So there’s something rather interesting printed on the can of Non-alcoholic Kölsch, the latest NA beer from RationAle Brewing: it was brewed in Bend, Oregon. Given that RationAle is a California-based company, and it’s currently listed on the BrewVo site as a brewing partner right along with Deschutes Brewery, one can conclude that this beer (and possibly others?) was contract brewed by Deschutes, which installed the BrewVo technology at its facility in Bend.
I digress, as this was meant to simply be a review of this latest NA beer from the company, but it’s fun to speculate. Anyway, RationAle sent me samples of this new NA Kölsch, the latest in its year-round lineup. According to the press release:
Naturally light and crisp, Kölsch is a German-style beer that lends itself particularly well to non-alcoholic adaptations, thanks to its balanced flavor and refreshing qualities.
“Kölsch has become a fan favorite in craft beer, and we’ve had our eye on adding one to the mix for a while now.” said Jamie Fay, CEO and Co-Founder of RationAle Brewing. “With a killer team of brew crushers, we’ve crafted our very first European-style brew—a Kölsch we believe is the best-tasting non-alcoholic option out there.”
Like all NA beers, Kölsch is less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. Here are my notes:
Appearance: Golden colored and clear and bright. Crisp white head which is quite nice and persists.
Smell: Grainy aroma, a hint of fruitiness and a slight earthiness probably derived from hops. There’s a hint of unfermented malt but otherwise it has a clean, light aroma overall.
Taste: Solid with hard tack bread and raw grain notes; some spicy hops that give some wild greens and mustard seed. It’s clean, crisp, with good grain flavors, and some nice bitterness that’s nevertheless subtle.
Mouthfeel: Light and crisp, softish with some lingering bitterness.
Overall: It’s pretty nice for a non-alcoholic, it stands on its own as a satisfying brew.
