Mitchell’s “Backyard Kölsch”

Name: Backyard Kölsch
Brewer: Mitchell’s Backyard Brewery (Philippines)
Style: Kölsch
ABV: 4.9%
Review Year: 2021

Backyard Kölsch by Mitchell’s Backyard Brewery is a delicate and refreshing German-style beer brewed for the hot summer days. This beer is part of the brewery’s “Small Batch Series.”

STYLE GUIDELINES

This beer is being evaluated as a Kölsch (5B) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.

TASTING NOTES

Clear straw; low white head with poor retention. Subdued doughy and cherry aromas surfaced initially. These aromas were more evident as the beer settled and were followed by a pleasant grainy accent. A light-medium body and moderately high carbonation level gave the beer an impression of crispness. The hops, malts, and yeast seemed to have showcased their fair share of flavors in an acceptable balance: malt character was softly bready and doughy, hops appeared to have imparted a spicy flavor common in Noble hops, while a slightly fruity profile (pear, macopa, cherry) was likely from the yeast. Bitterness was perceived at a fairly low level, while the finish was on the dry side despite having a fruity character. The aftertaste lingered long with the delicate fruity flavors, bitterness, and a mineral-like character.

THE VERDICT

Backyard Kölsch is a very refreshing German-style Kölsch that highlighted distinct and delicate characteristics from the malts, hops, and yeast. As per the guidelines, beers of this style tend to have a delicate white head that may not persist, and this was the case for Backyard Kölsch. While the flavor profile was already acceptable, we think slightly less of the doughy malt character could improve further this beer. It was also fascinating to note cherry in the aroma, which is an optional yet explicit trait from fermentation. Further, the mineral-like flavor if noted in a Kölsch is not a flaw. In fact, this character, which may even enhance the dryness and flavor balance of the beer, is said to be contributed by the water and/or the yeast used. The verdict: excellent.

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Mitchell’s Backyard Brewery
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