FAQ

Colsons Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Beer is Colsons Original?

Is it possible to make a beer without a flaw? Don’t know. But we decided to try, realizing of course that nothing pleases everyone.

We made a list of beer flaws (which required taste testing a lot of beers over a long period of time). Some were so obvious right away. This beer was too flat. Another had too much carbonation. The next one had some sort of wang at the end. Many had no aroma or an unpleasant one. Some just tasted bad. Duh. Poor head retention. Not filtered properly. No head or too much head. Unbalanced, meaning too sweet or too bitter. Too heavy or, the most common one of all, too watery. Your nearest retailer is full of cheap watery beers.

So we started. A grain bill to achieve the best SRM (color) that we thought not too light or too dark. Needed body. Head retention. Carbonation level. Check, check, check. Balance? This one took a little longer. Aroma? Easy to do but had to be correct for our limited panel of testers. The taste and the finish? These took forever to get correct. Ingredients, temperatures, amounts, timing of additions. The combinations were limitless. But we kept at it.

We never chose a style. It came naturally. Colsons is marketed as a Golden Ale. It probably is closest to a Blonde Ale by the official BJCP style guidelines, but we certainly didn’t target a blonde. We let the recipe lead us. When we get asked, “What kind of beer is it?” “It’s a perfect beer,” we say, half joking. But that is really what it is to us. And when you think about, that is really the best you can expect of anyone. We made the best beer we knew how. And if it’s not for you, that’s all cool. Just keep trying local brews until you find your favorite. There are a LOT of quality beers being made in this state.

So What’s Up With the Bird?

The bird on our logo is a mockingbird. What could be more Mississippi than that? It’s a tough little bird like our tough little state. It seems to have a little chip on its shoulder and we kind of do too.

“Give em the bird” is a slight dig at the big beer companies (most now foreign owned). The implication is to not give them your hard-earned dollars, but to spend those dollars in Mississippi.

Where is Your Brewery?

Since the fall of 2018 we have been brewing Colsons through a contract arrangement with another brewery in Mississippi, until we are able to establish our own facility in the Jackson metro area. This is a very common arrangement for new breweries. Just a little more patience as we are getting closer to brewing in the Jackson area.

So Where Exactly are You Going to Build a Brewery in the Jackson Metro Area?

Hopefully we will be centrally located enough so that it won’t be too far of a drive to come visit our production facility, have a few drafts and get some beer to go, whether you are in Clinton, Byram, Brandon or Madison.

When Will You Build a Brewery?

Hopefully we will have news at least in early 2023.

When Will You Make Other Beers?

That will surely happen, but it will happen on a schedule that is slower than you might think. First, we spent three years making original Colsons over and over and over before selling it to the public. We care a great deal about our product and that it is the best representation of the style. At least according to our taste buds. So the second beer won’t appear too soon. We actually might make a Colsons Light, believe it or not. Have had a lot of conversations. But we’ll test batch it several times; let the Colsons fans have plenty of input before we put something out there. Quality first. We make no apologies for being so methodical.

Why are You Moving So Slow?

We are under no pressure to expand geographically. No pressure to hit any volume numbers. No pressure to develop multiple beers. None of that. What we are committed to doing is making quality beer for Mississippi consumers and keep our beer dollars in our state. And we like to employ solid business practices with our retailers and distributors along the way. From production to distribution to retailers to happy customers, we like to plan out each step and look out for everyone’s interests. We like to say that Colsons is a craft beer you can count on. With each beer that comes out, when you see the Colsons brand, you can trust that beer is well made and should be very drinkable. That takes time, patience and dedication. Or we won’t produce it. And along with the consumer side, our distributors and our retailers need us to be a consistent, reliable source of product. And we take that just as serious. Everybody in the loop matters to us.

Who Distributes Colsons?

Capital City Beverages is our distributor for 18 counties in central Mississippi, Magnolia Beverage Co. is our distributor  in several counties around Meridian, Stokes Distributing handles another 21 counties in the Pine Belt section of south Mississippi and F.E.B. Distributing handles the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We are eternally grateful to them for all they do for us. If you can’t find Colsons at your favorite retailer in these areas, please encourage that retailer to contact the appropriate distributor.

How Do I find Colsons in my Area?

Good question! We now have a Beer Finder on our website. Happy hunting!

How do I contact Colsons Beer Co.?

Easy. You can email us at info@colsonsbeer.com or you can visit our Contact page to send us a message via online form. Feeling social? Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.