Sweet grainy malts soften phenol-spiced grassy-hopped bittering of soapy pale pilsner. Clean, refreshing finish picks up minor diacetyl pungency. Fine for mainstream lunkheads consuming Budweiser.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
KOTAYK LAGER
Musty sour yeast aroma, moderate hop bitterness, and dank cloy finish mark this light watery Armenian. Less bread-like than Rolling Rock but with a bitter Heineken-like aftertaste (minus the much needed malt pungency).
KOSTRITZER SCHWARZBIER
Lighter than classified, German ‘black lager’ does have a dark complexion but its unrealized earthy grain presence goes cardboard in no time flat. Hidden behind carbolic hops and honeyed barley lies creamy mocha-chocolate thrift. Too weak to fight.
KONINGSHOEVEN TRIPEL TRAPPIST ALE
Turbid rust-hued Trappist triple bock features fulsome yeast character, tangy cherry-orange bluster, floral-dabbed herbal hop soothe, and brandy-sweetened warmth. Illusions of hazelnut, date, and cashew decorate wheat-grass perimeter, but faint buttery caramel finish lacks richness and depth its classification presumes.
KONINGSHOEVEN QUADRUPEL TRAPPIST ALE
Immediate sour orange nose pervades prickly hop sharpness and peppercorn succor countering butterscotch creaminess, sugary vanilla sweetness, and overripe apple hints of turbid eggshell-headed amber-hued full body. Dinky spearmint-eucalyptus tingle underscores spicy glint before honeyed malt finish develops.
KONINGSHOEVEN DUBBEL TRAPPIST ALE
Middling sienna-hued Trappist ale opens with textural raisin-prune palate embracing caramelized butterscotch sweetness. Herbal hops dance on the tongue as sinewy yeast persistence secures elegant barleywine finish.
KONIG PILSENER
Skunked yeast waft, soapy dishwater flow, and cloying mouthfeel ruin biscuit-y wheat cracker contour of sweet-grained moderation. Gentle grassy hop bittering underscores latent sourdough persuasion. Rivals vapid American macrobrews.
KONIG LUDWIG WEISS
Organic “Royal Bavarian” half-wheat beer retains hazily turbid yellow-orange appearance, lactose-imbued foam, and buttery soft-bodied nature. Elegant wheat flow enlivens floral yeast sinew and herbaceous hops with illusions of banana, clove, lemon, and pineapple caressing invitingly soured finish.
(KONA) PIPELINE PORTER
Swell (formerly) limited edition porter places ‘100% Hawaiian kona coffee’ and maple-sapped molasses sweetness atop dark roasted barley-hops. Creamy cappuccino surge soothes chewy vanilla-chocolate-coconut confluence and teensy cocoa dusting to mildly dry coffee bean-embittered finish (with wavered black peppering). Fluffy carbolic fizz nearly overwhelms milky texture.
KONA LONGBOARD ISLAND LAGER
Simplistic sudsy saltwater light body as fresh and clean as the Hawaiian surf. Soft buttered malt sedation and delicate floral hopped citric swerve perfect for mainstream lagerheads.
KONA BIG WAVE GOLDEN ALE
While in beautiful Maui, rust-hued Hawaiian microbrew was served on tap at the magnificent Hula Grill. Smooth up-front carbonation, soothed hop toasting, and sticky crystal malt sweetness climax in mellow hazelnut-induced wheat finish.
KONA FIRE ROCK PALE ALE
Deep orange-hued fluffy-headed Hawaiian pours like light whiskey as sharp mineral-grained grapefruit-orange bitterness lingers through resilient floral hop pep. Most likely fire brewed or wood chip scorched, since galvanizing smokiness informs burnt finish. Very strong and efficient; not for amateurs.