Beer of the Weekend #1,088: Kolsch 45

The beer of the weekend last weekend was a giant can of Kolsch 45, brewed by the Ursa Minor Brewery of Duluth, Minnesota.

Serving type: No volume is listed on the can, and I don’t think it is a 32-ounce crowler. It looks more like a Foster’s-style oil can, which is about 25-ounces.

Appearance: Poured into my 400 ml stange. The color is clear, solid gold. Two fingers of fluffy, bubbly, shiny head pops away steadily, leaving short trails of foam stuck to the glass.

Smell: It’s a malt-fest. Lots of lightly toasted malt with a touch of honey. There is a touch of something earthy, perhaps rye. There are also hints of light esters, mostly strawberry. A hint of grass comes through.

Taste: Dry, malty, and a little sweet. Lightly toasted malt, grass, strawberry bubble gum, and earthy bitterness, which lingers on the taste buds.

Fun facts about Kolsch 45:

• Style: Kolsch.

• Price: $8 for whatever size can this is at the Ursa Minor Brewery in Duluth.

• Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.

• IBU: 15

• In the beer’s notes on Ursa Minor’s online beer menu is, “Pilsner + Cream Ale = Kölsch.”

• Ursa Minor brews a sour called Agate Hunter. Agates, and rocks in general, are one reason why The Foxy Lady and I go to the North Shore. There are cool rocks galore. I think rocks are interesting but The Foxy Lady is the rockhound in the family. (The kids are, too, so I image they will be hunting along the shores of Lake Superior with us someday.) Anyway, the word agate always makes me think of a YouTuber we watched during our first trip to the North Shore: Agate Dad. I think he lives in Duluth.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.