Calumet Queen - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

DrunkMcDermott

Illinois

2.4/5  rDev -33.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Draft poured by Nick Floyd. Can this be? A 3F that’s not that great??! Well, maybe the tap was off because I tasted nothing that matched the style description or other reviews. I got a big off-flavor of raw grain. Mild citrus hop could not make up for it. I will have to re-sample sometime.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2005 17:06:33 | More by DrunkMcDermott

aforbes10

Iowa

2.63/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Had this on tap this weekend at the brew pub. Orange and turbid. small head gone very fast. Mild odor, slightly spicy, some hops evident. Very diluted, watery tasting beer, like a tripel diluted 1:8. Some spice, not much else. My least favorite 3F so far.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2006 12:49:40 | More by aforbes10

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.85/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Split a bottle with the gf while watching football.

Pours light straw with a small patchy white head fading into a ring. No lacing.

Aroma is grainy with some honey and sweet bread.

More biscuit in the flavor than I associate with a kolsch. Grainy and malty and not particularly crisp. Slight lemon.

Medium bodied and carbonation. Finishes a little sweet for my taste for the style.

Went down smooth, but really not much to write home about. Kolsch is a style that I don't always crave and when I do there are certainly better ones out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 17:44:48 | More by jmarsh123

chicagoanbeerone

Illinois

3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

smooth not bitter at all, it is light on flavor and texture and not to heavy on alcohol either reminds me of alagash more of a smooth refreshing crisp beer. not a heavy beer at all and had a good but funky light flavor
overall this beer is worth a try but noting that special i was a bit dissapointed would not buy again

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 19:05:32 | More by chicagoanbeerone

aasher

Indiana

3.05/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This pours a cloudy and bright gold in color with a white lacing. U smells of a faded Kolsch. Pale malt, light spice, and light funk. Strange from FFF. The taste too of light almost pilsner esque malts and light citrus. It sounds alright but for this one its weak. It drinks light in body and doesn't feature all that much flavor. I consider it weak for the style. It's ok, just ok. I expect better from the guys who make a great dortmunder lager in Jinx Proof.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 21:00:55 | More by aasher

secondtooth

Indiana

3.3/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a heavy golden, with no lace.

Aroma is grainy, malty. Nothing outstanding.

Flavor is toasty grains. Very malt-forward. There's a hint of citrus towards the finish, as well as some fruit. Really a typical lager, nothing more and nothing less.

Overall, a solid kolsch, but unremarkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 09:50:55 | More by secondtooth

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

(Served in an Imperial pint glass)

A- This beer has a hazy orange copper body with a thin wispy white head that last as a thin film.

S- The smell was very clean with a faint hint of pale malt that was a bit dry and almost earthy. As it warmed I got a stronger smell of yellow tomatoes, which was a little odd, but I like tomatoes.

T- The bright orange note on the first sip turns to a more dry honey note after it warms a bit. The pale malt follows that flavor which is then followed by a light bitter noble hop finish with some sulfur hints and a spicy hop hint.

M- This beer has a medium light mouthfeel with a big fizz texture in the finish.

D- The hops are not that interesting and they hang on the tongue after each sip overpowering the malt. This is a tough style to pull off and I'm afraid they didn't do it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2006 01:49:07 | More by rhoadsrage

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Ray (baybum) for bringing this and many other FFF goodies to our Nov. '12 Philly 'burbs bottle share. It's good to have some non-wales from an otherwise wale-driven brewery.

I'm not a Kolsch/pils/light beer guy, it's no secret. But this one was not too bad, and worked good as an interlude between some of the heavier beers we tasted during the session.

Clearish straw-yellow pour, with a cap of foamy white head that settled to a thin layer of bubbles. Looked Kolschy. Thin aroma, toasted grains, light malt sweetness, grassy hops. Smelled Kolshy. Taste...you guessed it: Kolschy. Toasted grains, light biscuit malt and honey sweetness, light notes of citrus and grass, with a bit of a metallic aftertaste. Pretty crisp and light-bodied, and good overall for the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 07:29:51 | More by Rifugium

emerge077

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Imperial pint at the brewpub.

Murky yellow, almost brown in the light. Poor clarity, odd for a Kölsch especially. Thin layer of creamy foam on the surface initially that dwindled after a few sips, leaving no head or lace soon after.

Wet grains, a little musty with a yeast derived aroma.

Clean flavor, simple combo of apple, grape, and husky graininess. Light to medium feel, with seemingly lower carbonation. Very light malt flavor, sort of ho-hum. Finishes somewhat dry, but not as crisp as better examples of the style. It was ok, glad I tried it and easily finished it. Not sure if it would hold the attention of beer geeks for long, but it appeals to the broader customer base at the brewpub.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2011 15:04:36 | More by emerge077

RickS95

Indiana

3.41/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

22 ounce bomber

Pale golden in color, a partnership of clarity and haziness. Good carbonation. The head is very white and bright, and thick. Stopped mid-pour because it looked like the floor might get a drink had I continued. Two and a half fingers of tiny bubbles. Great retention. Foamy lace.

Malty, biscuity nose. Lemongrass and flowers. Green grape with a touch of pepper.

Tastes like a stronger version of a macro with an extra helping of citrus. A combination of pale and pilsner malts and savory Noble hops. Nothing to write home about. Maybe a style that shouldn't make a comeback.

Earthy, flowery feel. Very crisp. High carbonation to scrape the tongue dry after each sip. No alcohol presence. Light bodied. Sour, bitter finish. Acidic, citric finish.

Overall, it might be a good beer, but if it is, the style doesn't work for me. It was a hot day and I still didn't care for it. Tastes only slightly different than a run of the mill macro, only with more character. Not something I want again.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 03:22:56 | More by RickS95

Strongarm81

3.45/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A. Pretty golden color, looks like most pilsners. Light head.

S. Typical kölsh smell, crisp.

T. A hint of lemon and grapefruit, A hint of sweetness.

M. A bit of a bite, but great drinkability. Minimal after taste.

O. Refreshing, drinkable, but not incredibly memorable. Would drink again at the right price.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 20:36:28 | More by Strongarm81

KDawg

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle. Pours a clear yellow color with a small head.

Crisp aromas of crackers, biscuits, grains, and noble hops. Not as higher toned and crisp as I'd like.

Lighter bodied, but not extremely light. Balanced with a somewhat lacking feel and notes of crackers, noble hops, and grains.

Didn't seem fully like a kolsch. Instead it seemed more like a pilsner. Still, it's a solid beer that is easy to drink

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 00:19:49 | More by KDawg

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

The common criticism about Kolsch is the loss of finesse hop elements en route to our U.S. markets. The answer is to make them here; make them the right way so that they can get into my glass fresher. Enter Three Floyds Calumet Queen...

The Kolsch-style beer pours as is expected of most European lagers. It's brightly colored straw hues are crystal clear and prominantly displays the chains of champagne-like carbonation that pull form the bottom of the glass. But unlike those lagers, I had difficulty getting the sprite carbonation to build any meaningful foam stance, merely sparse islands of spritzy foam settle atop with lacking lace as well.

Floral, grassy, and sweet; the beer's aromas start with a bready base with slight honey"ish" scent. The scent folds in the floral and slightly hay-like aromas from hops to give impressions of honesuckle and mild cider. The residual grain also invites the aroma of corn for a richer and fatter nose than I'm used to in the style.

Grainy sweet flavors and starchy components from malt are the first impressions to introduce to the mouth. Freshly kilned grains, dry crackers, and light bread rise to the forefront just before the taste of corn on the cob broadens at mid palate. It's this point when the earthy taste of hops arrive with a mild grassy, herbal, and spicy bit. Both the hops and malt develop into the taste of straw and hay heading into finish. All the while undertones of sulfur acidity and light fruity esters combine for the light taste of apples, lemon zest, and green tea. Minerally late with a moderate hop bitter balance, the beer shares yeast, dough, and floral notes in aftertaste.

Despite the high effervescence of the beer, the malty weight lays the foundation for texture and gives a broad feel of bread dough and yeast. The beer expands at mid palate but fades evenly heading into finish because of its minty alcohol warmth, dry cracker maltiness, and fleeting corn flavor.

Three Floyds continues to demonstrate that they are much more than Dark Lords and Dreadnaughts by branching into, and largely succeeding outside of their comfort zones with Gorch Fock and Calumet Queen. But with its strong malt presence, firm malt-hop balance and minerally undertones, I'm more comfortable with this beer as a Dortmunder Export-style lager despite its yeast or temperature in brewing technique.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 02:21:15 | More by BEERchitect

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tried on tap at Floyds, 18 Aug 2011. Served in an imperial pint.

Small beige head rapidly dissipates. Medium carbonation. Slightly hazy dark straw color. Very light aroma, a touch of malty fruitiness. A light maltiness to start, bready. Becomes a little dry through the middle and lightly fruity sour in the finish. Medium to light body. Moderate ethanol. Aftertaste is a light lingering fruity sourness.

Pretty light in flavor overall, easy to drink a few.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2011 01:18:03 | More by htomsirveaux

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Review taken from notes: late summer 2012

1 pint 6 oz. brown bomber style bottle. Label is pretty sexy with what they claim to be Alpha King's girlfriend lol. I prefer this label to the older Calumet Queen who to me looked like Alpha King's sister. But anyway, this is more great art from FFF. Poured into a stange glass I dug out from behind my other glassware.

A - clear golden with a yellow tint to it. A few shades from crystal clear clarity. Very thin white head that vanishes very quickly leaving the smallest ring of lace. No real stick to note.

S - very pilsner like malt aroma but without the corn notes I get from a pils. Sour apples and a whiff of fruitiness. Some bready grains and even sourdough bread.

T - Somewhat lemony with the faintest of orange rind. Sour apple and a lager like yeast to it. Pretty crisp and clean flavor with almost no hop profile as expected from the style. Does have the FFF water source flavor like all of their brews and I suppose that
made it worth finishing.

M - Light bodied and as thin as it gets. It is crisp and refreshing and is enjoyable on this hot humid afternoon. 3F has a very unique water source that has a 1 of a kind flavor. You just know who it is and honestly this was the sole reason I could finish this. Then again, I'm just not big on this style.

O - FFF is my one of my 2-3 favorite breweries and I consider them the worlds best without question. While im not a kolsch fan at all it is a decent style for the summer. An ale with lager like characteristics. Hmm.. Idk.. while Calumet Queen wasn't horrible I can't say it's worthy of being Alpha King's girl friend or anything close to having a relationship for that matter. You are talking big time class in alpha and just so so with calumet. It was cool to get a not always released bottle from FFF and this experience will not stop the fact that I'll buy anything FFF if I see it, but this wasn't good enough for me to want again. But then again I don't think it's 3 Floyds, I think it's just the style. I mean in terms of this German style they hit it out of the park, but the kolsch ball park isn't all that big IMO. Worth a try, but nothing to get your hopes up on. This is one of my least favorite German styles and 3F did well with it.. But this just shows how hard it is to make a really good kolsch. But hey, that's just my tastebuds. I give them credit for doing it well, but how well can one do a kolsch? I doubt any better than Calumet. It shows how good FFF are, but in turn shows me how bad the Kolsch style is.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 15:43:32 | More by BradtheGreat7

jeonseh

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into GI tulip

A - Golden, clear color that is slightly darker than champagne. Light carbonation trailing upwards. Small off white head sits on the top

S - Sweet slight honey, bready malt and straw come up from a fragrant nose.

T - Sweet and malty initally as you get slight honey and a sweeter, bready malt. As the beer goes on, there is hay and straw with a slightly bitter hopping that comes on near the finish

MF - Medium body with the malt giving it a nice thickness and creaminess. There is slight carbonation that gives it a slight pop near the finish

O - Nice, well balanced full flavored Kolsch from FFF. Definitely an easy drinking session beer that you could drink throughout the summer

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 00:45:38 | More by jeonseh

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle opened on 10.8.12

A - Pours a hazy dark yellow-light orange with a few white bubbles that are gone instantly.

S - Wheat and lemons.

T - Lemon, wheat, sweet carmel malts.

D - Lower carbonation with a light body and a sweet finish.

O - Sweet, citrus, and light.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 06:34:38 | More by HuskyinPDX

metter98

New York

3.56/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy light yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin bright white head that hardly died down.
S: Sweet aromas of bready malts are present in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste is slightly sweet and has flavors of bready malts and white grapes with a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels light-bodied (but not watery) on the palate and has a moderate to high amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has interesting flavors of grapes but seemed a little sweet for the style and could use more hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 21:50:00 | More by metter98

rlee1390

Indiana

3.6/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Clear yellow, slight orange as well. not much carbonation or head either.

S-Bread and butter, slight toast notes, wee bit of grass as well.

T-Similar to the nose, sweet bread, mild toast, some grass. No bitterness.

M-Light, some carbonation and crisp.

O-Not a style I'm a fan off, easily the worst FFF beer I've had. Still decent, would be a nice summer drinker.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 19:13:40 | More by rlee1390

ruckus232

Illinois

3.61/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 Ounce brown bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Light yellow slightly hazy with a little bit of head that diminishes moderately fast.

Smell: Mildly sweet with a little bit of a hint of alcohol.

Taste: Slightly tart/citrus type flavor with a sweetness following up. For the most part this is fairly mild in taste but not bad, just not very complex.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:03:01 | More by ruckus232

Wildman

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

@Betty's
This beer was a light gold color and a little cloudy. It had a small white head that left trace lace. An aroma of hops and slightly herbal/grainey. A flavor of hops and grain. The finish and body was light but a touch astrigent. I am not really a fan of this stye, but not a bad beer. A bit odd to pick this time of the year to put in on tap though.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2002 17:40:22 | More by Wildman

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at FFF.
served in an imperial nonic.

Two finger head is all but gone after 2 sips, leaving behind a fizzy collar and some spots like bacterial colonies on an Agar plate. The body is a little hazy, but has a nice golden color to it. Decent coverage from the legs, but no lace remains anywhere on my glass.

Smells of light grainy malt that almost, but not quite, reminds me of a sourmashed wort. There is almost none of the light fruit notes that I like to come across with a Kolsch. I enjoy the hints of pears, green apple, and apricot that I've found in some others, though I'm not sure it is a necessity to hit the style-guidelines....

The flavor is lightly sweet up front, but that disappears into a dry grainy malt profile and a dry bitter finish. A little earthy quality lingers that reminds me in an odd way of a French white wine.

The body is light and bubbly. Plenty of carbonation here.

Overall-- I tend to enjoy a good Kolsch on a hot day, and while this certainly meets the requirement for a refreshing drink, it doesn't wow me. I'd actually prefer a Krankshaft Kolsch by Metropolitan Brewing... But this is certainly worth trying and enjoyable in its own right.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2011 17:16:21 | More by AleWatcher

AgentZero

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Golden beer, clear. Small white head that dissipated quickly and left just a slight ring around the glass.

S - Lager yeast, touch of honey, some sweet malts, grain.

T - Tastes like the nose with a grainy finish. It's a bit sweet with some pale malts coming through and a bit of honey.

M - Lighter bodied with moderate carbonation.

O - Nice beer, easy to drink, very crisp and refreshing. Drank the bomber by myself pretty easily.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 01:58:00 | More by AgentZero

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Always excited to try a new Three Floyds beer that I've never had. This one was poured from a bottle into a New Belgium snifter. Appearance was pale yellow and very clear with a nice white head. I was half expecting an unfiltered beer from FFF, but it looks to be filtered, crystal-clear, and pretty authentic. There are some slight fruit notes on the nose (apples and pears mostly). There is also a bit of white wine character to the nose. I don't get much of the hops on the nose, but it smells like a good Kolsch.

Light body and nice firm mouthfeel. The flavor is very balanced with nice soft malt flavors and very subtle fruity sweetness. The fruit notes match the nose and show up as apples, pears, and some white grapes. There is a slight yeasty quality (like a dry, white salt-free cracker) that also lurks in the background and comes through on the finish. One thing noticeably missing is a little bit of tartness or hoppy dryness on the back of the palate. Still, this is a well-balanced, refreshing beer.

I don't have a lot of experience with this style and had to review the style guidelines before trying this beer, but it seems to match the description nearly perfectly. I never thought I would say this about a FFF beer, but I would like to taste and smell just a bit more hop character. Other than that, I can't find anything to detract. FFF stayed true to the style here and made a nice traditional Kolsch. That said, it might be fun to see what this brewer could do if they decided to go crazy with this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 23:19:40 | More by deadonhisfeet

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Three Floyds branded imperial pint glass

Pours a glimmering gold with a two finger bright white head. Light pale malt, grass and flora, accents of apple and pear on the nose. Opens with grassy hops joined by apple peel with a touch of bitterness, a touch of honey, toasted grain, and some light citric notes. Finishes fairly dry and crisp. Light body with bubbly carbonation that tickles the inside of the mouth. Overall, a very solid kolsch.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 17:02:12 | More by chanokokoro