-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Sprang
Trillium Brewing Company
- From:
- Trillium Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Kölsch
Ranked #2 - ABV:
- 4.9%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,523 - Avg:
- 4.23 | pDev: 8.04%
- Reviews:
- 47
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 19, 2023
- Added:
- May 08, 2014
- Wants:
- 48
- Gots:
- 25
Originally brewed as our hoppy welcome to Spring after the long, dark months of winter, this low ABV, kölsch inspired ale is cool fermented and dosed with Nelson Sauvin. Lower fermentation temperature slows the yeast's metabolism and provides balance by gently subduing super-fruity esters and spicy phenols. Sprang is refreshingly light bodied with aromatics of earthy evergreen, passion fruit, and faint doughy malt. Flavors of concord grape, mango, and herbaceous white wine interweave with cracker-crisp, pilsner malt character and minimal bitterness. The finish is dry with a lasting touch of grain.
MALT: Pilsner, Valley Danko Rye, Dextrine
HOPS: Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Sterling
MALT: Pilsner, Valley Danko Rye, Dextrine
HOPS: Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Sterling
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by nas5755:
Reviewed by nas5755 from Massachusetts
4.57/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
4.57/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
A damned delicious beer.
A hazy, golden blonde, nice head. Solid.Nose is spicy, some nelson hops, grapey, citrus, some spice .Hoppy, but not overdone. For the style, I almost wanted less hop presence but I am fine and really love drinking this beer. Very clean, nelson hop flavors, lots of rye bite, spritzy carbonation. A really easy drinking beer, might be the perfect lawnmower beer. Hopped up nicely, but not overdone, clean. Love this beer and would/will drink this all summer.
May 11, 2014A hazy, golden blonde, nice head. Solid.Nose is spicy, some nelson hops, grapey, citrus, some spice .Hoppy, but not overdone. For the style, I almost wanted less hop presence but I am fine and really love drinking this beer. Very clean, nelson hop flavors, lots of rye bite, spritzy carbonation. A really easy drinking beer, might be the perfect lawnmower beer. Hopped up nicely, but not overdone, clean. Love this beer and would/will drink this all summer.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Canned 3/8/23; drank 4/3/23 @ the Yarchives.
Opaque orange/yellow appearance.
A rough pour yielded a small off-white head; almost no lace.
Lemon, orange soda & ganja notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Lemon & orange soda flavors; dry ganja notes on the finish.
Calling this a "Kolsch inspired ale" is hilarious; this is just another Trillium IPA.
Apr 04, 2023Opaque orange/yellow appearance.
A rough pour yielded a small off-white head; almost no lace.
Lemon, orange soda & ganja notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Lemon & orange soda flavors; dry ganja notes on the finish.
Calling this a "Kolsch inspired ale" is hilarious; this is just another Trillium IPA.
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky
3.96/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
With a pep in their step and a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed look toward spring, Trillium rings in the warmer season with a Kolsch-inspired hoppy ale.
Simply names Sprang, the light golden and mildly hazy beer floats a soft and creamy froth. Hoppy aromas of citrus, herb, melon and pear grace the nose with a soft and floral bouquet. Gentle wafer sweetness glosses over the tongue with slight cereal, honeysuckle and fresh dough.
Seemingly with an underpinning of fuller pilsner, the malt flavors provide a base taste of crisp fresh grain and a hint of powdered sugar before the hops unfold with notions of white grapefruit, light lemon, apple, pear and white grape. Juicy and with a honeydew roundness, the late taste trends smooth with a medium leveled bitterness of fresh grasses, spruce and peppery green tea.
Light, crisp and refreshing, the ale is bolder, fuller and certainly more hoppy than Kolsch, but calling the beer a session hazy IPA might not grab the attention quite as well. The beer finishes clean, crisp and refreshing with a pep of lingering grain bite and mild hop bitterness.
Apr 08, 2022Simply names Sprang, the light golden and mildly hazy beer floats a soft and creamy froth. Hoppy aromas of citrus, herb, melon and pear grace the nose with a soft and floral bouquet. Gentle wafer sweetness glosses over the tongue with slight cereal, honeysuckle and fresh dough.
Seemingly with an underpinning of fuller pilsner, the malt flavors provide a base taste of crisp fresh grain and a hint of powdered sugar before the hops unfold with notions of white grapefruit, light lemon, apple, pear and white grape. Juicy and with a honeydew roundness, the late taste trends smooth with a medium leveled bitterness of fresh grasses, spruce and peppery green tea.
Light, crisp and refreshing, the ale is bolder, fuller and certainly more hoppy than Kolsch, but calling the beer a session hazy IPA might not grab the attention quite as well. The beer finishes clean, crisp and refreshing with a pep of lingering grain bite and mild hop bitterness.
Rated by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
4.6/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Perfect coloring of straw yellow. Lightly fruity yeast note in aroma and taste, as well as a pleasant hoppy bitterness. Superb beer.
Mar 17, 2022Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts
3.79/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Draft at Trillium in Fenway
My first time actually drinking in one of their taprooms, quick little review on St Paddy’s Day
Pours a turbid pale yellow with 2 fingers of creamy white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing
This, uh, doesn’t smell like a Kölsch. I’m picking up on aromas of grassy hops, mango, orange juice, doughy malt, light white grape, and a touch of pepper
It’s even less of a Kölsch in taste. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting lemon zest, crackery malt, white pepper, earthy hops, and light papaya. The swallow brings notes of grassy hops, orange zest, white pepper, doughy malt, and mango
A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a super dry beer. Finishes dry but the hop character overwhelms
While this isn’t awful, it is not even close to a Kölsch. I do still wanna try Big Sprang since it’s the highest rated for the style but I don’t have high expectations
Mar 17, 2022My first time actually drinking in one of their taprooms, quick little review on St Paddy’s Day
Pours a turbid pale yellow with 2 fingers of creamy white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing
This, uh, doesn’t smell like a Kölsch. I’m picking up on aromas of grassy hops, mango, orange juice, doughy malt, light white grape, and a touch of pepper
It’s even less of a Kölsch in taste. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting lemon zest, crackery malt, white pepper, earthy hops, and light papaya. The swallow brings notes of grassy hops, orange zest, white pepper, doughy malt, and mango
A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a super dry beer. Finishes dry but the hop character overwhelms
While this isn’t awful, it is not even close to a Kölsch. I do still wanna try Big Sprang since it’s the highest rated for the style but I don’t have high expectations
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
3.96/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Very cloudy for a Kolsch. It's also darker, dirty gold. Small but lasting head. Minor streaks and spots on the glass.
Malty, but slightly darker than expected (it matches the color).
Okay, this is simply not a tradition Kölsch. This has a definitive hop flavor balancing the darker, toasty malt. I confirmed from the bartender I received the correct pour. The body is far richer than the style while the carbonation is lower than the expected spritzy-ness. The finish leans to the hop like a pale ale.
Don't misunderstand, this is a good beer. It's simply not a Kolsch.
Mar 13, 2022Malty, but slightly darker than expected (it matches the color).
Okay, this is simply not a tradition Kölsch. This has a definitive hop flavor balancing the darker, toasty malt. I confirmed from the bartender I received the correct pour. The body is far richer than the style while the carbonation is lower than the expected spritzy-ness. The finish leans to the hop like a pale ale.
Don't misunderstand, this is a good beer. It's simply not a Kolsch.
Reviewed by MaltsOfGlory from Oregon
3.48/5 rDev -17.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev -17.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
16oz can, about a month old
Pours a finger of soapy white head into my Sprang Rastal glass. Retention is abysmal, and it fades in less than a minute. Initial lacing looks very poor as well. Body is a hazy straw yellow, apparently everything from the northeast has to have wheat or oats in it; looks nothing like a Kolsch. Really leaning heaving on the Kolsch “inspired” part. Looks poor so far.
Nose is basically just citrus and nothing else, lemon rind, grapefruit, maybe a faint dankness. Tropical flavors come out with time, mango. Smells extremely light, there is no sweetness whatsoever, if I’m being generous, I’d say it’s effervescent. I mean I guess it smells pretty decent, but again, nothing like a Kolsch, smells kinda like a session IPA.
Flavor is the same - this is in no way a Kolsch. I can appreciate adding unorthodox hops, but to this level it just completely changes the narrative of the beer. All you taste is that mango, citrus, light dank hop profile. If there was any kind of backbone it might work, but the malt profile is nonexistent and it’s basically like hop water. All things considered it’s not horrible, but it’s just way too light and almost comes across like a hopped seltzer. They went way too far in each direct; Kolsch here = no malt, and use fun hops = hop assault. Could have found a balanced way to blend this style with some modern hops, but I don’t think this is it.
The biggest problem here is the mouthfeel. As I alluded to, this is watery and seltzer-light, with a paper-thin body. Carbonation is through the roof. Sweetness and/or any malt presence is nil. Bitterness is not evident. Again, not horrible, it stays afloat, but it’s wayyyy to light.
Drinkability is probably the biggest redeeming factor, which I’m sure is what they’re going for.
Appearance turned out horrible, as expected, zero lacing. Not really sure how you mess that one up with the amount of proteins you’d need for a beer this hazy.
Overall, not great. On some sips I could see how this might be appealing to some, and maybe it would work on a hot day with some fresh cut grass, but that’s a pretty narrow window. Generally speaking, way too light, with a hop profile that brazenly leaves everything else in the grave.
May 03, 2021Pours a finger of soapy white head into my Sprang Rastal glass. Retention is abysmal, and it fades in less than a minute. Initial lacing looks very poor as well. Body is a hazy straw yellow, apparently everything from the northeast has to have wheat or oats in it; looks nothing like a Kolsch. Really leaning heaving on the Kolsch “inspired” part. Looks poor so far.
Nose is basically just citrus and nothing else, lemon rind, grapefruit, maybe a faint dankness. Tropical flavors come out with time, mango. Smells extremely light, there is no sweetness whatsoever, if I’m being generous, I’d say it’s effervescent. I mean I guess it smells pretty decent, but again, nothing like a Kolsch, smells kinda like a session IPA.
Flavor is the same - this is in no way a Kolsch. I can appreciate adding unorthodox hops, but to this level it just completely changes the narrative of the beer. All you taste is that mango, citrus, light dank hop profile. If there was any kind of backbone it might work, but the malt profile is nonexistent and it’s basically like hop water. All things considered it’s not horrible, but it’s just way too light and almost comes across like a hopped seltzer. They went way too far in each direct; Kolsch here = no malt, and use fun hops = hop assault. Could have found a balanced way to blend this style with some modern hops, but I don’t think this is it.
The biggest problem here is the mouthfeel. As I alluded to, this is watery and seltzer-light, with a paper-thin body. Carbonation is through the roof. Sweetness and/or any malt presence is nil. Bitterness is not evident. Again, not horrible, it stays afloat, but it’s wayyyy to light.
Drinkability is probably the biggest redeeming factor, which I’m sure is what they’re going for.
Appearance turned out horrible, as expected, zero lacing. Not really sure how you mess that one up with the amount of proteins you’d need for a beer this hazy.
Overall, not great. On some sips I could see how this might be appealing to some, and maybe it would work on a hot day with some fresh cut grass, but that’s a pretty narrow window. Generally speaking, way too light, with a hop profile that brazenly leaves everything else in the grave.
Rated by eagles22 from Pennsylvania
4.71/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.71/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Kolsch or not this is fuckin good
Mar 17, 2021Reviewed by mgrady3 from Missouri
3.17/5 rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.17/5 rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This is a great beer.
This is not a great Kolsch, but mostly because its just not a Kolsch at all.
They could have just called it a pale ale, but this being currently rated "#1 Kolsch" is pretty silly and doesn't do justice to the style.
Pour this next to something like Reissdorf Kolsh and just from looking at them you can tell they are different beer styles.
Were the category different I would rate it higher in pretty much every category. But if you want to claim this is a Kolsch, then the rating should be pretty poor, IMO.
Jun 13, 2020This is not a great Kolsch, but mostly because its just not a Kolsch at all.
They could have just called it a pale ale, but this being currently rated "#1 Kolsch" is pretty silly and doesn't do justice to the style.
Pour this next to something like Reissdorf Kolsh and just from looking at them you can tell they are different beer styles.
Were the category different I would rate it higher in pretty much every category. But if you want to claim this is a Kolsch, then the rating should be pretty poor, IMO.
Sprang from Trillium Brewing Company
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
253 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!