The story
Cologne has been brewing beer for more than a thousand years, and its brewers long favoured top-fermenting ale yeast even as bottom-fermenting lagers swept across Germany. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they answered the popularity of pale pilsner with their own pale, crisp ale. That beer came to be known as Kölsch.
In 1986 Cologne’s brewers signed the Kölsch Convention, which set rules for the style and restricted the name to beers brewed in and around the city. Kölsch now has protected geographical status in the European Union, meaning only local breweries can use the name there.
What it tastes like
Kölsch is the definition of subtle. It pours a brilliantly clear pale gold with a delicate white head. The aroma offers soft bready malt, a hint of fruit (think pear or white wine grape) and a light touch of herbal hops. On the palate it is light and smooth, with gentle sweetness balanced by a crisp, clean finish. It is refreshing like a pilsner, but with a faint fruity roundness that comes from its ale yeast.
How it’s made
Kölsch is a true hybrid. Brewers use pilsner malt (sometimes with a little wheat) and German hops, then ferment with a special top-fermenting ale yeast at relatively cool temperatures. The beer is then lagered cold for several weeks, which smooths out the flavour and gives it lager-like clarity and crispness. The yeast contributes a subtle fruitiness without dominating.
Fun fact
In a Cologne brewhouse, you rarely order a second Kölsch. Waiters known as Köbes carry round trays called Kränze and automatically replace your empty glass with a full one. To stop the flow, you place your beer mat on top of your glass. Locals also like to joke that Kölsch is the only language you can drink, since the word also names the local dialect.