Kölsch is a German beer style that I began to explore late in my long and checkered career as a beer geek. Real late, as in a few weeks ago.
I'm not sure what took me so long. I'd tasted it before. My brewcrastination may be largely due to the fact that so many other big, flavorful German beers just shouldered the gentle beer from Cologne out of my palate's way.
My first real experience with kölsch was at a birthday party for my dear friend and fellow carnivore Josh Ozersky. Much meat and many glasses of Gaffel kölsch were consumed. I came away with the impression that I could easily quaff voluminous amounts of this refreshing nectar on a hot day in a biergärten. Dazed as I was by meat and alcohol, I still retained enough clarity to know that I needed to investigate this venerable brew.
So it came to pass that I cracked a bottle of Reissdorf kölsch in my stuffy apartment the other day. Purists will tell you that I should have sipped it from a long, thin cylinder known as a stange, instead of the goblet I chose. Alas, my arsenal of beer steins, pint glasses and Belgian beer goblets lacks these glasses, which some disparagingly call test tubes.
My choice of glassware in no way interfered with my enjoyment of this light-bodied, golden beer. It had little pronounced hop flavor, though as it warmed I caught distinct notes of toasted grain. In any case there's usually little wrong to be found with a beer that proudly states on the label that it was brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot of 1516, or the German beer purity law.
New York Times Magazine's food issue
Chicken McNuggets frolic at New York City pet store
Eat your broccoli orbs! 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-08-2006 @ 3:50PM
zenas said...
This is the local beer of Koln. Amongst all the kolsch available, this is the preffered. I would buy these for .75euro loose at the supermarket warm and throw them in the freezer asap. It was always funny seeing people buy them by the (plastic resuable) case and lugging them home. Here are some shots to share, off the porch in all its glory.
http://flickr.com/photos/lookaround/8212521/in/photostream/
http://flickr.com/photos/lookaround/8212566/in/photostream/
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9-10-2006 @ 1:12PM
FredTheCat said...
I had the pleasure of spending a week in Koln on a business trip in the late 80s and among my fondest memories are those of strolling from one corner pub to the next enjoying Kolsch. I'm not a huge fan of beer but Kolsch left a lasting impression. Never thought to look for it here in the states so I don't know how well it translates to international distribution, but if it's anything like what I had back then it's well worth giving it a try if you haven't!
-FredThe(schnitzel)Cat
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9-11-2006 @ 9:30AM
theresa said...
shiner brewers, located in texas, make a kolsch that i find imminently drinkable; having said that, i haven't tried any other kolsch-style brews (to my knowledge anyway) but this is really an excellent beer that anyone w/ access should try.
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11-22-2006 @ 11:52AM
Anne said...
I'd say that if you don't have the typical Kölsch glasses to drink it from just drink it straight from the bottle.
Somehow drinking it from a goblet like the one in the picture just seems awfully wrong to me.
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