BadWolf AK-47 Kölsch

Sunday afternoon is one of our favorite times to head out for a relaxing late lunch, and a good beer or two. This past Sunday, as I perused the beer menu at Sedona Taphouse, a listing for BadWolf Brewing AK-47 caught my eye, for obvious reasons. It was listed in the "Pale Ale" section of the menu, which made it even more interesting to me.

When my beer arrived, my first comment to Colleen was noting how bright and clear the beer was. Taking a sip I tasted a nice balance of citrus and fruit hops, along with a crisp, bready malt base. It seemed a nicely done, mild Pale Ale. 

As I did my beer-geek thing and checked into Untappd I saw the beer was listed as a Kölsch. "Interesting," I thought, "that explains the notable clarity of the beer." Arriving home I checked online and found BadWolf's description of the beer,

Our American bastardization of the beloved Kolsch style is brewed with a traditional grain bill and Kolsch yeast and that’s where the similarities end. Our love for hops drove us to add copious amounts of Simcoe for an American hop bite. This Ameri-Kolsch clocks in at a formidable (by Kolsch standards) 47 IBUs, is light refreshing and tastes like freedom!

Well done BadWolf! You've taken the clarity and crispness of a Kölsch and added a pleasing citrus hop twist. AK-47 is a nice, refreshing, crisp, and flavorful beer, one that went quite well with a light, Sunday afternoon lunch.