Kölsch
Braustelle

Received in a trade with Erzengel, cheers mate!

33cl bottle poured twice into my Muhlen Kolsch stange.

BBE end of March (1/12 BBE window, so very fresh)

A- Bright hazy blonde with a tight creamy 2 finger head. Lacing is excellent.

S- Light citrus fruits, fresh clotted cream

T- Light lemon and orange notes, a touch of biscuit malt, overall a bright fresh fruity flavour profile. A faint touch of hop bitterness in the finish but this is hidden underneath the fruity zestiness

M- Low carbonation and light body

D- Fantastic session beer. I think this is the most flavoursome Kolsch i have ever had. I can really taste the freshness in the zesty flavour profile making for a light refreshing session beer. Great stuff.

.2L, on-tap at the brewpub in Köln-Ehrenfeld.

Pours an unfiltered yellow-gold with a tight, frothy head. Lacing is excellent.

The aroma is clean, also very hoppy--grassy, flowery--for a Kölsch.

The flavor is light and surprisingly hoppy. Subtle citrus notes combine with a hint of tropical fruits. Really interesting for the style. Some glimmers of the cookie-like, biscuity malts typical for the style, but this beer is really designed to let the hops (all German, I'm told) shine through. Maybe it's just my hop-deprived state, but this beer is great. The unfiltered character smooths out the mouthfeel, making for a fantastic drink. Mellow carbonation.

This is not a to-style Kölsch, despite being brewed in Köln. It's basically a sessionable, hoppy Blonde ale, or maybe a VERY light American Pale Ale. Any way you slice, it's excellent beer and oh, so drinkable.

Notes: Called simply "Helios" at the brewpub, though if you ask for "Kölsch" this is the beer you'll get. I wonder if they bottle this stuff (?).

Bright, finely hazed yellow, sunny throughout with a creamy white head and good retention. Lovely nose of buttered banana pancakes, fresh barley, wheat bran, and sweet corn. Airy, light, and full on the palate, grainy and delicate with notes of cornbread, parsley, and lemon. Simple but beautiful, a showcase for the raw ingredients and the brewers' skill. Refreshing, too, and excellent with jellied eels.