Flying Dog Tire Bite Golden Ale

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: Kölsch
Frederick, Maryland USA

Yellow color with a small white head. Malt, fruit and hoppy nose. Fruity and and malty. Medium body with a dry finish.

Sampled from a 12oz brown bottle this beer poured a bright yellow-gold color with a medium sized soapy white head. The aroma is tangy, sour and rather industrial though a bit robust for the style. The flavor is initially tart and tangy with a bitter floral hop presence turning towards a dry nutty cardboard element and a faint trace of pepper. The finish is short, tart, dry and a bit peppery. Not bad.

Mini growler from Half-Time. Pours a clear light yellow gold with a medium sized white head that falls off quickly. Sweet candied spice aromas with some esters and a touch of grain and a big cardboard backbone. Medium bodied, sweet and tangy, but mostly empty. Finishes with a little tartness and a nice crisp lemon note.

12 oz bottle enjoyed at Blanc Burgers + Bottles in Leawood, Kansas. They poured this into a .4L more or less proper Kölsch glass, much appreciated! Pour is clear yellow golden with a pure white head of about one inch. Head falls fast with no lacing. Aroma of grassy, slight toasted grain maltiness and a very nice representation of Kölsch yeast - earthy and floral. Taste is crisp, and reflects the nose perfectly - the grassiness, slight toasted malt and earthy floral yeast are all there and nicely balanced. There is also a nice bright lemon citrus. Palate is thin to medium, a bit slick, nice carbonation level, crisp and clean finish. Well executed Kölsch.

Bottle. Pours a clear pale yellow with a decent white cap that has little to no retention and leaves very little lacing. Aroma is strong lemon, cereal grain, straw- altogether very macro. Taste is- yes- light and refreshing but has almost no body an no real ale redeeming qualities. Slight dried hops presence. Had one and didn’t want another.

Overall Impression: A pretty typical beer for its style, citrus refreshment and a smooth clean finish. Nothing special, but does the style justice.


Updated 9/1/09
August 2009 Beer of the Month Club
Appearance: Clear golden color, minimal head, some carbonation movement
Overall Impression: Pretty much what I remembered, this rating isn’t changing much at all, now please stop sending me beer from MD for the beer of the month club, it is really annoying!

12oz bottle. Pours a clear yellow color with dustyness and a white head. Nose is yeasty, grass and straw. Palate is clean and smooth. Flavor is light lemon, some grass an dyeast notes. finishes clean.

from Amstein - slightly hazy golden blond colour with a poor head retention; subtle flowery hoppiness with notes of honey; decent malt body and a subtle carbonation; slightly oily with some sweetness; low bitterness; quite long almondy finish