By Christopher Duclos

Award-winning home brewers Adam and Grace Robbings, owners of Ballard-based Reuben’s Brews, are at it again with the release of a brand new, delicious flavor of beer. But it’s not just any beer. This beer, called the “Balsch,” is made specifically for Ballard.

The Balsch, which is light, crisp and a tad fruity, adds to an already enjoyable lineup of original home brews that the Robbings’ have been concocting ever since opening Reuben’s in Ballard back in August.

The new Balsch flavor is the result of Robbings experimenting with German brewing traditions. The new flavor boasts the German brewing tradition with a Northwest spin in order to appeal to locals. Reuben's Balsch has more hops than its German counterpart and is unfiltered.

“It’s my spin on a classic Kolsch beer which is from Cologne (Germany). The two things that we do slightly differently than a standard thing is the beer is unfiltered. Normally light beers are filtered like a lager but this (Balsch) is unfiltered to let the entire yeast drop out and maybe in future batches come out slightly dated. I think people really appreciate an unfiltered beer here. It’s a good Summer beer,” Robbings says.

Robbings also goes the extra mile by using the proper yeast and serving the beverage in hard-to-find Kolsch glassware. The Kolsch glassware, which is tall and thin, enhances the aroma of the beverage for even more of a unique taste and helps keep the drink cold.

The Balsch is not just for the diehard beer lovers. The taste is accessible and refreshing enough to appeal to a wide range of people, even those who normally wouldn’t call themselves beer drinkers.

Furthermore, Adam Robbings said people drinking at Reuben’s Brews can be assured there will be a low carbon footprint: beers are brewed in house; ingredients are locally found; water used for the brewing comes straight from the Cascade Mountains; and hops come from Yakima, WA. All of this makes for a truly Northwest blend of beer.

Reuben’s Brews supplies its beer to 17 different locations, including Bitterroot and Urban Family Public House in Ballard.

Reuben’s Brews is located in the Ballard neighborhood in the shadow of the Bardahl’s Oil sign at 1406 NW 53rd St, Ste 1A (between N 15th Ave & N 14th Ave).

Hours: Thursday, 3 p.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, 3-8 p.m.; and Saturday, noon-8 p.m.