Kelso Nut Brown Lager - Greenpoint Beerworks / Kelso of Brooklyn

dar482

New York

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It has a clear amber color with a bit of carbonation in the head.

The aroma has some nuttiness.

The flavor reminded me of a lager version of Sam Smith’s Brown Ale. It has good malt balance, a wonderful hop bitterness. It’s a wonderful beer to drink and I would argue possibly better than Brooklyn Lager.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2013 02:44:42 | More by dar482

mdfb79

New York

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 08/22/12 notes. Had this on tap at d.b.a. on the LES in NYC. Served in a pint glass.

a - Pours a deep, amber brown color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of fruity malts, roasted malts, toasted malts, caramel malts, and almost lightly sour. Not bad but a little fruiter and different than I was expecting.

t - Taste of fruity malts, toasted malts, burnt malts, toffee, caramel, bready malts, and roasted malts. Lots of fruit and malts here again.

m - Medium body and low carbonation, the body is pretty smooth and easy to drink.

o - Overall a pretty nice brown ale. Lots of malts and easy to drink, definitely on the fruitier side of brown ales. Worth checking out.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2012 19:34:18 | More by mdfb79

kenito799

New York

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint poured at Talde, Brooklyn.

Medium brown, moderately hazy brew, ery thin tan head, no lacing.

Aroma is a bit malty, not much there, but smells fresh.

On the palate there is a very pleasant bready nuttiness but a snap that keeps it from being heavy. Very mild bitterness. Smooth and drinkable, shows excellent balance. Well made, I am hoping to try more from this local brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 14:38:00 | More by kenito799

FickleBeast

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at Artichoke in NYC.

Arrives a cloudy brown color with no foam apparent. Aroma is sweet, nutty, toasted, but very nice.

First sip is nicely malty, with a faint hint of fruity flavor from the yeast. Malt dominates, and the beer finishes clean with no harsh flavors. Overall a vey nice beer, I would certainly get this again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 01:11:54 | More by FickleBeast

vfgccp

New York

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A – Thick, creamy, white head. Nice retention and lace. Deep maple amber body.

S – Delicious caramel and vanilla dominate the nose, but there’s a trace amount of sour potato that keeps this it from being exceptional.

T – Soft caramel and raw vanilla, straight from the nose. A twang of herbal hops reaches out to balance the profile in the middle of the profile. There’s a solid malt backbone throughout the profile and it shines on the backend, rolling into a bready sweet finish with a touch of flint.

M – Soft and silky. Medium/full body. Pleasant carbonation.

O – Delicious when fresh. Note: I’ve had this a second time where the keg was past-prime, and unfortunately the beer doesn’t hold up to age at all.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2011 17:39:38 | More by vfgccp

CHickman

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Growler from Bierkraft; pours clear light chestnut brown in color with a foamy/creamy 1 finger head that faded very slowly that left a very creamy layer on top and great foamy lacing clinging to the glass; looks like a very light stout and is a good looking beer.

Smells of roasted malt, nuts, maple syrup, toasted grains, brown sugar, cinnamon and perhaps some molasses; really sweet, malty and nutty, this has a nice aroma.

Tastes like it smells, with roasted malt, brown sugar, nuts, maple syrup, toasted grains, cinnamon, molasses, burnt wood or peat moss, earthy tones like grass, hay, wheat and some floral hops that trails off sweet and slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel is light, smooth and almost slick, with almost no carbonation, a medium and flow that's smooth and watery. A really nice brown lager that's highly drinkable and easy to put down; light enough and tasty enough to be a session beer if this taste suits you.

Serving type: growler

07-25-2011 03:30:21 | More by CHickman

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On Tap somewhere in NYC.

Kelso Nut Brown Lager looks darker than your usual lager, it fills the pint glass with a glossy shoe polish brown color with not much of a cap up top, no stickage. Smell is rather fruity with some nutty appeal and a apparent roast going on. Taste is pleasant enough for the style, I do get some dark fruit and I don't know why. Feel is medium and a bit watery, the lack of carb detrs me from drinking alot of it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2011 18:01:46 | More by onix1agr

metter98

New York

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is clear amber in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense beige head that gradually died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are light aromas of dark and chocolate malts in the nose.
T: The overall taste is rather malty; there is a bit of sweetness in the initial taste and this is followed by flavors of dark and chocolate malts. There are some hints of bitterness in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied and clean on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer goes down very easily and I wouldn't have a problem drinking this all night long. In this respect, it's very sessionable.

Serving type: growler

03-08-2011 03:24:24 | More by metter98

Billolick

New York

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Brickyard Gastro pub, NYC.

Pours slightly murky/hazed auburn amber. Lite tan head, tiny bubble film and extensive fine sheeting and scattered lacing. Malted up nose, toffee and minor vanilla. Easy drinking sessioner. Nicely malted up, with more toffee, def. nutty, mild hops late adding the balance. Smooth and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2010 15:11:59 | More by Billolick

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a pint at Sweet Afton for $6. I tried this once before and I feel about the same - this is a great sessionable lager. The flavor is a touch light, but there are sharp toffee notes, a smoother nutty taste and then a mild caramel background. I'd be happy to have a few pints of this lager any time. Check it out next time you're in the city.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 02:46:13 | More by tempest

wcintula

New York

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On tap at Commonwealth, Brooklyn.

Poured nicely into a shaker pint, with a frothy cascading head that dissipated to a thin lingering film on top of a brown hazy, unfiltered looking body. Smells very doughy, yeasty, malty. Taste is great with a very strong malt profile a good yeast taste and a very slight hop-bitterness in the back. Velvety texture, medium-full body and light carbonation make this a great pleasure to drink. My first beer from Kelso, and certainly not my last.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2010 18:37:10 | More by wcintula

breakchair

New York

3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had this one on tap at Ceol in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Nothing too exceptional about it. The taste was very thin to me. Some malt up front and then nothing. I don't know much about the dark lager style, and my palate might be more accustomed to ales recently. Drinks really easily, though, with the right amount of carbonation and mouthfeel to take down four or five without much trouble, if that's what you're looking for.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2010 02:08:22 | More by breakchair

StJamesGate

New York

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Puck Fair, NYC.

Pours a clear russet with no head but sheets of lace. Roasted + chocolate malts on the nose. Prickly nutmeg up front, some astringent twig and branch, with a brown sugar end. Dry sustain, light to medium body.

Good balance between hops and sweet. Verging on a brown ale, though; there are better examples of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2009 22:55:25 | More by StJamesGate

Nickls

District of Columbia

3.73/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(From notes)

A - Half-finger of light tan head; foggy dark brown color

S - Sweetish malts; light hint of grain and a bit of chocolate

T - Malty sweetness; grainy-metallic flavors

M - Thin with muted carbonation

D - Decent; and I could see this being a decent session brew if the metallic flavor wasn't there. Otherwise has good potential

Overall, nice to try this out, but not the greatest example of the style. Not sure how this is a Euro Dark Lager IMO; anyway, decent brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2009 18:41:33 | More by Nickls

Amalak

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had a pint at Mothers in Williamsburg Brooklyn on Graham Ave. It has a good blend of smokey and nut, crisp and refreshing to drink.

Pours a clear brown/red with a slight foamy head, semi-bubbly. It has a somewhat soapy smell, but in a good way?

Slight bitterness, great, robust flavor, carbonated with malt in the back of the throat.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2009 03:10:05 | More by Amalak

TheycallmeTim

New York

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler into an American pint glass.

A--Rich bready two finger head that won't quit. Sizable active bubbles and plenty of lacing. Body is pretty textbook copper with red overtones.

S--Not much. Faint whiff of lager yeast, maybe some almond on it.

T--I've never had a lager this full-bodied before, and it intrigues me. Lots and lots of yeast on this, with nice hop character that freshens it up. Cold this isn't much of a beer--faintly metallic, and really just clean. Once it warms up, however, you get plenty of hops blossoming out and the nuttiness, which is somewhere between chestnut and almond (less deep than Sammy Smith's Nut Brown), comes through. Deep barley, almost roasted tasting, shines out with some warmth, too.

M--Even after all that head there's a heap of carbo that isn't really necessary for such a rounded-out brew. Other than that it's your typical, mellow medium-bodied lager feel.

D--Very high, especially given the ABV. Packed with flavor for a session beer. An interesting, good, if not great, beer. I'd call it a hang-your-hat-on kind of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 20:32:21 | More by TheycallmeTim

PEBKAC

New York

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A dirty garnet-colored pour, with a heavy, but wavering head. The few, the proud, the... infantry is running in the other direction. The lacing laps around the glass in boring Nascar fashion. The brew is just a few degrees off my prescription.

Roasted almonds & toffee while still very cold. A healthy amount of hazelnut & alcohol comes into play as the glass sweats. Smells like an iced down Frangelico.

More hazelnut, whole grain bread, even some peanut. A mild, but lingering taste of citrusy bitterness finishes it off.

Carbonation is middle of the road, but very soft on the tongue. Quite easy & clean while chilled, though finishing off the growler got a little sticky, with the alcohol becoming more evident & separate from the other flavors. I should of kept the bottle in the insulated fried chicken bag Whole Foods gives out. Just a result of my laziness, not wanting to get up for the fridge five times. The Giants were getting killed & it was just so much fun to witness. :P Still, the beer fell apart at the very end.

One growler down before the third string quarterback got thrown to the dogs. I'd call that drinkable. :)

Serving type: growler

09-17-2007 19:32:30 | More by PEBKAC

jameaterblues

New York

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

So this is my fourth growler since whole foods on the bowery started offering this great service. only 7.99 for the growler....I got to say that it is a pretty sweet deal. Also I like Kelso...they are one of the few breweries that do mostly lagers, and I don't really have to much to complain about with this beer. It is an easy drinker, that is full bodied, and I think that it is a good cross over beer for people who might want to try something than their typical macro.

A- Pours a opaque brown color, with a minimal white/tan head...with very little lacing.
S-Nutty chocolaty malts....slightly sweet, with a bit of hop muskiness.
T/M/D- Almost a medium body with light chocolate, and nuttiness. Smooth and full bodied....does not appear to be a complex beer, but has nice subtle flavors. Hazelnut, pecan, and some walnut. A bit of planty hops, and a slight bitterness that does not overwhelm in the finish.

It's pretty nice to be able to take this one home.

Serving type: growler

09-11-2007 23:28:00 | More by jameaterblues

jbsteiny

Hawaii

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this a bunch of times in Brooklyn, and was surprised to see that there haven't been more reviewers for what I consider our finest brown (surprisingly, I think this well-hopped lager's got more bite than Brooklyn's Brown Ale or Six Point's Brownstoner).

Pours a coppery brown with very little head and thin droopy lace. I'll admit, it doesn't smell like much cold -- some subtle malts, some nuttyness, but once it warms up a bit, the citrusy hops come out. As I said, I think it tastes great. They must use a blend of citrus and bitter hops to give this beer its complex character. Sour fruit, roasted malts, and a hazelnut / walnut thing going on (not a surprise with the name and all...).

Medium body, but a crisp finish for the lager style (it's something they do with the hops), it's very drinkable. One of my standard choices at local bars.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2007 22:39:31 | More by jbsteiny

BeerHonky

New York

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Found on Tap at 67Buger in Fort Green, Brooklyn. Pours a nice chocolate, copper color with about one finger worth of fluffy white head. Smells of toasty malt and subtle hops. Taste is a strong caramel malt and brown sugar up front followed by a nice solid hop flavor and bitterness. Nice toasted barley character in there too. Mouthfeel is a bit off. Its nice at first, but then thins out in the middle of the sip and then picks up again at the back of the palate. Not bad. It went great with my blue cheese and bacon burger and sweet potato fries. Very drinkable to boot with enough flavor and character to keep me interested.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2007 15:58:55 | More by BeerHonky

dherling

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From my notes of a Brazen Head cask festival.

Poured out a dark copper brown color, with a big uneven off white head, nice lacing. The nose offered a good malty spine surrounded by mild spice, and a hint of wood. The taste countered with some hop action, but balanced nicely by the sweet malt. Mild spicing adds good character to the beer. Crisp mouthfeel and a clean finish, this beer has sessioning written all over it.

Serving type: cask

12-24-2006 16:19:17 | More by dherling

plaid75

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a dark copper hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell featured a strong up front toasted grain. Smattering of spicy hop as well.

The taste also featured a nice roasted dark malt with a good hop spiciness. Very well balanced.

The mouthfeel was full, yet clean.

Overall a nice drinkable lager. Certainly a solid session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2006 15:43:27 | More by plaid75