Kolsch 45 - Short's Brewing Company

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Somewhat murky golden straw color with a two finger creamy soft textured head that mirrors the texture of the brew itself. Fairly decent retention time and lacing qualities.
Smells mostly of a light cereal graininess with a lemon twist, faint amounts of grape aroma garnish and a light cracker malt aroma.
The flavor starts out with a herbal / lemon peel sting that turns into a biscuit malt mid-sip, which further transforms into a quasi-woody yet lightly resinous extended finish. Did I already mention the soft creamy texture? Well, it bears repeating.

Although it is not quite as "clean" as a traditional Kolsch, this offering is quite tasty in it's own right.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 20:53:06 | More by WastingFreetime

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a mostly clear, yellow color. Not too much of a scent with some grains and wheat. Taste is rather malty while the texture seems a little too thin. There are some hints of citrus. Being my first Kolsch style beer, I’m not sure if this is good or not for the style. Quite drinkable, just wish there was some more volume and taste to the beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 03:56:28 | More by Lemke10

emerge077

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The last of a six pack that i've neglected to review until now. Hazy yellow orange pour into a tulip glass, a brief head of foam appears and ebbs away into a wispy web on the surface.

Yeasty aroma, shortbread sweetness, light orange rind citrus.

Creamy light feel, a crisp bite in the middle, dry bitterness in the aftertaste. Soft grains, light fruitiness of trace bitter orange peel, wondering if that's the twist mentioned on the label. Quenching and sessionable. Overall a nice Kolsch that is subtle and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 23:44:07 | More by emerge077

david131

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a slightly hazy yellow liquid with a very thin and splotchy white head. Very quiet looking.

S- Light fruit such as apples and pears, lemon, white bread, and a touch of pepper. A bit simple, but it is nice.

T- Exactly the same as the aroma but not as sweet as I was expecting. Tasty and smooth.

M- Light carbonation and very clean flavors. The alcohol is well hidden considering the lightness of the beer.

O- A tasty beer on a scorching summer night. Drinks really nicely.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 03:33:19 | More by david131

MasterSki

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to FlandersNed for this random Shorts offering. Served in a Hill Farmstead glass.

A - White foam settles to a thin collar and a few wisps on top. Hazy peach flesh body.

S - Smells like a Kölsch alright - musty and mildly vinous, with yeasty bread, and toasted cereal grains. Hop presence is minimal, and I'm not sure what the Michigan 'twist' was.

T - Taste is a bit sweeter, with some nice buttered biscuit pilsner malt and vanilla flavors and less overt grain. Hops show up in the finish a bit too.

M - Zesty carbonation, grainy texture, medium body. I can imagine this being quite refreshing on a hot summer day.

D - A nice American-made Kölsch that I'd happily drink again. Seems quite tame for a Short's offering, but based on some of their recent output that may be a good thing.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 17:11:54 | More by MasterSki

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass; no bottle dating, but this was released very recently. Pours lightly hazy golden straw color with a small 1 finger white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some very nice spotty lacing clings down the glass as you drink. Aromas of big lemon, grape, grass, earth, floral, bread, herbal, and yeast funkiness. Very pleasant and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of bread, herbal, floral, earth, grass, grape, and light fruity tanginess. A fair amount of spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of light fruit, bread, grass, earth, herbal, floral, and light tang on the finish for a good bit. Great balance of flavors with a very nice balance of hop bitterness; with the malt profile being slightly stronger, and never cloying. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly crisp and smooth mouthfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden with pretty much no warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent kolsch. I have not had too many in the style, but I can tell this is spot on from the style guidelines. Great balance of flavors; very smooth and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 01:40:17 | More by superspak

warnerry

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 5/16/12; into a pint glass

A - Pours light yellow/golden brown with ine finger of white head. Head dissipates quickly and leaves no lacing.

S - White grapes, light bread malts and some subtle earthy hops. A faint sweetness. Pretty striaghtforward, but quite nice.

T - Nice crisp taste, with an herbal hop bitterness throughout. Quite vinious, with white bread malrs. Very tasty. Lingering earthiness. Hops also have a nice spiciness.

M - Light, crisp mouthfeel with a nice earthy bitterness througout.

O - Excellent brew for a warm summer day. I'm not a Kolsch expert, but this seems relatively true to style with a bit morebl bitterness, which seems like a Short's hallmark. Also, Short's lists this at 5.5% abv, which seems right as I don't get any prominent alcohol from this.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 19:12:11 | More by warnerry

beerdilly

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE - golden pale, noticably hazy which is also a result of bottle conditioning. not common for this style, but a little creativity is appreciated. nice white head which dissipates quickly.

AROMA - some citruis and fruity notes. noticable yeast. the yeast scents really shine in a good way with this beer as a result of the extra conditioning and is not inappropriate by any means. very little pils aroma which doesn't show until later in the glass.

FLAVOR - low to moderate fruity/yeasty flavors which contribute to a nice crisp and dry finish. minimal to no hop character up front but it might be identified later in the glass.

MOUTHFEEL - dry finish, crisp, moderate-strong carbonation. medium light body.

OVERALL IMPRESSION - the yeast presence definitely adds a nice twist on a style that might need a kick in the ass every now and again. I always like to see what Shorts is up to and I think they typically push boundaries in a good way. i was definitely pleased and i wouldn't mind drinking more of these at a lake instead of a computer.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 04:44:42 | More by beerdilly

ryantho00

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice hazy straw gold with little head. I get nice grainy notes on the nose with a nice dose of peppery spice. I get an undertow of wheat and more spicy grain as I inhale. The taste follows the nose closely, a deep grainy taste and sweet malts infused with a light spice. Good wheat and spicy hops as a baseline. Good medium body, nice refreshing summer brew, great balance and very very clean, almost aspirin like as another reviewer noted. A little offputting at the end of the aftertaste.

Overall a nice refreshing beer with good balance.

Cheers!!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 23:19:05 | More by ryantho00

GRPunk

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pored into a tall, slender pilsener glass.

A- A careful pour resulted in a 1-finger, bone white head that settles to a 1/4-finger and leaves pretty good rings on the glass. The body was a clean, golden color that nears straw. There was a heavy carbonation.

S- I got a lot of grape right off the bat. Almost a white wine with some berry-like scents. Solid malt backbone lends a doughy aroma. It's somewhat delicate at its coldest. Hints of organic, herbal, medicinal hops. Wafts of lemon zest. Warmth excentuates doughy, grainy qualities. It's pretty clean, without coming off as sterile.

T- Very balanced. Flavorful without overpowering and keeping in the stylistic parameters. Doughy, grainy malts lend a sweetness. There's a solid dose of aspirin-like (in the most complimentary way possible) hops that meld into an herbal flavor, even hinting at black pepper. An underlying lemon flavor persists throughout, and really "pops" in the finish to dry it out.

M- Medium-light body with moderate-heavy carbonation. Solid hop bite is unexpected, yet pleasant.

O- Pretty straight forward, especially for Short's. Maybe a little hoppier than some. Awesome hot weather beer. I'm going to grill some chicken in a bit. It should pair nicely with my second bottle. This could beer an everyday drinker. Worthy of a case, much less a full sixer.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 21:55:25 | More by GRPunk

StoutHunter

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a bottle of Short's Kolsch 45 last week for $1.69 at The Lager Mill. This a newly released beer from Short's and the first time it has been bottled, so lets see how this Kolsch turns out. No visible bottling date, fresh spring release. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a imperial pint glass.

A- I like name of this beer and the label is good too, it's nicely done and it shows what the number 45 really stands for. It poured a fairly clear straw yellow color that looked more gold when held to the light and it had two and a half fingers worth of fluffy white head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left some spotty lacing. This is a proper looking Kolsch, I have no complaints.

S- The aroma starts off with loads of malts that have a medium amount of sweetness and imparts lots of bread and biscuit aromas that seem to dominate the aroma of this beer. Next a get some doughy yeast aromas followed by some light citrus hop aromas. This Kolsch, had a nice aroma with some extra citrus aromas that I don't normally find in this style, I like it.

T- The taste is very similar to the aroma and starts off with loads of pale malts that have a lower amount of medium sweetness and impart lots of bread and biscuit flavors with the bread flavors sticking out the most. Next I get some slightly doughy yeast that is followed by a pretty light amount of citrusy hops that impart a very light citrus flavor. Towards the end I get more bread flavors with a light amount of bitterness on the finish and a very bready and grainy aftertaste. This was a nice tasting Kolsch that was just a little different with the light citrus hops addition, I like it.

M- Very smooth, crisp,on the medium side of being light bodied, and it had a nice amount of medium carbonation. There was nothing off with the mouthfeel, it worked nicely with this beer and was true to style.

Overall I enjoyed this beer and I thought it was a good example of the style, this beer had just about everything that this style is known for with just a slight twist to let you know that this is a Short's brew. This beer had great drinkability, it was very smooth and refreshing, with enough flavor to hold my attention, I could see drinking a bunch of these on a hot summer day, a good warm weather beer just as the style intends. What I liked most about this beer was that is was very well rounded and pretty true to style. What I liked least about this beer was nothing, but I do wish this beer wasn't so limited, my local beer store only got two cases that's not a lot when it comes to this style of beer. I would buy this beer again if there's any left when I go back, it's six pack worthy, but with it being so limited it will not last, I recommend this beer to anyone, just a clean, tasty, drinkable beer. Short's did a great job with this beer and they kept it pretty traditional but I did enjoy the slight citrus aspect that you don't normally get in this style, it was a nice addition to this beer and it worked well with the other flavors. This is now my favorite Kolsch, it was New Hollands Full Circle, but I find this beer to be slightly better. I am glad you guys decided to bottle this beer and I hope to see more of it next summer, good job guys this is another solid brew from one of my favorite brewery's.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 03:44:27 | More by StoutHunter

webmanspidey

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a cloudy golden color and only slightly fizzy. Smell has a mix of sour lemon, slight hops, and some sweet honey and grain. Taste is a very balanced mix between sweet honey, sour lemon, and bitter hops and orange peel. This is very drinkable and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 18:57:34 | More by webmanspidey

33nickadams

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is golden-yellow and not completely transparent. Very effervescent bubbles float rather quickly to the top. A 1/4 finger of white head. Smells bready, grassy and with some esters. Refreshing, clean with some fruitiness. Everything is subtle with not one taste overpowering another. Mouthfeel is light and airy. Overall, I enjoyed the pilsener like qualities of it and can appreciate the slight fruitiness the ale yeast brings. I would have liked to see it more clear though. A great beer for summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 00:23:39 | More by 33nickadams

alexgash

Connecticut

4.6/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle.

Rather hazy, dark lemon body. Small, tight-laced, eggshell white head. Minimal lacing. Honey wheat bread malts, along with corn flakes, light citrus, and maybe a touch of pine on the nose.

Light, slightly toasted malt up front. Clean, bready, almost cereal-y. Maybe a touch of honey. Herbal, peppery, spicy hop bitterness arises and crescendos. Hint of pine in the finish. Dry and clean and very thirst-quenching on this hot evening! Moderate body with a crisp feel. Very tasty and perfect for the summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 22:01:03 | More by alexgash