Evasion Brewing Sprutz Kölsch

Gluten Free Kölsch

Hello all! I have a lighter beer on the menu this evening. It’s been awhile since I had a new (to me) Evasion Brewing beer to taste so I’m beyond excited to try their Sprutz Kölsch, a traditional German-style beer, known for being a bit of a hybrid between an ale and a lager. Often brewed as an ale, but finished like a lager.

The Sprutz Kölsch is packaged in 16 ounce cans and is brewed in a dedicated gluten free facility in McMinnville, Oregon. Evasion offers a wide range of styles in their flagship lineup, and they’re also masters of their craft, constantly coming out with delicious and inventive experimental styles in addition to special release traditionals like this Kölsch.

I once visited Evasion on a day that they were doing a fun Old World Kölsch collaboration brew with Divine Science Brewing. I watched them brew this classic style in a big barrel using fire heated rocks to boil it. That was a fun day.

This beer is released seasonally around Oktoberfest, so I recognize the one I just bought was likely brewed late last Fall. Can’t wait to see how it’s holding up! The grain bill is pretty straightforward for this Kölsch. It utilizes both millet and rice malt and features Magnum and Hallertau Blanc hops. The Sprutz finishes with a 4.8% ABV.

I love reviewing this German style, and there seems to be a lot more of them available these days. If you’re still with me by the end of the review, I’ll lead you to another gluten free Kölsch I’ve reviewed on Best Gluten Free Beers, and the best part is that it’s a year-round! In the meantime, here’s the pour video for the Sprutz, followed by my review…

The Taste Test

Sprutz Kölsch

The golden hue of the Sprutz Kölsch’s boasts high clarity and a nice head when poured. The head bubbles down, but it leaves a frothy top layer behind. This stays for a long time. The aroma is classic and clean.

When this gluten free Kölsch hits my lips, I first detect the barely-there malt profile, quickly followed by the fine textured carbonation, and then the hops take over with a crisp finish, and lingering bitterness. The hops carry a subtle spiced grape flavor but the flavors are gentle overall, which seems to showcase the bitterness a bit.

The bitterness is not high…it’s just consistent. Meaning I continue to notice it throughout and after the taste. It doesn’t really fade from my palate, nor does it build or intensify much, but it’s presence is stable and therefore quite noticeable.

This gluten free Kölsch is light on the malt, with a strong hop backbone, crisp carbonation, and a light and refreshing body, all of which play very well together creating a drinkable and remarkably clean Kölsch that lives up to the traditional qualities of this hybrid style. It looks nice in a glass too!

I must admit, this German style has really grown on me over the years. In fact, it’s one of my favorite flagship offerings from Buck Wild Brewing in California. They brew a Kölsch year round that I recommend tasting. It’s packaged in 12 ounce cans. You can read my review of it here.

I have a lot of beers to review over the next couple weeks, so keep you eye on the blog to hear all about them. I’ve got some seriously fun experimentals and new releases in the review lineup and I can’t wait to share them with you! Be sure to follow our Instagram @glutenfreebeers for previews of new beers hitting the market.

P.S. Like what I do for the gluten free beer community? Consider buying me a beer for my efforts! ;)

Evasion Brewing Sprutz Kölsch