Claim 52 Brewing Kolsch

I can't take credit for this picture.

15 IBU 5.2% ABV
Beer Advocate score - 3.73/5
Untappd score 3.63/5

5B. Kölsch

A clean, crisp, delicately-balanced beer usually with a very subtle fruit and hop character. Subdued maltiness throughout leads into a pleasantly well-attenuated and refreshing finish. Freshness makes a huge difference with this beer, as the delicate character can fade quickly with age. Brilliant clarity is characteristic.

Aroma: Slightly floral and citrus notes. Mild herbal notes. Fresh.   7

Appearance: A Clear, bright golden straw color with little to no haze. White head with little lacing.  8

Flavor: Nice clean mild malt flavor with a touch of lemon/herbal notes. Smooth low bitterness on the back end. Overall well balanced.   7.5

Mouthfeel: Light and fresh with low carbonation. Crisp and dry. Smooth and refreshing on a warm autumn afternoon.   8

Overall: I can see why Claim 52 has made their Kolsch a flagship brew. Totally tasty and refreshing. All the flavors are quite delicate and well balanced. I am actually surprised I have never had it before. Well, not really. They do have an extensive list of IPA offerings. I highly recommend the Kolsch if you want something different from the rest of their menu. 7.65

Matt's mark: 3.82/5

It was a full weekend for me. One of my friends/co-workers had his last day at work and the crew and I headed over to our favorite "safety meeting" location to help send him off with a couple of brews. A sad day for us but necessary for him and his career. Then later on that night, another good friend of mine and I headed over to the Claim 52 Kitchen for good food and beer. Alas, I forgot to take pictures of the new establishment, but, I assure you, it has a nice inviting atmosphere and a pretty nice menu to choose from. They have an extensive list of IPA's and a few sours if you're into that sort of thing. I recommend their Westside IPA, a solid offering of which I filled my growler with for the after party back at the apartment. The next day, I said my goodbyes to one friend and hopped next door to spend time with my ex co-worker/friend. Yes, they are literally neighbors. After spending all day and night playing games on something called "Jackbox", eating a decent amount of hot wings and drinking copious amounts of hard cider, I crashed. Overall, for a sports fan like me, it was a great distraction from the Oregon Duck game. Which, from what I gather, was not a great game to watch if you are a Duck fan. Oh well, better luck next time. On the way home, I picked up some nice, juicy bone in New York steaks and starting feeling all was well with world once more. After all, my wife (whom I hadn't seen for a couple days) was waiting for me on the couch with a good book (hence the picture with books in the background), a beer from Claim 52 was on the docket and lovely steaks was for dinner. A good end to a nice weekend.