Robin Shepard
One of the first beers to run out during last Saturday’s Isthmus Beer and Cheese Festival was Alt Brew’s Kickback Kölsch. I wasn’t too surprised to see this beer go so quickly because it’s a flavorful, crisp, light and bubbly ale that has a growing fan base. It’s also gluten-free. A drinker might be hard-pressed to know that its fermentable sugars come mostly from sorghum and rice. The bottom line: If you like the kölsch style, this is appealing whether you seek gluten-free or not.
What is it? Alt Brew Kickback Kölsch from Alt Brew of Madison.
Style: A kölsch is an effervescent golden to straw-colored beer that’s. The traditional German kölsch has very subtle sweetness with light dryness in the background and finish. It’s a light-bodied beer with some hoppiness, just enough to add to its crisp impression. The kölsch will range in alcohol from 4.8 to 5.3 percent ABV. The name, in German law and tradition, applies only to beer from Köln, and it is brewed to strict standards and needs to have a certain percentage of wheat.
Background: Kickback is not a kölsch in the strictest and most traditional definition; however, there’s still plenty of kölsch character. “We wanted to make a very light ale,” says Alt Brew owner Trevor Easton. Kickback’s gluten-free recipe of sorghum and rice does give the beer a light sweetness. But it’s the spiciness of hops that is its most noticeable quality. This isn’t a highly hopped beer, but the use of Mt. Hood, Simcoe and Centennial adds to its crisp, sharp profile.
The beer debuted late last summer in the taproom, where it has been generating a following. It’s currently available only there, on draught. However, Easton says he’s watching closely to see if sales continue to climb. It could eventually be among Alt Brew’s bomber bottle offerings.
With its light body and clean balance, Kickback has become one of Easton’s favorite base beers for infusing other flavors, which he often does on Fridays in the taproom. One of Easton’s favorites for Kickback is to fill his HopRocket with whole-leaf Columbus hops, which amplify the resiny and bitter characteristics of the hops already there.
The name Kickback is a reference to the mechanical components inside pinball machines. The Alt Brew taproom has become a haven for pinball enthusiasts, boasting eight machines. It even hosts occasional pinball tournaments. Kickback finishes at 5.5 percent ABV. It sells for $6/pint and $18/growler (refill).
Tasting notes:
Aroma: A light floral graininess.
Appearance: Hazy golden color. A medium soft, white head.
Texture: Light-bodied and very bubbly.
Taste: A sharp, spicy, hoppy dryness.
Finish/Aftertaste: Lingering spicy dryness.
Glassware: In the Alt Brew taproom, this beer is served in the standard bar-pint glass. The traditional German glass for the kölsch (if you’re taking home a growler) is the stick or stange, a straight, narrow, clear cylinder style of glass that only holds about seven ounces of beer per serving.
Pairs well with: lightly grilled and seasoned chicken, or a standard fish fry. The light nature of the Kölsch makes it an excellent palate cleanser and pre-meal beer.
The Verdict: I really like the level of hop character in Kickback; it keeps it clean and balanced. This isn’t an in-your-face hoppiness; rather just a nice amount of spicy-dryness that accentuates its crisp, effervescent qualities. It’s hard to tell the difference between traditional recipes and gluten-free Kickback. However, it’s worth noting that the sorghum and rice have a soft floral sweetness, as opposed to the hints of roasted grain and bready sweetness of the barley and wheat-based recipes of Germany. But without splitting hairs, this is undoubtedly a nice take on the kölsch style.