Kolsch

ABV 4.4-5.2% · IBU 18-30 · SRM 3.5-5 · Serve 44-48F · Glass Stange, 200 ml

Identify

Medium yellow to light gold, and so clear it looks polished. The white head is delicate and often falls away within a minute, which is normal here rather than a fault. The smell is very quiet: a little soft grain, and sometimes a trace of apple or pear. Light and soft at the front, then it dries out quickly. The bitterness is modest but definite and arrives near the end. The finish is crisp without being sharp, and there is no sweetness left behind.

Place

Cologne, Germany. Name restricted since 1986

Cause

Kolsch is made with ale yeast, which works warm. But the brewer holds the temperature near the bottom of what that yeast will accept, around 59F to 63F, which is 15C to 17C. An English ale might be fermented five degrees warmer and a lager fifteen degrees colder. Temperature decides how much fruit flavour the yeast makes.

Confused with

German Pils, which is more bitter and smells of hops. Munich Helles, which is rounder and led by malt. Blonde Ale, which is softer and sweeter. Cream Ale, which tastes faintly of sweetcorn and is less bitter.

Numbers

Pale beers are hard to tell apart by sight, so this comes down to what happens between the sip and the swallow. Each neighbour below has one feature you can catch without training. German Pils. You can smell the hops before you sip, and the bitterness carries on well past the swallow. A Kolsch fails both of those tests. Munich Helles.

Will you like it and Try

A dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio. The crisp finish and the faint orchard fruit are close cousins of what this beer does. Sparkling water with a slice of apple. That combination is almost the whole flavour of a Kolsch. Unsweetened iced tea. You have already decided that a drink can be refreshing without being sweet.

Order and Pair

You do not order by size, because there is only one size. You say Kolsch and you get 200 millilitres. The waiter is called a Koebes, and he carries the glasses in a round tray called a Kranz, which means wreath, holding eleven or twelve at a time. When your glass is empty he takes it and puts down a full one without asking.

Judge, Myth and Remember

Brilliantly clear and pale gold. A fine white head that may not last, which is normal. A very quiet smell with a trace of apple or pear. Light and soft at the front, then a dry crisp ending with nothing left behind. It should taste fresh, in the way cold water tastes fresh.