr. ordered.

This pours with a sudsy bright white head that show decent retention but eventually fades away. The beer is somewhere between a dull gold color and light straw. No lacing…

Aroma is light, slightly doughy and with a touch of grass. Very bready

Flavor is very nice and quite refreshing. Again light dough… bready finish. Just a moment of bitterness to balance the touch of sweetness. Fresh.

Light, crisp, refreshing. A wonderful session choice and great when returning from the beach.

Nicely done!!!

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 21:13:41 | More by Reagan1984

cosmicevan

New York

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Another one that I've been sitting on for far too long. Enjoyed in my Portsmouth tulipy snifter.

a - opened the bottle and poured....straw yellow with steady even carbonation that could be seen throughout the clear liquid. thick frothy white bubbly head that left milkshake chunks on the sides of the glass as it dissipated.

s - grape sweetness. welches or concord grape jelly. very pleasant. VERY wine like.

t - a bit more sour and tart than the sweetness i get in the nose. sourness is a bit heavy for my tastes. the green grape taste though is nice.

m - SUPER carbonated. very fizzy.

o - overall this is a style i haven't explored much but this was way different than i had expected. the nose was the highlight and i wish that the rest of the beer lived up to that promise, but all-in-all a decent beer and one that i'm glad i finally opened. thanks mike!

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 02:37:34 | More by cosmicevan

JayQue

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one is a winner...a good year-round session type beer. Pours a slightly cloudy light gold color. The frothy white head is HUGE...makes no difference how you pour it. Nicely carbonated. Good patchy lacing and good head retention.

Smell is mild..a little lemon zest, some grassy hops and a little hefe-style flavors banana/cloves. A bit of funk going on as well

Taste is more of the same but more robust. A nice tasty light ale with hints of Saison and Hefeweizen. Mouthfeel is crisp and smooth.

Overall a very good beer from a style that should be fairly mild and bland. This is something you could drink a ton of either by itself or with food.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 00:03:18 | More by JayQue

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass on 1/3/11

Thanks to PDXHops

Golden yellow color of just a slightly faded caliber. Almost entirely clear, exhibiting a faint chill haze. The one finger of puffy white foam has dropped by a half but seems content to stay. Few speckles of lace.

Really bright, clean aroma full of floral notes; much like a prairie. Lemongrass, hay, floral hops, a hint of citrus zest & grains. Starts to smell like lemon bars as it warms but it isn't the dominant aroma.

The brightness of the aroma doesn't fully carry over to the palate. It doesn't taste bad, just not as vibrant, or structured for that matter. Lots of grassiness & toasted grains. There's a hollow lemony twinge on the peripheries. Hints of floral hops.

The feel is a tad down the spectrum from light bodied, with an appreciable graininess. Carbonation is moderate, seemingly befitting the style & my personal tastes (cool). The finish is reasonably dry with grass & grain lingering.

Gateway Kolsch is quite solid overall. If we're talking Kolsches from the Carolinas, I'd take COAST's 32/50 any day; however, Gateway is pretty close. A few tweaks on the flavor profile & it's there. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 01:46:50 | More by Ryan011235

cvstrickland

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The 22-ounce bomber bottle poured into my Kolsch cylinder produces a clear pale gold body livened by a storm of internal carbonation that feeds a towering cap of bright white foam. The resultant head recedes very slowly and deposits copious rings and soft blobs of 3-D lacing onto the glass.

The smell is mild with a touch of fruity grain and a solid buzz of spicy German-style hopping. A lightly-toasted nuttiness is present throughouth the encounter, and becomes stronger and toastier as the drink progresses.

The taste is quite nutty and replete with mild toasted notes of warm grain, medium-sweet toffee candy and just a tad of caramel. Mellow herbal bitterness is quite mild, but a fine, dusty, perfectly-proportional earthiness dries the finish and balances the drink nicely.

French Broad's tasty new formulation of their Kolsch is light-medium in body, perfectly carbonated and highly quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2009 22:12:40 | More by cvstrickland

MTNboy

Missouri

3.83/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It had nice yellow color and white head to the body. There was average lacing. The aroma was grassy and had a good aroma of hops. The taste was a little hoppier than this style usually is but it was good. I thought the use of hops was proportioned and done well. There was a grainy and grassy flavor with a small hint of fruitiness. The mouthfeel was thin and light.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2010 13:21:46 | More by MTNboy

nlmartin

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer came my way via my Secret Santa Ding. Big time thanks! The beer was served in a pint glass. The beer was a pleasure from start to finish.

Appearance: The body of the beer is clear straw yellow. The head is a thick white foam. The head retention is perfect.

Smell: A pleasant combination of floral hops, lemon and a bit of clove ride a malty biscuit.

Taste: The flavor of the beer is floral up front a bit grassy nice subtle lemon. The malt profile is biscuity. A bit of pepperyness coming in at mid flavor perhaps cloves.

Mouthfeel / Drinkability: The body of the beer is light. The carbonation levels work well with the beer. This is an excellent flavorful beer. Many people may like this beer on a hot day. I am thinking this beer would be good on any day of the week. Thanks again Ding!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2009 23:31:27 | More by nlmartin

beer2day

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours light gold with a nice one and one half fingert head. Good retention.

Nose is very crisp and clean. Crackers come through the most for me, saltines. Slightly lemony and a nice mellow malt hint.

Very crisp hit. Nice malty sweetness with some flowery presence. Slight, slight bitters present in the finish. Again, very clean.

Mouth is very appropriate for the style. Just chewy enough. Not thin at all.

Drinking this in the mountains around Asheville. Would taste just as good at the beach.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 02:15:16 | More by beer2day

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light yellow and clear, lots of bubbles, ok white fizzy head and pretty good lacing.

A little bit of yeast compliments a large amount of lemon rind and no shortage of crisp grape-y aromas. There's an element of pilsner almost, with some grainy and grassy elements too.

Taste is very pleasant. Grape juice, white only mind you, comes to mind. It's slightly chardonnay like in character. Again I find it slightly along the lines of a good crisp pilsner, but with a bit of yeast that reminds you it's a kolsch.

Carbonation is heavy, yet it's light and easily drinkable. White grapes dominate the aftertaste, with just a tinge of yeast.

It's not super complex but it's extremely drinkable and definitely quite tasty. I definitely like this beer. It would make a great fishin' beer, does it come in cans?

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 21:14:28 | More by AlCaponeJunior

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.65/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle into Sam Adams sensory glass.

Pours hazy pale straw, with a thinnish but nicely persistent, long-lasting fluffy white head. Decent lacing.

Nose is big on lemons... smooth and citrusy, just a bit sweet, some grainy pale malt peeking through underneath.

Taste is big on lemony hop flavor, despite a very restrained if not non-existent bitterness, some light, very pale malt sweetness in there as well. Finish is, again, a nice balance of pilsner malt, just a bit of wheat perhaps, and lemony hops - just a bit of very mild noble hop bitterness. This, to me, is not a Kolsch - much closer to a Blonde Ale. The hop presence is surprisingly prominent, and the yeast is pretty much drowned out. There are some great Kolsches produced in the Carolinas - Mother Earth and COAST come to mind - and while this is not really a Kolsch in my experience, it's still pretty tasty as an American Blonde.

Mouthfeel is dry-ish on the long finish, medium-light in body with a light carbonation. Just a bit tingly.

Nicely drinkable, not nearly as delicate as you'd expect a Kolsch to be. An American take, perhaps, decent amount of flavor but lacking in subtlety.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 01:50:56 | More by JohnQVegas

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber poured in increments into a Collins glass. Even in this narrow vessel, the bright white head is quite modest, yet leaves a surprising amount of streak lacing. Light gold and bubbly body.

A pleasant combo of fresh cut hay, grass, some floral sweetness and a touch of noble hop spiciness greet the nose. Rather bitter with a nice lemony hop flavor and a grassy bite that goes well with the biscuity malt. A touch of vague funkiness. The bitterness disappears at the swallow, leaving a crisp grainy finish with a lingering squeeze of lemon.

Overall impression: A refreshing and lively Kolsch. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 17:34:35 | More by PDXHops