Kölsch
Occidental Brewing Co.

KölschKölsch
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From:
Occidental Brewing Co.
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Kölsch
Ranked #205
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
84
Ranked #32,010
Avg:
3.69 | pDev: 13.28%
Ratings:
87 | reviews: 29
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 16, 2025
Added:
Aug 14, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  10
This is Occidental’s homage to Cologne, Germany’s delicious ale. Crisp and dry, it is clean and lager-like, with a pleasant, slightly spicy hop profile supplied by German Perle. It is an excellent session beer for any occasion.

25 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Anacross:
Photo of Anacross
Rated by Anacross from Oregon

4.74/5  rDev +28.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Feb 15, 2021
More User Ratings:
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.71/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16oz can, painted label. Date stamp on bottom lip is 'CANNED ON 04/01/25'.
Mostly clear, straw colored body. Thick, meringue, white colored head, and this sticks around. Leaves behind horizontal lacing rings.
Aroma of sweet toasted malt, sweet peach fruit, and a bit of spice.
Taste is sweet and fruity. Toasted malts, apple, berry, and a bit of peach. Touch of spicy zing. Aftertaste goes back to the toasted malts.
Medium mouthfeel. Ends with a clean finish. Very good carbonation.
Sessionable with low bitterness, and avoids being too sweet.
Dec 16, 2025
Photo of JonnyLaw420
Rated by JonnyLaw420 from Oregon

3.87/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Solid beer but a bit pricy. Tastes nice and crisp when cold
Aug 12, 2024
Photo of Skywave
Reviewed by Skywave from Oklahoma

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
@PDX
Look
Clear, thin head, deep gold.

Sniff
Clean, grainy, light hops. No wine note.

Sip
Clean, semi dry pale malt, bready, light tangy, floral hops

Swish
Light medium, big extrinsic mouthfeel for 4.5%. Nominal CO2 and no harsh feels

Think.
Worthy. Great big-tasting American session beer
Mar 19, 2024
Photo of iguanodon
Reviewed by iguanodon from Utah

4.21/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Excellent Kolsch. 16oz. can. Pours clear gold with a tall white head that lasts. Nice fine carbonation. Aroma: floral hops, bread, yeast. Taste: sweet up front, bitter finish. The aftertaste makes me think white wine. A lot of taste for a 4.5% beer.
Oct 07, 2023
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Kölsch from Occidental Brewing. 16 fl oz can from @snaotheus in NBW BIF 17. Reviewed 20/05/23 (Review 3107). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on lower rim “CANNED ON 22/30/22”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 47.8 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 54.6 degrees F.
Appearance – 3.75
First pour – Pale Straw (SRM 2), clear.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), clear. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, same.
Head: Average (Maximum 4.5 cm, aggressive center pour), white, high density, quickly diminishing, reducing to an undulating 0.7 – 0.9 cm crown and a thin, rocky cap.
Lacing – Good. Wide band of tiny to small bubbles, devolving into torn curtain lacing.
Aroma – 3.5 – Faint flowery hops, no malt, no yeast. No ethanol (4.5 % ABV as marked on the label).
Flavor – 3.75 – Flavor is basically weak hops, crisp and dry – kind of like Hallertauer but maybe a little spicier. No malt, no yeast. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No gastric warming.
Palate – 3.75 – Thin; watery; lively carbonation – ends lightly dry.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 Very nice take on a fairly uncommon beer style.
May 20, 2023
Photo of snaotheus
Rated by snaotheus from Washington

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2023-04-08
Out of a 16oz can. Light, bready, clean.
Apr 09, 2023
Photo of Tacticaly_beerducated
Rated by Tacticaly_beerducated from Oregon

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Lighter, crisp, clear. smells as expected. clean tasting. Finnish is fast, leaves the mouth sooner than later. Would keep on tap full time.
Dec 01, 2022
 
Rated: 3.36 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Aug 29, 2022
Photo of TheBricenator
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon

4.02/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Crystal clear golden yellow in color with a pure white and silky-looking head that balloons up and slowly settles to a lid, leaving great lacing behind
Aroma: Pilsner malt, floral hops, honey, straw, soda crackers, and a few fruity esters
Taste: Honey and floral hops erupt onto the palate with notes of lilac, black locust, and mock orange standing out amongst others. Cracker-led and pilsner malt dances with subtle hop notes and esters pop up here and there before floral hops return with the malt to close it out
Mouthfeel: Light but full, extremely clean throughout, medium-high carbonation, and a slightly soft, clean and crisp finish
Overall: This is delicious. Another winner from these folks and a personal sucker-style to boot. This is a well-made and tasty Kolsch that doesn’t lean too much towards the hops nor the fruity esters and I feel helps it come across as fairly authentic (though really, what do I know there). Way too easy to drink and delectable on a warm day or evening
Jul 14, 2022
Photo of littledogbigtrouble
Reviewed by littledogbigtrouble

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I'm a huge fan of light lagers and lighter-style Kolschs. This beer does not disappoint. Very light, tasty, clean, an all-around elegant beer that I'd definitely buy again. Excellent beer.
Jun 27, 2022
 
Rated: 3.86 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 26, 2022
Photo of WunderLlama
Reviewed by WunderLlama from Massachusetts

3.77/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Can received in bif14 from @snaotheus, dated 8.4.21, opened 11.23.21, poured into a Bearded iris stange, new brewery for me

Clear golden liquid, numerous carbonation streams, capped by an effervescent , frothy one finger white foam cap that quickly recedes to a pencil thick layer, occasional lacings

Faint aroma of malts, grassiness

Taste is of grains, slight peppery spiciness from the hops

Sudsy mouthfeel, semi dry finish, light , clean, crisp

Good beer, quaffable, suitable for a hot summer day after cutting the lawn
Nov 24, 2021
Photo of Reidrover
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pint at Westside Taphouse in West Salem OR.
Free..blew the keg..almost full pint though.
Clear light gold in colour. Small wispy white head.
Aroma of light malts and a bit of grassy/ spicy hops.
Taste roughly similar to the aroma. Maybe some hay also
Mouth feel is actually slightly thicker than usual for the style.
OK Kolsch.
Mar 30, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by IRONRakkasan from California

Jan 03, 2021
Photo of NickSMpls
Reviewed by NickSMpls from Washington

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Golden straw color, frothy head, plenty of carbonation. Light malt-bready on the nose. Taste is a touch lighter than usual for a German-derived recipe. Pleasant, unoffensive but nothing exceptional. This is a good beer for a summer afternoon with a light lunch. A good value.
Apr 29, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by kjkinsey from Texas

Nov 28, 2018
 
Rated: 3.63 by TheMole from Nevada

Sep 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4.08 by B_B from California

Sep 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

Sep 03, 2018