kolsch

New Beer Blog Metropolitan Krankshaft

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In my 160th blog post, we are going to check out one of the newer breweries in the Chicago area that has popped up in the last 7 years.  The brewery I am talking about is Metropolitan and the beer is their Krankshaft.  Here is a little history on this brewery.  Metropolitan Brewery was founded in 2008 by Doug and Tracey Hurst in the Ravenswood Neighborhood of Chicago, IL.  Their beers are the German Style.  They brewery several different brews in the German Style.  Let us get into this beer.

Krankshaft is one of their everyday six-pack beers and is unique to see this style of beer be available everyday.  In most cases, brewery’s Kolsch is a Spring or Summer Seasonal.  It has a pale yellow color with a little white head on the beer.  It has a slight citrus smell.  It has a nice slight citrus taste and a nice dry crisp aftertaste.  It is very drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.metrobrewing.com):

Brewed in homage to the beer of Cologne, Krankshaft is a pale straw hued smile in a glass. We throw in a little wheat malt to round out an easy Santiam hop bitterness. There are no Köbes to serve them up, but you should feel free to have as many as you like.

Krankshaft Kölsch style beer goes great with fruit salad, sailing, pot stickers, graduation parties, gyros, kick ball, pistachios, cole slaw, Star Trek marathons, miso, rye vodka, canoeing, dinner waffles, dal, gelato, star gazing, popcorn, beach combing, barbeque, lawn chairs, chiles rellenos, muenster cheese, Black Jack, hummus & pita, pinball, guacamole, gardening, French Onion soup, and yoga.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.metrobrewing.com

Twitter:  @metrobrewing

In closing, I was not a fan of this brewery at first because when they came out I was not into German Craft Beer Styles.  However, when they first started,  I still wanted to check them out anyways.  I did try them out and did not like their beers ar first.  I am just being honest, however, I tried their beers again of late.  Where I try this beer, I knew it was fresh because they tapped it right in front of me.  I wish they had a brewpub so I could try their all their beers.  I went to their website and I noticed  they do brewery tours.  I would love to get into one but it looks like they do not have any tours happening anytime soon.  I will be checking back to see if they have updates on more brewery tours.  This is one of the best Kolsch Craft Style that I have had in a long time.  It has a ton of flavor but the drinkablity like mass produce American Lager.  It has a better taste of course.  This beer could switch a ton of those American lager drinkers.  It is smooth and crisp but enough fruity notes to make the alehead happy.  Since I cannot get Schlafly Kolsch, I will be adding this my line up beers.   This is a great beer and I am happy that is Chicago Brewery is not copying what the other Chicago Craft Breweries are doing in the market.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Schlafly Kolsch Ale Style

In this beer blog, we are going to sample out a beer style that I am not a huge fan of it.  I am talking about Kolsch Ale from Schlafly.  Schlafly Brewery started to brew their beers in 1991 and was founded by Dan Kopman and Tom Schlafly.  Their goal was to brew some good beers in the downtown St Louis area.  They are now being distribute to nine other states asides their home state.  Some of these states are part of them like Illinois.  Schlafly Brewery is now brewing several different styles of beer and over 25 seasonal brews.  I know the last time I was down there when my sister lived there.  They were just getting into the 750ml bottle business.  This is a really good brewery and St Louis should be proud to have them in their backyard.  Let us get beer from this brewery.

Schlafly Kolsch is part of their everyday beer line up, which is rare to see a brewery have this style one of their everyday beers. At one time, it was rare to see this beer style in the market.  Now the beer style is just about everywhere and newer ones are a ton better than the older ones. It has yellow color with a head kind of in it. It has a sweet to light citrus smell to it. It has a really sweet to slight hoppy taste to the beer with no really aftertaste.  It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Schlafly Kolsch Style Ale is a golden-colored, medium-bodied, crisp and refreshing ale.  This style, which originated in Cologne, is well-balanced, mild-mannered, and a perfect companion for any occasion.

Here is a description from their website (www.schlafly.com):

Our Kölsch is a classic golden ale that uses a centuries old yeast strain sourced from a famous Kölsch brewer in Köln, Germany. Fermented at 62 degrees, then cold conditioned, it has the delicate fruity aroma of an ale with the crisp, clean finish of a lager. It is brewed with lightly roasted malt and 100% German Noble Hops: Perle for bitterness and Hallertau Traditional for flavor and aroma.

In 1918, the term Kölsch was used to describe the ale brewed in Köln, a city on the Rhine River in western Germany. The style began to rise in popularity in the 1960s and now, many American craft brewers brew variations of the style, labeling it a golden ale.  Our Kölsch is unique to the Schlafly brewery because  Ulrike, a native of Köln and wife of brewery co-founder Tom Schlafly, connected Schlafly Beer with the Gaffel Brewery of Köln. Schlafly Beer won the Gold Medal for Best German-style Kölsch in the World Beer Cup in 2010.

ABV:   4.8%   |   IBU:   25

Appearance: Straw-colored, bright

Process: 62 degree fermentation

Hops: Hallertau Tradition, Perle (DE)

Malts: 2-row malted barley, wheat malt, Munich malt, Carapils malt

Yeast: Köln brewery yeast strain

OG: 11.8

SRM: 6

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.schlafly.com

Twitter:  @schlafly

In closing,  just what I said I have never been a huge fan of this beer style.  I know it is because of the light to medium body that this beer style brings forth.  I get it because it is perfect for the spring and summer, which is when you normally see this beer style out by craft beer breweries.  I like this beer but it is not on my regular beer line up.  It is has some good flavor better than other Kolsch in the market.  This beer is one of  the best ones on the market.  Go hunt it down.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser