Golden Kolsch is a kölsch beer (duh!) that uses the typical German style beer but ramps up the alcohol content to 8% because Niigata Beer can. Heck, if you lived in one of the coldest parts of Japan in the winter months, you’d be brewing up high alcohol beer too. This beer is also 100% bottle conditioned like the rest of the Niigata Beer range and comes in bottle form only at the time of writing.
Um, golden. Ok. Last time I check this colour wasn’t golden.
Golden Kolsch Aroma and Taste
So Golden Kolsch does not pour out golden at all, rather it comes out a dark brown colour with what appears to be particles in the beer. I had to check the best before date but it was well within the range so I assumed the bottle conditioning had done this. Golden Kolsch had a fruity aroma alongside with a serious amount of malt notes to it. I really didn’t know what to think of this from the look and smell of it. It seemed that someone had taken a liking to the word kölsch and tacked it on to the label.
Golden Kolsch does not taste like your typical kolsch either. It seems weird to take an established style of beer and just change everything about it that makes it a kölsch. Golden colour? No. ABV of 5%? No. Hoppy? No. Golden Kolsch just destroys everything that makes a kölsch a kölsch and smashes the remnants to smithereens. It tasted medicinal and had a bitter kick to it that is more common with a Scotch ale.
Golden Kolsch One Line Review
Golden Kolsch is a poor example of a kölsch beer and should be avoided if you are looking for that kind of beer. If you just want something to get drunk on, then buy it.
Where to Buy Golden Kolsch
Golden Kolsch was a present for us from some family members in Niigata; however, it can be bought on the Niigata Beer online store here.
