Samuel Adams East-West Kölsch - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Reaper16

Alabama

3.18/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

served on-tap @ The Alcove, Tuscaloosa, AL into a tasting glass

Pours a nice goldenrod color. This Kolsch looks great. It's light in body and very clear. 3/4 of a finger of white head that laces like a Victoria's Secret catalog.

The rest of the beer is merely average though, even for the style. Lots of cracker and biscuit notes. There's supposed to be, I know. But better Kolsch beers, such as standard-bearer Reissdorf Kolsch, are much brighter than East-West Kolsch is. This beer lacks that apple brightness in the aroma and taste. There's a light hop bitterness here and, thankfully, some white flowers for some added complexity. It's a fine beer, but it needs some extra spark.

The mouthfeel is, like the appearance, pretty dead-on for the style. It's light and crisp and thin. Refreshing. Overall, I just wish that the beer were brighter. As it is, I'd rather drink Alpine Spring.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2012 05:41:41 | More by Reaper16

tempest

Pennsylvania

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

Had a pint at the Batdorf in Anville, PA. It's does have sort of the sulfur-y, mineral character of a good kolsch, but the overall character is just too light. There's nothing technically wrong with it aside from being muted. That said, it was still a fine beer for a hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 00:21:02 | More by tempest

jsanford

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the Distillery in Savannah, GA on 8/2/11. Served in a Pint Glass.

Poured a slightly hazy gold with a thin, creamy white head. Aromas of bready sweet malt, crackers, and herbal, minty hops. Taste follows the nose pretty closely, there's a nice toasted quality that lingers for a bit. Light-bodied with crisp carbonation. A solidly sessionable Kolsch, very nice for a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 16:25:48 | More by jsanford

mullenite

Florida

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a clear light golden color with about a finger and a half of foamy head that left lots of lacing on the glass.

Aroma was very light cereal grains, some spicy hops (also, very light) and a bit of fruit. Not your typical beer fruit aromas but berries and apples.

Taste was very fruity with lots of that same berry flavor, a little bit of tartness and a slight bit of lemon. Again there was a slight grain flavor and a little bit of spiciness I usually associate with noble hops.

Thin body without being too watery, perfectly spritzy carbonation.

Overall this was an absolutely fantastic beer for a hot and humid Miami day. I wish I could drink this stuff every day.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 22:49:50 | More by mullenite

MikeRa

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this from the tap.

A: This beer pours a excellent golden color

S: This beer has a nice clean floral smell

T: This beer has a unique blend of citrus and malt flavors to it

M: This beer has some lingering malt mouthfeel to it and it goes down real smooth

O: This is a beer that I will drink again

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 13:49:09 | More by MikeRa

womencantsail

California

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On-tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad

A: The pour is a golden straw color with a nice white head on it.

S: Not the best nose. I get a fair amount of corn along with lots of straw and grass. A little bit of yeast to go along with the bready malts. A fairly light hop aroma to this one.

T: I'm not a big fan of the flavor, either. Sweet and corny with some table sugar sweetness. A light grass and floral hop flavor to it as well. Strangely, mild pepper notes and just a bit of bitterness.

M: The body on this one is medium with a medium carbonation.

O: A real let down from Sam Adams. I was hoping for a nice, enjoyable glass of Kolsch and that's not what I got.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2011 06:49:45 | More by womencantsail

erosier

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

L: Pours a nice clear yellow-orange color with a medium sized and medium bodied head that fades nicely down the sides of the glass.
S: Smells of sweet toasted malts, well mixed citrus, floral, and earthy/grassy hops that aren't overbearing, just right for this.
T: Tastes of sweet toasted malts underneath nice layers of citrus hops, grassy/earthy hops, some floral, and then more citrus hops.
M: Crisp, clean, light feeling, perfect amount of carbonation, refreshing.
D: Overall it's a nice beer and a pretty decent kolsch, nice mix of flavors and feel with a decent abv. Very drinkable, very nice take on the style.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2011 11:22:33 | More by erosier

kevo237

Louisiana

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass. This beer had a nice golden lager appearance with a nice fluffy head for a while. Not much smell going on here, just standard malty scent. Mouthfeel was above average, nothing offensive. Taste was dry and not much bitter. No one taste aspect really stood out as this beer was sharp/dry tasting and really just "beer-y." This beer was very smooth and one I would call a good summer beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 19:52:51 | More by kevo237

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Apperance is of a straw color light and clear.
Little in way of head formation and low carbonation.
Aroma is weak with just vaque hints of malts and biscuits.
Taste is light with some lean hops and malts some graininess at finish.
Nothing offensive here clean and slightly dry.
Seriously not much better then any standard basic beer at a local restaurant.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 12:44:30 | More by micromaniac129

JLeege

Illinois

1.98/5  rDev -45.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

On draft

Appearance- Pours a clear golden color with a nice fluffy white head. Good retention and a little lacing left behind. Looks good, but looks can be very deceiving.

Smell- Fairly grainy, a bit earthy, Petco rodent isle, and laundry detergent. I said it was lavender, put was later told it is brewed with jasmine.

Taste- Just like it smells, very herbal throughout, slightly bready, with overwhelming jasmine.

Mouthfeel- Light body with medium carbonation.

Overall- This beer was a complete train wreck for me. It brought back haunting memories of The Bruery’s Orchard White, another beer that less than agreed with me. I won’t be drinking this again, ever. Oh well, they all can't be winners.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2011 23:14:05 | More by JLeege

Francepants06

Louisiana

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

I had it served in a pint glass.
It had a medium size white foaming head.
It smelled of wheat and oatmeal.
It had the a golden lager color.
It tasted of a light smooth wheat malty beer with a slight hop/malt finish. This was the first kolsch I ever reviewed so I have no idea if this is considered a good beer for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 23:03:09 | More by Francepants06

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at some bar in New Bedford. 16oz pour served in 20oz imperial pint.

A- Big fluffy white head takes up the headspace in the glass and then some. Bartender has trouble with the head- but when I get the glass it looks very much in order. Head floats atop a bright golden body.

S- Light toasty grain, sweet malt, and some fresh cut grass. Faint, though, I'm really reaching to pick up anything substantial.

T- Hop bill is mildly earthy and green, with some sweeter fruit coming through on top. Malt is ever-so-slightly toasty, very light grains, very crisp and finishes rather dry.

M- Very crisp. Moderate body, heft of the malt is felt, but the carbonation keeps things moving. Goes down easy.

O- Went perfect with some bar food. Easy drinkin', flavorful. Would love to see this around more often, before tonight I'd never heard of it. Will have to keep my eyes peeled, indeed.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2011 07:12:14 | More by ShogoKawada

9InchNails

New Jersey

2.93/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Golden body with a nice white foamy head.

Not much of the way of smell at all, completely lacking.

I get grain, grass and buscuits. That's about it. Not good but not bad just kind of boring.

The mouth feel is pretty nice. Probably one of the only highlights of the beer. Light in body, smooth, crisp and easy to drink despite the boring taste, it is a total summer beer.

Overall, boring taste, okay looking but the feel is probably the best thing about the beer. I wouldn't seek this again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2011 03:49:41 | More by 9InchNails

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

i had this on tap --served chilled and allowed to rise in temp slightly.

The color is golden with great clarity and thick cap of light beige the bead is fine and carbonation is visible, lace sticks ok. The smell has a bit of German yeast mineral elements with the mild spice notes that seem slightly peppery/earthy. The feel is light and malty with a slight spice element adding to the feel overall making it seem like a cross between Kolsch and Wit.

East west kolsch has some interesting flavors happening, while I can still see a pretty ordinary Kolsch as the base, the added grain of paradise actually does give the beer a bit of a boost. I like how the earthy/peppery elements buoy the malt keeping it interesting and at the same time complimenting the yeast which has a mild German mustiness. the malt is generally light and inoffensive, but all in all I found this to be something I could see working in a cookout setting mid-summer to go with ribs or brats to cut some grease and deliver a nice amount of flavor at the same time similar to a Witbier.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2011 01:31:18 | More by Slatetank

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

4.24/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Good beer, great addition to the varity pack. I am used to not paying to much attention to the name on the bottle with Samuel Adams, the discriptions can be misleading ....which has no effect on my judgement, knowing that. Is it a Kolsch?.... more like a take on one which is ok, pretty good beer beer.

Floral ...mmmm slight sweet note?

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 17:10:02 | More by FlatRabbitRed

hosehead83

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.
Clear gold in color, with a moderate head of bright white foam.
Aroma-Pilsner malt
Taste -soda cracker, pilsner malt, floral notes, faint citrus. Very refreshing and light-bodied. Would make a decent session brew. Subtle and pleasant. Certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 17:04:29 | More by hosehead83

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Can't say I am hugely familiar with this style but I have had my fair share over the years. Part of a mixed summer 12-pack.

A- A golden beer pours into a pint glass with a white head. The head is fairly small, maybe about one finger in size. The foamy cap has below average retention and only leaves small spotty lace.

S- Pretty much just a faint aroma consisting of light malt sugars, light fruits and a tiny bit of spicy hops. Not much going on at all.

T- Easy going flavor mostly consisting of a vinous light fruit note, cereal grain and yeast breads. Apple, buttery, grassy, floral, citrus zest and spicy hints also deserve some mention.

MF- Foamy and creamy feel to a very light body. Carbonation is nice and high and helps carry the very laid back flavors. Tiny bitterness in the finish.

A very light beer but nothing bad comes to mind and it balances out nicely, no adjunct flavors and it isn't devoid of all flavors.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 02:32:45 | More by cbutova

clemtiger8202

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a beautiful light gold with a thick finger and 1/2 width of white head. The aroma was a slight floral aroma and a little bit of malt/bread. Hard for me to detect anything else really. Flavor had a slight malt sweetness upfront and a slight hop bitterness with some herbal/floral presence, but neither really stands out. Clean, dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 19:16:39 | More by clemtiger8202

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

One of the returning Summer Seasonal varietals in the Samuel Adams Summer Styles variety pack. As per the label, "Our version of the traditional German Kölsch style is fragrant and complex. The Alsation hop we chose imparts a subtle citrus note. Jasmine Sambac, a night blooming Southeast Asian flower, adds a delicate floral aroma and flavor to this layered and refreshing brew. Cheers!" Date on bottle is ticked Mid-Late August 2012.

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into my Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass. Served in the low 40º's.

(Appearance) The head leaves a lot to be desired. I got no more than a 1-finger depth at an above average intense pour and the consistency was at first a medium fizzy but as it whittles down to the surface, a thin foamy cover. Retention could certainly improve. The color is a strikingly clear pale gold. Carbonation is plentiful and relaxed. I just can't seem to get over the lackluster head appearance, which detracts from what a beer of this style is capable of. 3

(Smell) The aroma is quite subtle. There are light traces of caramel malt on the base, but most discernible is a floral aroma that must be of the Jasmine Sambac Flowers. Hops are tougher to smell, but I can get a mild hop range from mildly grassy to slight whiffs of citrus, particularly lemon zest. It borders slightly on the sweet side from the aroma due to the maltier body. There's a lot of subtleties to be found here. Potency falls short of where it should be. On the whole, it's an appealing and lighthearted aroma, and certainly approachable as a summer ale. 3.5

(Taste) Light honey and caramel malt character is rounded out with a combined bitter citrus and floral finish. The body, even though the most potent of all in the nose, is surprisingly shallow here. The tones still reveal that signature caramel-malt flavor Samuel Adams has in most of it's beers. This beer has drinkability going for it due to a low body and relatively mild flavors but the Citrus and Jasmine have a small profile, making for a not-so exciting Kölsch. Hop character is slightly citrusy, slightly spicy, but neither are as bold as I would have wanted, and either would have been perfectly suitable for the style. While I can appreciate the highly drinkable nature of this kölsch, I am left wondering why Samuel Adams didn't go all the way with some of the flavors in this beer. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) A bit prickly on the tongue; the carbonation isn't close to tied down in this beer. The body is light. I found it a bit lighter than the average kölsch, especially in the mild malt profile. Overall, this has a very spritely mouthfeel, yet I can see it pairing well with the ingredients and flavor that the beer has to offer. I personally wouldn't mind taking the carbonation down just a notch, as I think it overshadows the pleasant subtleties of the hidden hops and Jasmine in this beer. 3

(Overall) I didn't find this a terrible kölsch, but a simple one. You may not easily find the flavors that are most unique to this brew, like the jasmine, which is quite faint. The hops, while providing a decent level of bitterness to the beer, does little to diversify the flavor, and the spiciness and citrus characters are very mild. As a session beer, this one is a very nice option for kölsch fans, as the flavor is mild, but enjoyable. Sessions for this beer may come as a challenge to the drinker, as the only place I can see getting this is in the Samuel Adams variety pack, and two bottles is hardly a decent session. For a more impressive take on this Kölsch, amp up the body a notch, dial up the jasmine and bring some hop flavor into the mix. The drinkability may drop a bit, but you'll certainly have a much more enjoyable, memorable and unique kölsch as a result. 3.5

Boston Beer Company's
Samuel Adams East-West Kölsch
3.43/5.00

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 00:30:20 | More by Jadjunk

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a 668 tulip. Thanks to JM for bringing this one direct from the brewery.

A: Clear gold body under an inch of creamy eggshell head. Good retention, ok lace. Nice.

S: Crisp breadiness, honey, and faint herbal hops. Ok.

T: Malty + yeasty up front, with some minerality and bread crust. Mild, herbal bitterness on the bittersweet finish. Good, not great.

M: Light-to-medium-bodied with plenty of frothy carbonation. Pleasant.

O: Drinkable and enjoyable, but a bit sweeter than I'd like for the style. Not one I'll be seeking out, but I wouldn't warn anyone against it, either.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 23:49:20 | More by woosterbill

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this beer into a shaker pint. It just seemed appropriate for this beer (sorry if I offended the beer gods). It is a deep yellow color with no visible haze. I thought it looked awfully clean with about two to three fingers of head.

In the nose I get a bunch of Saaz hops. There really wasn't much more there. The bottle listed jasmine flowers, but I don't pick up any of that (or western smell for that matter).

The flavor goes back and forth between being kind of boring and being unbalanced. I get those Saaz hops (more this time) and still no jasmine. There is also a bit of grainyness and some bitterness.

Not really a good beer. Not bad, but really unexceptional... and hardly a decent example of a kolsch.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 01:26:25 | More by ummswimmin

ChrisPratz

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear light amber color, pours to a fingers worth of head that dissipates to a very light and thin blotchy patch of lace around the top that sticks around for a bit.

S: Nice citrusy grain aromas right off the bat, scream "Summertime Cookout". Sweet lemon and lime flavors drift about and a light scent of fresh cut grass and grain is mixed in as well. Very enjoyable.

T: Light citrus notes from the nose come thru in the taste very nicely. Same as with the fresh grains as they float around as well and then make way to a nice biscuity maltyness at the end.

M: Light carbonation works well with this light and crisp brew. Biscuit like feeling left on the tongue with little to no dryness.

O: Very enjoyable brew. I'm not really a fan of their Summer Ale but this def takes over for a great summertime cookout brew of choice. Great job!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 23:18:10 | More by ChrisPratz

BigCheese

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pale Straw In Color, some lacing with a smallish white head.

S: Some floral grassy notes, mostly "beer" smell.

T: Some biscuity malt, I get hints of the jasmine flowers in the finish, crisp noble hop bite is there but pretty faint. Rather bland overall.

M: Light, Highly Carbonated, Sessionable, within style.

O: Its a good summer beer I guess, pretty uninteresting and lacking flavor probably accurate representation of style. In the Summer Mix I like Belgian, Noble and Summer better.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 04:07:18 | More by BigCheese

wcudwight

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear golden in color with some amber and orange hues when held up to the light. Tiny fizzy head that quickly disappears. Smells like buttered crackers and straw with a hint of spiciness. Smells better than I just described but that's what I thought of when I whiffed. Heavy malty backbone with lot's of sweet honey, banana flavors and a spicy finish. Creamy mouthfeel. Another good summer beer from Sam Adams.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 02:39:59 | More by wcudwight

brewcore

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

A: Aggressive pour yields a huge 2.5 finger white head with surprisingly good retention. Excellent lacing. Clear gold color with little carobonation rising up the glass.

S: Quite sweet and faintly bready. Cracker-like malt base becomes dominant. All in all fairly faint.

T: Similar to the nose. More sweet breadiness. Grassy hops in the middle. Finish is clean and dry.

M: Slightly creamier mouthfeel than I am used to in a kolsch. Not to say it is creamy, just more than usual. Moderate carbonation.

O: A bit heavy for a kolsch in my opinion. I like this style, but I don't particularly think this one is the best I've found. Definitely drinkable, but there are better.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 22:26:28 | More by brewcore