Cape Ann Fisherman’s Ale

Brewed by Cape Ann Brewing Company
Style: Kölsch
Gloucester, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Kölsch/Altbier

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Date: 07,28/08 12 oz. bottle

Aroma - Faintly fruity aroma, some hay and grass

Appearance - C;ear yellow gold, small white head and sparse lace

Flavor - Delicate fruity sweetness, and more of a hop profile with some floral thanthe usual Kolshc, with floral and spice flavors that accompany a soft bitterness

Palate - Light body, medium carbonation, clean, lightly dry finish

Overall - Not bad, hoppier than I expected, and somewhat bolder flavors than I would expect for a Kolsch

12oz brown bottle from Tiger Town in Gardiner. Pours a hazy dark golden color with a thin film of foam. Smells like caramel, toffee, grass, and a bit of pepper... Tastes biscuity and caramelly, with a tinge of fruit and pepper toward the finish. Light both in body and in carbonation. Less drinkable than expected... An okay beer overall, but a Kolsh it is not...

Pour was typical for the style, pale golden yellow, ok carbonation and head. The aroma was grainy malty, slight off-notes typical of a green bottle import. The flavor was too heavy on the malts, overly hopped as well. Depth in both of an altbier, but just didn’t work within this lighter style. Flavors were only ok and it lacked anything like a crisp, clean finish.

i wasnt very impressed a bit too bitter for my taste. too much malt overall ive definitely had things i like better

Tap at Barcade. Kolsch? I don’t think so... in fact, it’s not even close. Too much malt and too much hoppiness for that. Anyway, hazy golden amber with a thick white head. Aroma is nice, soft UK type malts, crackery and biscuity with a soft woody/spicy type of hop aroma as well. A touch of marmalade and a bit of sulfur as well. Flavour is lovely, soft and crisp with a fresh minerally bitterness. Crisp pale malt and touch of earthiness. It’s a nice English Pale ale... but it’s definitely not a kolsch. Excellent session ale, FWIW.

My least favorite Cape Ann brew. Light gold in the glass with little head. Forgettable flavor, light wheat beer with some hops. Pass on this one, unless you’re a die-hard Cape Ann fan.

Is this a Kolsch? Just a nice simple ale, with more bitterness than I would have expected from a Kolsch, but nothing especially memorable in appearance, nose, or taste.

Bottle. Pours a lighter golden color with not much head/carbonation. Nose initially was like gasoline but that tempered in a alcoholy scent. Flavor was honestly disappointing. I like this brewer, but this was not the greatest. The bitterness held the bready fruit notes hostage and would not let them go. Still look forward to more styles by you guys.

UPDATED: JUL 14, 2007 Decent flavor but I thought the alcohol came through way to strong for this style.

Draught pint at Sunset Grill on 6/7/07
Well-conditioned, buttercup-colored body, with light brass tints, is clear, lightly bubbly and sports a medium-sized white head that produces light lacing. Head shows moderate retention.
Malt-forward is the nose (which is great), showing straw, wet hay baking in the sun and light toffee hints. Light minerals, and something producing a slight acidity, is notable on the finish, which seems to have a bit of lemon to it as well. With some warming, it unfortunately gains a bit of cake-icing-like thickness/sweetness, but some earthy and dusty hops help keep things somewhat dry and grainy. Definitely a kolsch, probably not the world’s leading example, but pleasant enough in the nose, with no apparent flaws.
Snappier up front than I expect, as lots of grainy, very fresh cereal-like malts cut through some initial pale malt sugariness. It’s got a surprisingly firm body to it, with lots of roundness and almost a wheat-like chewiness to it (I’m not a big fan of wheat in kolschs though, I think it gives the wrong texture). Not saying there is wheat in it, but it definitely could stand to bit a tad bit lighter bodied and somewhat more crisp. Acidity and kolsch-yeast signature mineral notes are lightly apparent on the finish, with EKG or saaz hoppiness that is very minimal as it should be. Take the attenuation up a notch and give it some more pils malt character and this would be spectacular. It still went down very well, however. Carbonation is moderate, not bubbly or overdone. No flaws or alcohol noted.