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Fancy Lawnmower Beer
Houston, Texas
BJCP Category: 6C Kölsch
Saint Arnold Brewing Co. <visit site>
37
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[expand]Total Score: 36/50
A flavorful and easily drinkable lawnmower beer, and I’d like my own Kölsch to be as drinkable, but this falls short of the true Kölsch style. more >
[close]Total Score: 36/50
Aroma: Corn-like aroma up front. Low grainy Pils maltiness in the background. No to low hop aroma. No diacetyl. No fruity esters. No sulfur aroma. Slight alcohol aroma. Seems to be a clean, lager-like fermentation of a classic American Cream Ale. It doesn’t have that soft, delicate aroma of a true Kölsch. (8/12)
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Appearance: Some chill haze; beer is cold but not particularly so. Deep gold; a bit darker than those I’ve had in Köln. White, rich head dissipated rapidly. Moderate carbonation. (2/3)
Flavor: Rich malty sweetness with corn-like notes in bed of Pils malt graininess. No hop flavor. Hop bitterness is enough so that the beer is not cloyingly sweet, yet leaving a sweet, malt finish. Corn-like quality places this in more of the Cream Ale category than a Kölsch. No diacetyl. Very low fermentation esters. Lacks the delicate softness reminiscent of Kölsch in Köln. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body not lightened by the moderate carbonation. Rounded but grainy mouthfeel. No alcohol warming or astringency. (4/5)
Overall Impression: A flavorful and easily drinkable lawnmower beer, and I’d like my own Kölsch to be as drinkable, but this falls short of the true Kölsch style by presenting excessive corn-like aroma and flavor and finishing sweeter than expected. Additional attenuation by a couple degrees and substitution of additional wheat for any corn adjunct would help bring this beer closer to style. Without a corn adjunct, then attention to sources of DMS, such as increasing the kettle exhaust, would be warranted. Additional noble hops in the aroma and flavor would have been welcomed and help distinguish this from a Cream Ale. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 43/50
The addition of a small amount of wheat, as noted at the company Web site, lends a creamy quality and balances the slightly grainy notes from the Pils malt. more >
[close]Total Score: 43/50
Aroma: Slight sulfur note, almost corny, but not quite. Subtle golden delicious apple aroma. Spicy noble hop, hints of cinnamon. Grainy, grassy malt aroma is very low, turns almost lemony as the beer warms. (9/12)
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Appearance: Light gold, brilliant clarity. Creamy tight white head, dissipates slowly, though not a long full headstand. As the beer sits, it looks almost still, but when roused stirs a cluster of tiny bubbles just below the foam. (3/3)
Flavor: Grainy, grassy Pils malt up front, like crunching fresh Pils malt right out of the bag. Clean, delicate spicy, slightly cinnamon earthy noble hop aroma. Graininess is almost corn-like, but not adjuncty like flaked maize. Malty sweetness with a touch of sulfur emerges mid-palate, as does a malted wheat note. All flavors are balanced with a short, sharp hop bitterness that dissipates with the dry, slightly tart, almost lemony finish. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Soft rounded, medium body with creamy carbonation that kind of explodes on the tongue. Slightly puckering astringency, like citrus peel. Slight warmth lingers on the lips. (5/5)
Overall Impression: The addition of a small amount of wheat, as noted at the company Web site, lends a creamy quality and balances the slightly grainy notes from the Pils malt. Noble hops exhibit a light spiciness. Less fruity than many of the homebrewed versions, it also has more of a Pils malt character. While it does drink like a light lager, it has more complexity and character, including a light citrus quality and dry finish. Quite enjoyable. (9/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 36/50
This is a very nice beer that fulfills the objective of providing a flavorful thirst-quenching beer. My preference is toward a slightly drier and crisper finish. more >
[close]Total Score: 36/50
Aroma: Light fruitiness, with pineapple, pear and citrus notes. There is also a slight herbal character that I often associate with German noble hops. Malt is subdued but provides a light breadiness to the background. The lemony character is a little heavy for the style, but there is still a nice complexity. (8/12)
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Appearance: Impressive clarity, and the pale straw color is light, even for this style. A touch of light Munich or Vienna malt might provide a little more depth and distinguish from light lagers. The head retention is a little weak, and the carbonation seems a little low as well. (3/3)
Flavor: Soft maltiness with a hint of breadiness that may come from wheat malt. Low esters, but they work synergistically with hops to lend a spicy, herbal character with some lemony notes. This tilts the balance away from the classic compromise among malt, esters and hops, but this style does permit a little individuality. This sample reminds me a little of Frueh Kölsch, but with more of a citrus character than floral. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: A bit heavy due to the slightly low carbonation, but balance is excellent with no off-flavors. (3/5)
Overall Impression: This is a very nice beer that fulfills the objective of providing a flavorful thirst-quenching beer. My preference is toward a slightly drier and crisper finish, but this is hard to achieve in practice without making the beer too lager-like. The yeast character is appropriate for this style, but it would be interesting to see if a 1-2 degree reduction in the primary fermentation temperature improves the balance. (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 35/50
Fairly good except for the elevated DMS/corn character. Quite dry but bitterness is on the low side. more >
[close]Total Score: 35/50
Aroma: Corny Pils malt aroma with a light sulfury yeast note. The malt has a light grainy quality that is supported by a moderately low floral noble hop aroma. No esters. The somewhat sweet, corny quality tends to dominate, and is a bit too prominent for me. (8/12)
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Appearance: Tall, pure white head with lots of bubbles. Pale gold color with brilliant clarity. The head settled moderately fast. (3/3)
Flavor: Slightly corny flavor with medium-low bitterness. Somewhat dry finish. The clean Pils malt flavor and some initial sweetness give a nicely rounded malt presence. No esters. Clean and lager-like with a light sulfury edge. The malt tends to dominate the palate but the flavors are generally subtle, lightly sweet but with a dryish finish. (13/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-high carbonation. No alcohol bite. Smooth and crisp. Carbonation a bit high. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Fairly good except for the elevated DMS/corn character. Quite dry but bitterness is on the low side. Has a lager-like character, which might cause some to confuse it with a corn-based Premium American Lager (like Miller Red Dog). Subtle. Most Kölsch have more character in some dimension than this example. (7/10)
