J.T. Whitneys Koln Kolsch

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

This is one of the several beers I sampled when visiting the J.T. Whitneys in Middleton, WI on my "Boozin Across Wisconsin Tour 2008". It came as part of an 8 piece sampler set that I purchased.

The beer came out in a glass and it was very clear and had a light amber color to it. It had a decent white head on it that wasn't very big, but it lasted a lot longer than I thought it would. The shocking part was that the head left behind some monster lacing on the glass when drinking it. Well done. The aroma was a little on the weak side and the only thing I could seem to pick out of it was some light sweet corn. It wasn't bad, it was just lacking some oomph.

The first sip puts a pretty sharp tingle on your tongue. For the flavor, you are not able to pick up on that light sweet corn smell from the aroma, rather it really tasted like your standard American lager. That's not a bad thing, it's just not my favorite thing.

Bottom line it's a nicely crafted drink, but its just average. I've had better Kolsch style beers and this one just blends in with the average ones.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Pours a clear straw yellow colour with no head. Light, crisp and clean but watered down. Faint lemon aroma, grass and corn. Flavors that reminded me of rice and crackers. Bleh.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Drawn from the tap with a large foamy head above the mug that hid the color of the brew within. A nose of fresh aromatic grain and the flavor echoed that; fresh light taste of crisp malt and subtle floral hops. Crisp and spritely mouthfeel with a slightly bitter finish. A nicely made german-style hybrid beer from a brewmaster with a lager pedigree resigned to brewing ales almost exclusively. THIS may be his element. This and Rich's Rauchbier, that is. MUSIC: 'Real Life Version' by Voxtrot