Calicraft Brewing Company Cali Cölsch Bright & Playful Kölsch Style Ale

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Calicraft Brewing Company Cali Cölsch Bright & Playful Kölsch Style Ale.  Since Calicraft Brewing Company is going to have their first pint night at Hop Yard in San Ramon (October 2nd) I thought that I should pick up another one of their beers for review prior to their pint night.

From an interview with Jen Muehlbauer at Bay Area Craft Beer (dot com): “Cali Cölsch: We use California-grown base malt from the Klammoth basin by the base of Mt. Shasta. We blend it with some European Pilsner malts to form a base that is clean, smooth, subtly grainy and bright. We then use a blend of American and German hops to bring out noble spicy and fruity characteristics while giving the beer a hint of American hop flavor at the end. The Kölsch yeast we use adds complexity through notes of peach and pear. It finishes bright, playful and clean. Our goal is to not push this beer out of style, but push the beer to the edge of the style, keeping it drinkable and balance.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours clear golden with a nice white head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Pale malt, grains, fruit and wheat.  Faint hop aroma.

Taste: Pale malt, toasted grains, stone fruits with a slight bitter hop finish.  Great carbonation and balance.

Overall: Incredibly clean and refreshing, Calicraft Brewing Company’s Cali Cölsch Bright & Playful Kölsch Style Ale is wonderfully drinkable.  At 5.2% ABV this is a beer I could and would drink all night.  This will pair perfectly with spicy food, or, any food for that matter.  I don’t typically reach for Kölsch style ales, but this beer has changed my perspective and I plan to reach for this offering again and again.

Special thanks to Brian Stechschulte (Founder & Editor at www.BayAreaCraftBeer.com) for allowing me the use of the beer description in the interview that Jen Muehlbauer (a writer for Bay Area Craft Beer dot com) did with Blaine Landberg (founder and head brewer of Calicraft Brewing Company) here.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey