Brewery – Land Grant
Beer – 1862 Ale
Style – American Kolsch
ABV – 4.9%
IBU – 24
In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act into law, giving the American populace the opportunity to seek a higher education. It called for one great state university in each state, and inadvertently led to tailgate parties, marching bands, fight songs and Bowl Games. Our 1862 Ale –a dry-hopped American take on the classic German beer– combines the crisp clean flavor of German Noble hops with the floral aromatics of American hops.
This was one of the beers that you could find flowing from the taps when Land Grant opened their doors back in 2014. It’s available year-round, which is fun for a typical “summer style” like Kölsch. This beer isn’t your typical Kölsch, though, as you’ll soon see.
As you can read in the brewery description, the name of the beer ‘1862’ references back to the Morrill act signed by President Abraham Lincoln in that year. The act is also known as the Land Grant College Act, which starts to clue you in on how it all falls into place for the brewery.
It’s a crucial part of the identity, and the branding of who they are, and what they do as a brewery.
The beer disguises itself as a simple, traditional, German Kölsch. A big hop character that uses both German Noble hops, and big floral American hops lets loose into a beer that is so much more than simple, or traditional beer by any stretch.
My Thoughts On Land Grant 1862 Ale
This beer pours into the glass a hazy light-colored beer, with a big fluffy white head that perches upon the top of your glass. With looks dead on to a traditional Kölsch, it’s easy to underestimate what you’re in for.
Aromas give you a hint at what you’re looking to experience when you finally get this in your face. You get a great well-rounded grain and caramel aroma that has a floral hint of hoppiness to it.
Taste, though… that’s where this beer starts to really shine. Light bodied, and easy drinking this beer satisfies much of the same desires as its traditional cousin does, but then there is a slight bitterness that leads into a floral, piney hop character that changes things up. The flavor lingers on the palate, but in a soft way that still brings forth the character of the Kölsch.
Really nice beer, and one that Land Grant should be proud to have as one of their core offerings.