Brews and Blues Beer and Smokin’ Blues

Angry Angel Kolsch

Brewery: Big Boss Brewing Co.
Where: Raleigh, North Carolina
Style: Kolsch
IBU: 20 IBU
ABV: 4.5%

Well, that new year's resolution didn't last so long ;) Today, we get back to some real beer. Today's sampling is from Big Boss Brewing Company here in my home state of North Carolina. We are going to have a quick look at their Angry Angel Kolsch.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the Kolsch beer style, here's the description from Beeradvocate.com:

First only brewed in Köln, Germany, now many American brewpubs and a
hand full of breweries have created their own version of this obscure
style. Light to medium in body with a very pale color, hop bitterness is
medium to slightly assertive. A somewhat vinous (grape-y from malts)
and dry flavor make up the rest.

This particular sample of Kolsch fits the description almost perfectly.  I think the Angry Angel falls more to the lighter-bodied side of this style.  It definitely exhibits the pale color but the hop presence is on the very low side of the style.  There is not a significant bitterness, but the balance between the hop presence and light malt body is excellent.  It lets the "grape-y" nature find its way through in the flavor very well.  The dry flavor profile also allows this beer to fall nicely into that summer-time thirst quencher category very nicely.  This is my first sampling from Big Boss Brewing but it won't be my last.  Give these guys a try at your first opportunity!

Flying Dog – Tire Bite Golden Ale

More rain... It seems like it's never going to end. I guess this weather is making up for the last two very dry summers we have had around here. I guess I can spice up the day just a bit by cracking open a crisp and refreshing summer time beer...  This is my first sampling of a Flying Dog Brewery beer.  The Tire Bite Golden Ale is quite crisp and refreshing, and has a decent body for a beer of this style.  It rings in at 5.0% ABV and an IBU of 16.5, which keeps a nice balance between the hop bitterness and the sweetness of the malts.  From the website:

The young pup of the pack... Tire Bite Golden Ale is a refreshing, light, warm weather slammer with a flavorful hop edge.  Brewed using exclusive German hops (German Perle and Hallertau), this beer draws craft beer drinkers back from the "dark" side of the cooler.

This is definitely a good choice for a hot summer afternoon where you might want to enjoy several beers without getting totally sloshed.  As with any really good beer, it's best served a little warmer than right out of the fridge...