Kölsch
Lancaster Brewing Company

KölschKölsch
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Lancaster Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Kölsch
Ranked #183
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
82
Ranked #24,825
Avg:
3.62 | pDev: 11.88%
Reviews:
85
Ratings:
295
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 04, 2023
Added:
Jun 15, 2010
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  48
Our tribute to the traditional beer of Cologne, Lancaster German Style Kölsch offers clean malt flavors from extended cold lagering and a noble hop character.

35 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by confer:
Photo of confer
Reviewed by confer from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
I am really liking beer out of can and I am really liking Kölsch so this was a good combo.
A-Pale gold and hazy.
S-Sweet clean grape juice smell.
T- There is grape in the flavor too. Hops are in the background. The taste like the smell is clean.
M-There is creamy feel to this beer.
D-Very smooth and easy drinking. This may not be a spot on Kölsch, but it is very good and I will look for it again.
Oct 17, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Kölsch from Lancaster Brewing. Six-pack of 12 oz cans for $ 11.65 (Including tax) at Adamstown Beverage. On room temperature shelf at store, stored at 34 degrees F at home. Bottom of can stamped “CRISPY LIFE 24823”. Reviewed 04/07/23 (Review 3134). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol. Served at 44.7 degrees F. Final temperature 56.8 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.
First Pour – Pale Straw (SRM 2), clear.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), slight haze. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, translucent.
Head: Average (Maximum 3.7 cm, aggressive center pour), high density, white, quickly diminishing to a rough 0.5 – 0.9 cm crown and a thin cap.
Lacing – Excellent! Wide bands of tiny to small bubbles evolving to torn curtain lacing.
Aroma – 3.5 – Very weak spicy hops. No yeast, no malt. No ethanol (5.1 % ABV, according to the website, can is not marked).
Flavor – 3.5 – Begins slightly sweet with weak hoppiness. No yeast, no malt. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Ends attempting to be crisp.
Palate – 4 – Thin; watery; soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 With all my time in Deutschland, I’ve never made it to Köln so I don’t know what authentic Kölsch should be. Based on written descriptions, this seems to be headed in the right direction.
Jul 04, 2023
Photo of lastmango
Reviewed by lastmango from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L - Clear golden yellow with half finger white head that quickly dissipated to a partial thin film. Light bubbles.

S - Nose of light crusty bread, spice and fruit.

T - Taste follows the nose followed by a sweet malt burst and very faint hop bitterness. The sweetness lingers, which seems not in keeping with the style.

F - Light-medium body and light carbonation. Slightly dry . . . again, not seemingly in keeping with the style.

O - I enjoy this beer but it seems to be a bit off for the style.
Apr 27, 2023
Photo of BitteNochEinWeissbier
Reviewed by BitteNochEinWeissbier from Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
12 oz can
Consumed: 16 July, 2022
ABV: 5.1% (according to LBC's website)
Glass: 0.4L Stange
Temp at Pour: 51.3 F


Look:
Clear light-golden yellow with quite a few bubbles. The foamy white head starts at 3+ fingers and dissolves to 1 finger. The lacing is very good.

Smell:
Bready and biscuity malts that come across a tad doughy. A touch of grassy hops. Some lemon. There is a vinous note as well that could resemble a sweeter white wine. (I'm not a white wine drinker, and definitely not a sweet wine drinker, so I'm guessing here.)

Taste:
Sweet and doughy bready malts with a somewhat pronounced vinous flavor. Hints of lemon here and there. I cannot detect much, if any, hops. There is a very slight nip of bitterness at the end of the sip, which finishes more sweet than dry.

Feel:
Not quite crisp. Actually a bit viscous and even a touch slick. The body is a bit heavier than light, so light-medium?

Overall:
Not really true-to-style compared to most other Kölsch's that I have had. This beer reminds me more of a lager of some kind. I would put it as a Dortmunder or maybe more so a Helles except for that sweet vinous note in the aroma and the flavor.
Jul 17, 2022
 
Rated: 4.03 by Spade from Pennsylvania

Jul 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.49 by Jsalz21 from New Jersey

Jun 20, 2022
Photo of rclangk
Reviewed by rclangk from West Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a cloudy pale orang with a modest cream colored head.

Aroma is a mix of citrus peel and fruit, malt and spices.

Taste as it smells., while it has a very mild Dry and sweet and not overly hoppy.

A very enjoyable brew!

2021 Wegman’s, Warrington, PA
2023 Cappelli’s, Washington, PA
Mar 18, 2022
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Cloudy pale orange appearance. Around medium carbonation with a slightly thin watery feel but not unpleasant.
Aroma is a nice mix of citrus peel and fruit,malt some sort of spices,floral and earthy
Taste is very similar to aroma, while it has a very mild sweetness there is an equal dryness. With the dryness there is also that earthy flavor that lingers
Overall its a really nice beer that I would serve to company as it would appeal to a novice as well as someone who likes better than average beer.
Nov 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by RV109106 from Pennsylvania

Jul 08, 2021
 
Rated: 3.64 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Apr 22, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by kraut6363 from Pennsylvania

Dec 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by Taenim from Maine

Oct 15, 2020
Photo of Urtravel
Reviewed by Urtravel from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
L: mildly darker light golden yellow with light head and lace
S: Mild floral note
T: follows taste but then a back malt finish
F: a bit more lighter body than I expected but still good
O: a very nice mild beer
Aug 08, 2020
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

3.12/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
(12 oz can, code LBC 25919; purchased single off shelf... poured into 14 oz mug)

L: crystal-clear, yellow-gold liquid; foam fizzles out immediately, spitty collar remains at first, later all but disappearing

S: relatively-weak intensity in aromas; lemon hard candy, soft spicy-floral overtone... bit of a mellow, honeyed malt sweetness lurking in the background, which does develop into more doughy malt as it goes

T: subtly sweet, almost wort-y malt slowly pushing through... not much dynamic yeast character; floral, lemony hop resins certainly present; water character seems a bit mute, too neutral?... very subtle spicy citrus lingering in the back in the aftertaste, later some day-old dinner roll

F: dull, nearly flat; slight chew of malt chub up front; finishes with a delicate smear, less than crisp

O: the sluggish, generic malt profile sticks out most, its candy-like character perhaps emphasized (or saved in a way?) by the lemony-floral hops... should have more of a taut, drier malt character, as well as some more mineral-y yeast/water personality, if that makes sense... the base is ok, process and/or preservation could use some refinement (1490)
Aug 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.83 by tuowl74a from Pennsylvania

Jun 21, 2019
Photo of Wattie83
Reviewed by Wattie83 from Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Pours nice light gold/straw color. Thick white head falls to a thin, whispy cover. Pretty neutral smell...some grassy notes, some herbal notes, a "clean" smell with some grape in there too. Taste is malt with a good balance of spice from hops. A bit more pronounced flavor than some other beers of the style. Good and refreshing though. Body is medium, again a bit heavier than other kolsches. Overall, this reminds me more of a pilsner in flavor and feel, but it's a very good, refreshing, and flavorful beer. A good summer beer to be sure.
Jun 21, 2019
Photo of rorjets
Reviewed by rorjets from Connecticut

3.99/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This Kolsch from Lancaster was an excellent example of the style: Straw yellow in color, some herbal elements on the nose, very easy to drink with mild hops bitterness, and a crisp, clean finish - best of the ale/lager hybrid brewing method.
Nov 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.74 by LeftyMike from New Jersey

Aug 22, 2018
Photo of bankboy66
Reviewed by bankboy66 from New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear gold with a two finger head that dissipates fairly quickly. A little too bubbly on the tongue at first but washes down nicely. Refreshing beer. Give it a try.
Jul 28, 2018
Photo of PhillyStyle
Reviewed by PhillyStyle from Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Sorry...but this beer does not get enough love here. The is an excellent example of the style...possibly one of the best that I have had outside of Germany. However, because it is true to the style and not over-hopped, it gets a score lower than it should. The beer was a great clear, deep yellow/amber. Sweet-ish aroma and a taste that reminded me of those that I have had in Germany. The beer had a great feel, it was refreshing and extremely easy to drink. Overall, if I lived in PA and could get this beer regularly, it would be a go-to beer.
Jul 06, 2018
Kölsch from Lancaster Brewing Company
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 295 ratings