Goose Island Summertime

Every time I see Goose Island's Summertime sitting in my keezer, I get "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess stuck in my head.  That's not a bad thing -- I love that song.  Anyway, it's the next beer I grabbed:

Vittles:

Kolsch

5.1% abv

20 IBU

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 19/25

Taste: 34/40

Mouthfeel: 7/10

Style: 4/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 81/100

Impression:

The head poured nicely, but it didn't have much stay to it.  It did leave some lacing as it went, though.  The aroma is mainly grainy and malty with a little herbal earthiness in the background.  Every now and then, I got a whiff that reminded me of wet hay, but that particular aroma didn't linger.  I tasted a bit more cereal and biscuit on the tongue than I detected in the nose, as well as a hint of caramel and something warm like vanilla.  The mouthfeel is actually thicker than I expected and adds a nice depth to the beer.  It finishes slightly bitter and dry, but the aftertaste doesn't linger very long.  A decent beer, nice and refreshing, but it's not going to knock your socks off.

Cheers!

Free Will Community Kolsch

It's nice having a decent beer stock, but every now and then, I go to pick out a beer, only to realize that most of my selection is somewhat monotone.  Like now, for instance, much of my stock is some version of a pale ale/IPA.  One of the few beers I have that falls outside of that umbrella is the Free Will Kolsch:

Vittles:
Kolsch
4.8% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 33/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 83/100

Impression:
The aroma leads with a crackery/biscuity scent, followed closely by a light fruitiness and a hint of fresh grass.  The flavors have a bit of a grassy bent to them, and the malt and hops are nicely balanced.  The fruitiness is a little more apparent on the tongue than in the nose.  It finishes mildly dry with very little lingering aftertaste.  This seems like a solid, by the book Kolsch.  I could find this beer enjoyable year round.

Cheers!

Saranac Kolsch

My husband and I stopped by a grocery store when we were out and about today, and this grocery store had an amazing beer selection.  I mean, especially for this area, the selection really blew me away, especially since the last time I went in this particular store, they had about a tenth of their current offerings.  So we wandered around for a while and finally settled on a Saranac sampler and a 4-pack of Sierra Nevada Torpedo pounders.  Since it's a pretty warm evening, I decided to have a Kolsch with dinner (rotisserie chicken, olive salad, fresh bread):

Vittles:
Kolsch
5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 30/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 77/100

Impression:
It's been a while since I've had a Kolsch, so this was a pleasant change from the IPAs I've been having recently.  The beer looks very clear and crisp, fairly bright, and has low levels of effervescence.  The aroma is a little mustier than I expected, but it's pleasant overall.  There was also a faint sulfur smell when I first poured it, but that dissipated fairly quickly and was replaced with a sweet undertone.  There flavor in this beer is very subtle, mostly of yeast and light malt, though there was also a faint spiciness and a slight, fresh flavor, almost like mint but not quite.  With its light body and almost non-existent aftertaste, this is an extremely refreshing beer, and it went fantastically well with my dinner.

Cheers!