No love for Kolsch?

I wouldn't care if brewers called legit representations Kölsch. My only gripe is that most aren't. They're usually blonde ales that were given a cool name so they don't sound like a 1990's microbrew throwback.
Blonde and amber ale have nearly become insulting in the craft beer world, so it's much cooler to call them a Kölsch or a Red IPA.

 

Thatwould be amazing, I would buy it constantly.

 

My favorite non-German example I've had came from Dieu Du Ciel in Montreal. Tried to convince them to send some kegs to bars in New England. I remember talking to the brewer and him saying it took 5 trips to Cologne to get it right.

 

Yeah, it's a bummer that the beer is only a regional release (not my problem though) and traditionalists would definitely thumb their nose at this particular release due to the chamomile, lemongrass and ginger but I've had plenty of standard issue Kolschs this summer and have no problem getting a little artsy with this one.

 

If I see it on draft I will definitely order a pint (or two).

Cheers!

 

I signed into say the same thing. I was up in Montreal last summer and thought that Dieu du ciel's take on kolsch was the best i've had outside of koln.

 

Cross post from a certain drinking thread just to illustrate a love for Kölsch.

 

I just brewed my first Kolsch and will do so again because its so delicious. Gotta love an easy drinking beer with tradition and flavor to enjoy during the summer/ any time really.

A top 10 favorite beer of mine was Montepulciano Kolsch from Bear Republic, sadly I may never be able to have it again since it was a draft only type of deal.

 

I respect your work and do not consider myself a "homebrew twat." I also do not disagree with your positions on Kölsch and ale/lager. Consider this a prod for opinion rather than a challenge. The Reissdorf neck label in the US has this info:



Would you give zero weight to Reissdorf having "Ale" on the bottle? I'd be curious if the labels in Germany are different in this regard - I'd imagine they are. Would they include this because someone thinks it makes a difference to the US consumer?

Regarding the Kölsch Convention, it seems like you have more reverence for it compared to the Reinheitsgebot. Any reason why?

 

I've actually never tried this style, but I would be interested. Open to all new beer.

 

My first guess is that they have this on the label for the old laws in Texas that required beer over a certain ABV to be labeled as "Ale." The law was changed a couple years ago and no longer requires beers to carry the designation, so if Reißdorf is still using this label it's probably because they printed a surplus.

I saw this year's HB and maybe Weihenstephan Oktoberfests still carrying the "Ale" designation on their labels, probably for the same surplus reason.

 

That's a good theory. My HB Oktoberfest is labeled an "ale" but my Weihenstephan is labeled a "lager." HB is over 6% and Reissdorf is 4.8%. I've seen the Texas law cutoff as both 4% and 5%.

 

That's obviously just for the American market. Just checked the German neck label and it just says "Reissdorf Kölsch":



I see the Reinheitsgebot as totally different. It's telling you how to brew your beer. Whereas the Kölsch Convention is just an agreement between local brewers on how the town's style should be brewed. It doesn't stop them brewing other beers. There have been unfiltered versions which couldn't be called Kölsch. The brewers could make them, just not call them Kölsch.

 

The "Ale" thing is almost certainly just for Texas. I've seen that on everything from H-P gold to Negra Modelo.

 

The Texas law was that any beer greater than 4% ABW (5% ABV) needed to be labeled as being something other than beer (e.g., Ale).

This law was rescinded in 2012.

Since Reissdorf is only 4.8% ABV there was/is no need to label this beverage as an ale per the old Texas law.

Cheers!

http://www.texastribune.org/2012/08/09/tabc-changes-what-it-means-to-be-a-beer/

 

NO

 

Isn't that just a difference of degrees? What's a "beer" vs what's a "Kölsch?" Brewers that are not in line with Reinheitsgebot can't label the beverage a "beer." There are probably market and legal ramifications with the logistics of selling a beer that isn't a "beer." What would a German brewer call their beer if it's brewed as a Kölsch but not within the designated location? Perhaps they don't bother to try? Curious.

 

I haven't had a lot of kolsch but I like a lot in this thread had the Clown Shoes Mango Kolsch and was seriously impressed with it, one of the better beers I've had recently.

 

I see a big difference between placing limits on one style of beer compared to on all beer.

There are Kölsch-like beers. Bönnsch, for example.

 

According to Wikipedia:

“About ten other breweries in Germany produce beer in Kölsch style, but do not call it Kölsch because they are not members of the convention.”

So apparently German breweries do make Kolsch-like beers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kölsch_(beer)

Cheers!