Harpoon - Summer Beer

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Harpoon Summer Beer

Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Avenue

Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986

www.harpoonbrewery.com
 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Pale straw yellow color. 

Mostly malt grain and trace floral hop aromas.
White, tightly bubbled crisp, one finger head.

Head lacing fairly nonexistent.
Malty grain taste with a bit of sourness.

Active carbonation balances any thin watery appearance.
Light bodied. Slightly drying on finish. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Here's another crisp Kolsch for our perusal. These beers are refreshing in taste. A bit crisper than a lager. A bit more floral bite on the finish. Perfect for warm summer days. Great for killing your thirst while easy on the taste buds and alcohol. An ale yeast, not a lager, is used to set this apart from ordinary beer. The beer will have a dry, tart, almost sour taste. It is not for everyone's palate, but I prefer the tartness.

Freshen up with a Kolsch and see what your summer is missing.

Samuel Adams - East-West Kolsch

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Samuel Adams - East-West Kolsch
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.01 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale golden color.
Lemon zest, biscuit and slight fruit notes.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Slightly sweet and fruity with a nice dry biscuit taste.
Light and airy mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Leave it to Sam Adams to come up with this wonderfully refreshing Kolsch. According to their website, they use  Jasmine Sambac, a fragrant night blooming flower from Southeast Asia to give this floral aromas to this traditional German style of Kolsch. Hence the Asian (East) and the European (West) moniker in the name.

Either way, it creates a fresh tasting, delicious thirst quencher. I enjoyed it on a rather warm day and must say it really hit the spot.

Flying Dog - Tire Bite Golden Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Tire Bite Golden Ale 
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, MD USA
Est. 1983
www.flyingdogales.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale golden yellow color.
Minimal head disappears quickly.
Sweet malt grain smell. Not much hops.
Light and dry with a slight sweetness
Very light hops characteristic of 16.5 IBU's.
Tart, dry finish. Light body.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Hmmm...just on the heels of their Hefe, (which I enjoyed), comes this 'Golden Ale'.  It wasn't the usual great treat I have come to expect opening up a Flying Dog.  Mind you, I don't blame them as much as I am not a big fan of Kölsch style beer.


Ah well, they have more dogs in their lineup, so it shouldn't be too hard to hit a winner again sometime soon.

Reissdorf Kolsch Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Reissdorf Kolsch Ale
Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf
Emil-Hoffmann-Str. 4-10 D-50996

Cologne, Germany
Est. 1894
www.reissdorf.de
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Bright golden straw color.
Sweet grain and yeast nose accompanied by unusual tart, citrus smells.
White minimal head that dissipates rapidly.

Minimal lacing of the glass.
Moderate carbonation malt sweet and citrus tart taste.
Light bodied, refreshing.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
To describe this 'big fella' is to say, how should I put this...like what Bud would be if it had a big brother ale.  Though the unusual citrusy grape/fruit like twang at the end of each sip was an unexpected surprise.  It was served in a tall, symmetrical cylinder of a glass that resembled a rather large shotgun shell, and had the HR brewery logo on the outside along with ml (milliliter) markings.  Some kind of science beaker! 

Very enjoyable and refreshing on an 80 degree day here on the sun-coast of Florida.