Reissdorf Kolsch

It's a wonderfully relaxed Saturday afternoon, sunny and in the mid-80s here in central Ohio. A discussion on Facebook spawned this particular selection, as I delved into an in-depth conversation about German beers. Sometimes, it feels really good to be a woman who has a fair amount of knowledge about craft beers from around the world.

With that said, kolsch beers are brewed in Cologne, Germany. It's kind of like champagne; if it's brewed outside that area, even if it's brewed in strict accordance with the rules of brewing a kolsch, it must be called something else. It was originally brewed in response to the British pale ale, and this is one of the lightest beers made in Germany. Kolsch is made with a particular ale yeast strain that lends a certain fruitiness to the flavor profile of the beer, then it is fermented at near-freezing conditions, using a lagering technique. The end result is a light, bright summery beer, perfect for a day such as this. It is traditionally served in a Stange glass, which is a narrow, straight-sided glass that holds 6 3/4 ounces. Now that Kolsch 101 class is over, let's get to it.

This pours a perfectly clear, light golden color with a medium-sized white head that dissipates pretty quickly, leaving a ring of head around the edge of the glass. It is 4.8% ABV, so I'm a little surprised that the head left so quickly. The aroma is classic light malted barley, with hints of lemon and sunshine, and some milder German hops. Honestly, I think it is perfectly reminiscent of what I imagine the German countryside to smell like. Taking a sip, I pick up bread, lemon and lemongrass, some floral notes coming through about the middle of the sip, as well as something that makes me think of apple blossoms? It finishes with an earthy, almost mineral bite that is complemented by the dryness of the hops, which are very mild. The mouthfeel is a little creamy, yet quite well carbonated. It's refreshing, tasty, and delicious on a hot summer day like today.

This is a great example of a German beer that is moderately unknown in the United States. If you can find a bottle of this, please do yourself a favor and pick it up. It's a lovely contrast to the IPA's and wheat beers that crowd our summer palates.

(Stepping down off my soapbox now)

4.4/5 caps

-Jennie

Kolsch. Probably my top 2 styles that started in Germany (the other being Gose, which is also rather unknown in the US).  So, after waking up at 6 am (I know, I know, on a Saturday?!), I think it's about beer time (9 1/2 hours later).

This pours a gorgeous light golden color, much like what the American Adjunct Lagers try to replicate with their additives. There is very little head left, the little bit hanging on in desperation, letting me know it's still there. The aroma on this is sheer summer. I'm sorry Oberon, this may replace you as my quintessential summer beer. This has some citrus notes blending with the light barley. Smells like happiness. The flavor is BEER!!!!!! This is how a lighter beer should be. Bready, hints of citrus and floral, just adding to the awesomeness of this. This is crisp, clean and refreshing. Perfect for a sunny, hot day like this. In fact, I'm taking this outside to enjoy this (definitely has nothing to do with the upstairs neighbor's on-again off-again douche bag playing his shit music so loud I can't even hear the keys on the keyboard.)

4.5/5 caps

-Nathan-