Kölsch Ale - Victory Brewing Company

dmarch

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is going to be a little of an uneducated review because I've never had a Kolsch before this one. If they are all like this, I think I found one of my favorite styles. Very crisp and clean tasting. Something I can drink all day. Has a sweetness to it, not so much of a heavy malty sweetness, but more of the light tropical fruit type. It finishes with a slight zesty orange flavor. Very light in body. I have a feeling that this isn't going to be available for long so I'm heading back to Victory as soon as possible to pick up another growler,

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2003 00:06:34 | More by dmarch

Jarod

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler frosh from the brewery

This beer poured into my glass a crystal clear golden yellow that had beautiful dancing carbonation bubbles all through the glass. The cloud that set on top of the glass was pure white in color, fluffy and thick. When first poured the head rose to a nice size and then slowly fell to a nice see through skim and a white ring on the edges. The lace that was created had a sheety look to it in most spots and sparse in others. The aromas that came from the glass was of flowers, fresh picked hops, pine needles, citrus fruit, black/green peppercorns (crushed) spices, and dry malt. The flavors that danced over my tongue were fresh hops, flowers, citrus hops, lemon, sweet malt, spices (pepper), yeasty biscuit appeal near the end and finished with the fresh hop. The after taste was dominated by a dry hop/biscuit flavor. Not too long, but a nice reminder. Light in body. Great use of hops to bring out such flavors, complex yet simple all mixed in this beer. Fresh, clean, and crisp all describe this brew. Great carbonation and mix of flavors to tickle the nose and tantalize the tongue make this a near perfect beer. IMO. Wish I had a case of this and not just a growler.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2003 17:29:38 | More by Jarod

francisweizen

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is Victroys new and excellent Kolsch beer. Davo was nice enough to bring a growler of this for us to enjoy at the BA BBQ this past Saturday, so we all partaked of its wonders. This was a light, golden beer with some nice fruity, hoppy aromas. The taste was hoppy, fruity and mild all at the same time. The mouthfeel is perfectly balanced and carbonated and the drinkability is excellent!

A great Kolsch from the fine folks at Victroy Brewing!

Prost!

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2003 02:05:01 | More by francisweizen

rotsaruch

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed both on tap at Victory on 9/5 and at the Kennett Square Beer Fest on 9/6. This is the second year Victory has made this summer seasonal brew available. Its truly a German style Kolsch. All the ingredients are German, including pale malts and Hallertau mf (Mittelfrueh) and Spalt Select hops. The appearance is this light, soft, golden, clear color with a robust almost pure white head. The aroma is a very noticablely hoppy, spicy character. The taste was a remarkable combination of a crisp, clean spicy/fruity flavor and a slight tangy orange sweetness. The mouthful is pleasant accompanied by a pleasing level of carbination. The finish is dry, but very satisfing. At 4.6% abv, this Kolsch Ale is one quaffable, drinkable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2003 21:45:34 | More by rotsaruch

GeoffFromSJ

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is just a top-notch kolsch. Probably the best kolsch I've ever drank. Come a nice golden color with a sizeable head. It has a nice, spicy taste. Similar esters to German wheat beers. It makes for a very tasty beer, since the esters are pleasant but not too overpowering. The mouthfeel is very smooth. Definitely the best and most drinkable kolsch I've ever tasted.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2004 20:19:03 | More by GeoffFromSJ

pezoids

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Fresh from a growler, this beer poured a very clear pale golden color. A soft graininess emanates from the beer. This is certainly one of the smoothest and easiest drinking beers in recent memory. I believe this beer has captured the true essence of a Kolschbier, at least from the few other imports I have sampled. A simple, slightly fruity light beer with just a hint of hop bitterness. Lightly carbonated with a delicate and soft malt and slightly oily body. The finish is crisp. Victory has again hit the mark and continues to make truly outstanding and distinctive beers.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2003 03:10:36 | More by pezoids

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A crystal-clear straw-gold body is capped by a short lid of bright white foam that drops shortly but continues to leave nice lace. Bright floral hops appear in the nose over a delicately bready malt. It's quite enticing, and it continually begs you to bring the glass back up to your nose where, it just so happens, your mouth is located! The body is light-medium and its very fine, median carbonation leaves it lightly crisp in the mouth. The flavor seamlessly bonds the floral and spicy hops with the malt and a firm bitterness. It finishes dry and refreshing with a swirl of hops and a dollop of residual malt. Clean, refreshing and satisfying!

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2003 03:30:36 | More by NeroFiddled

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at Union Jacks Inn on the Manatawny as of this review.

Poured a clear golden yellow color with a nice 1 finger's width of fluffy eggshell colored head, long lasting retention and good lacing. Smells strongly of floral hops, with some honey sweet hints. Taste is a lightly sweet maltiness with lots of grainy notes followed by a big crisp floral hop finish combined with a little extra punch of more bitter hops at the end. Medium light in body wth good carbonation. Very smooth and creamy, yet with a crisp finish. A very sessionable ale with good flavors and a nice balance, looking forward to having more when it is in season this summer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2008 00:45:13 | More by HopDerek

Gavage

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear yellow in color with a white 1/2" head. The head disappeared rather quickly and there was no lacing to be found. The aroma was of sweet malt and grass. The flavor was sweeter than expected, but it worked as there was a nice bitterness to balance it out. Grass tones lingered in the background. Light bodied.

Mouthfeel was clean and refreshingly crisp. No lingering aftertaste. The drinkability is as high as you can get, as this is truely a tasty afternoon session brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2004 21:15:34 | More by Gavage

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

32oz growler from Whole Foods.

A- Bright gold almost coors light gold with a nice bubbly white head, dragging lace.

S- A really nice nose full of citrus and earth with light spice. Small oranges with grain and earthy hops, A spicy background. A great nose.

T- Really digging the simplicity of this while being bold. Getting a nice mix of orange, grapefruit drops and grassy hops, all being extremely light. A grainy middle finishing dry and lightly yeasted with a bready quality.

M- Very Very Very light and refreshing and gulpable. Carbed up to the point that it's known this beer is not dead. Not bitter in the least sense.

D- A drinker for sure, a whole growler would not of been enough. This just went down real easy and Im glad I picked it up.

Serving type: growler

09-08-2010 00:43:22 | More by onix1agr

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a kolsch glass. A glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a clear bright golden yellow color with a ¼" to ½" white finely bubbled white head that lasts for most of the beer as small ring and light layer of foam over the surface of the beer. Throughout most of the beer, sipping leaves lightly speckled scattered lacing.

Smell: The aroma is both hoppy and malty with some light earthy and floral notes and some bready and honey sweetness.

Taste: The clean, refreshing flavor is grassy and herbal with some biscuity sweetness and some light bitterness

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is light to medium body with some long lasting carbonation. The finish begins with the mix of sweet malt and bitterness from the hops and then fades to a dry finish.

Drinkability: This beer is an easy drinking kolsch and a tasty brew for drinking several with good conversation and friends over dinner. I'd be happy to have another.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2009 00:26:55 | More by drtth

WilliamPhilaPa

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very nice clear golden yellow and has puffy white head. On the nose there are scents of pine needles, citrus fruit,flowers, hops, spices, and dry malt. On palate...a citrusy fruity hops and a nice biscuity malt flavor going on. Crisp...really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2006 19:21:45 | More by WilliamPhilaPa

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ the VBC on 7/24/10. Served in a Willibecker glass.

Pours a crystal clear gold, with 1 ½ fingers of foamy tight-white head. This retains with a ½ finger of foamy richness that doesn't quit, leaving the walls of the glass coated with thick sticky swathes of lace. The aroma is almost perfume-like in the nose (just as a good Kölsch should be) with a fruity and floral presence that effortlessly breezes up the nostrils. Bright textures of spice, earth, and citrus peel, with a sweet graininess that rises up underneath. I'm also getting that classic smelling egg/bread mix of the flavors here from the yeast as well. Just a nice tightness to the flavors in the nose, which makes this feel spot-on.

The taste is tangy sweet gains intermingled with softer fruity flavors and some lightly earthy and green tones shining through as well. Earthy rind and spice are present, spreading bitterness out into a dry and parching finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a fantastic crispness to that gives the flavors an assertive crackle on the palate, while some smooth slickness on the edges of the profile really keeps things moving easily. This feels great.

This is one of those Victory beers that I seem to always miss each summer but I must say that this more than met my expectations after finally getting to try it. With tight flavors here in the nose and mouth and a crisp and dry body keeping the drinkibility here VERY high, this is definitley in the top tier of American-brewed Kölschs that I've had. Well done indeed.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 19:33:24 | More by Kegatron

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a tall cylindrical glass at the brewery. It appeared clear, brilliant gold with a tall white head.

This is the best kolsch I've ever had. No question about it. It's a light, dry, and imminently sessionable beer with all the subtle nuances the style has to offer: fresh-baked biscuits, mineral-rich water, golden bread, peppery hops, and a light fruit punch. The malt taste is clean and the hops provide a delicate but delicious finish. I wish I'd found this early in the summer, it's a fantastic beer for any season, but this would be sublime on a sweaty, sunny day.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2009 00:44:23 | More by tempest

Gasp100

Delaware

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Grabbed a growler of this and have a sixtel on order. This pours a deep true golden color ---- I'm talking Midas, pure gold. A nice fluffy white head a disipates quickly. There is little sticky lacing on the glass all the way down. There really is not too much of a scent that I can pick up; wheat, grains, flowery. The taste is very clean, balanced and smooth ---- this is what a great American Lager should taste like. Maltiness, dry and a nice bitter aftertaste. The mouthfeel is very sharp and crisp ---- brilliant. The drinkability factor with this is fantastic. I'm half way done with the growler and I just got home 10 minutes ago... another beauty from Victory. This is a really great summer / fall seasonal.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2004 21:47:13 | More by Gasp100

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the brewery. Pours a very clear, very light golden color with a small, quickly settling white head and patchy lacing. Bready, grainy malt aroma with floral, spicy hops.

Taste has floral and somewhat fruity hop notes that give the beer an appealing, assertive bitterness in combination with crackery malt and a nice spicy note. Low overall sweetness. Lightly lingering bitter aftertaste.

Overall an excellent example of the style. Very crisp, clean and dry. Lively carbonation on a light body. Highly quenching and refreshing, probably the best American-made kolsch I’ve had.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2012 05:15:52 | More by tobelerone

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served as a bright golden colored beer with moderate white puffy head.

Smell shows a light fruitiness combined with a touch of flowery hops.

Taste is light, yet crisp. A fruity sweetness is moderated by a pleasnt hop presence.

Very refreshing and easy to drink.

Went well with my meal. Complimented it well.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2008 21:13:04 | More by tgbljb

Soonami

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Local 44.

Victory Kolsch is a bright, straw yellow with rocky head white head that brings up that cereal grain aroma. The beer is very clean and crisp with just a little barley flavor with woody spicy bitterness that is under control. This is a very refreshing kolsch

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2010 05:20:39 | More by Soonami

PSUDREW

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

opqaue straw in apperence. had a "wet leaf" hop flavor to it. for some reason, nodding head's 700 level seems like a cheap imitation of this beer Had nice lace, limited head retention. Going down it was clean all around, and a very crisp taste when you finallly finish it. It is a very light beer, so it could be used as a trasition very easily. had nice small bit of spice, the tang of the hops, and a hint of malt. well put otgether, must get some more to fully apreciate the beer and it's style

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2003 05:01:15 | More by PSUDREW

maybrick

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great head that lingers a while. 4.6 abv let's you drink this very nice beer for a long time. Nice to mow the lawn with. Stong hops. Is a true German lager. In fact, all of the ingidients are imported from Germany. I especially like the finish, very crisp, true and clean. Ron does it again!

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2003 19:00:35 | More by maybrick

RBorsato

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted on-tap 9/25/06 at Tria in Philadelphia, PA.
Advertised as "rare" at 5.1% ABV.

Gold colored with a low white head. A nicely balanced malt, fruit, and hop aroma. Similar in flavor with malt dominating, a touch of ale fruitiness, and just enough hops to balance. Light bodied with a fairly clean finish.

A fairly nice Kolsch -- wish I could compare to a true German example.

($5.50 / Pint)

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2006 20:48:44 | More by RBorsato

cfrances33

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Varga Bar in Philly on 8/3/12, served in a shaker.

Pour: Completely clear yellow orange with a finger and a half white head.

Smell: Grassy hops with a light caramel sweetness. Not very substantial on the nose.

Taste: Bready malts sweetness to the max, with a pleasant floral and grassy hoppiness.

Mouthfeel: Really light and drinkable, but still packed with flavor. Very, very refreshing.

Overall: My first kolsch and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2012 21:45:36 | More by cfrances33

treehugger02010

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I got this at Victory Brewing company in Dowingtown, PA. It came in a tumbler glass.
Appearance: The body is a clear yellow color. The head is a finger tall, bright white in color, small sized bubbles, fine retention and stellar lacing.
Smell: The aromas are not much of anything.
Taste: The flavors are malty, earthy and pine.
Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is crisp and dry.
Drinkability: This beer is very drinkable.
Don't drink and review.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2009 00:44:17 | More by treehugger02010

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served at the restaurant.

A: The ale is a pale yellow, crystal clear brew with a slight ring of head.

S: Earthy noble hops are the dominant aroma in the nose.

T: The ale starts with a grainy malt flavor that soon gives way to a crisp, dirty hop flavor that is intriguing. Those hops definitely have the subtlety of noble hops and add a firm, biting finish to the ale.

M: Very clean on the palate, this is a good pounding beer.

D: Very drinkable, too bad it is not bottled.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2006 16:53:50 | More by akorsak

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Victory. Pours very clear gold with white head. Nose is strange lemon, grass, almost an eggy component, minerals in the vein of wet stone. Mouth is sharp carbonation, fairly sharp grassy hops, very grainy. Some spicy qualities come through, not sure if it's through the hops or something else. Very long bitter finish. Sharp, bright, and a bit unusual.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 02:30:22 | More by JAXSON