Altbier vs. Kölsch

No matter how you translate it, I'd say Früh, Reissdorf (at least since the last few years) and all Oetker Kölsches (Dom,Gilden,Sion) are pretty far away from "hop accentuated".
I'd say Gaffel, Zunft, Päffgen and (ironically) Pfaffen Bier (which isn't allowed to be called Kölsch) fall under that category.

 

Oh yeah...totally agree there.

 

Ah, yes that also makes more sense. I'd still not describe that style as hop accentuated, but I also wouldn't describe it as necessarily light bodied/malty either. I'd say balanced, with a light to moderate body, and I feel like I've tasted some white wine/subtle fruity characteristics poking through, perhaps due to the yeast?

Refreshing is the best description!

Edit: Ah, both you and @Lurchus must have posted right before I posted this. So close...

 

Most American Kölsches are another style in disguise. I think they mislabel them because it makes older styles sound exotic. Usually American Blonde Ale, English Golden Ale, or sometimes even a nondescript pale lager. Supposedly there are more full-on bottom fermenting lagers being called Kölsch than you might think.
Often times they're great beers (I've had more good than bad), but very few are authentic.
On the other end of things, I very rarely see fresh versions from Germany, too. I usually only trust the ones at the local German restaurants (Rheinhaus being my main one) just because I know they turn it over quickly.

 

I say the same about American Alts, the majority seem to be American Brown Ales with the wrong label.

 

I don't disagree there, either. Either a brown ale or an amber ale. For instance, I actually love Alaskan Amber. I think it's absolutely delicious. Yet I also don't think it tastes much like anything I had in Dusseldorf.

 

Therein lies the inner debate -- there are a lot of beers that try to say they're XXX, but are far from style -- yet they're darn tasty. It's why I always rate to-style and may hedge in my "Overall" score.

 

Same. And actually, I guess I should take that back. It tastes a bit like the larger alts like Diebels and Schlosser. To their credit it isn't as sweet as either of them.
For as easy as it is to roll your eyes at Widmer "Hefeweizen" - it's shockingly similar to Uerige Weizen. The American craft revolution might owe Dusseldorf more credit than it seems.

EDIT: Nevermind. Looks like the Widmer Hefeweizen predates the Uerige Weizen by more than a decade.

 

Given that the tasters were blindfolded and unable to see the beers in the test where they were at chance level in identifying which was which, it does seem that they could not tell the difference by taste alone when unable to see them.

When the blindfolds were off and they could see the beers, much as we can see them in your pictures, then most could tell one from the other.

I'd say you understand the world fairly well, but may not have noticed a critical detail in the tests conducted by that researcher when you show the pictures and ask if the two beers shown can be confused. You need to take away the pictures and prevent vision from playing a role. (Unfortunately we do not yet have the capability online to engage only the senses of smell and taste. )

 

That opens another interesting question that is rarely asked though- cologne or Düsseldorf Hefeweizen?

 

Widmer got their yeast from Uerige so it is not surprising that when Uerige started brewing their Weizen it tasted like Widmer...

 

I've only had one Weizen from Köln -- the one from Malzmülhe. I liked Uerige's better. Been too long since I've had Füchschen's so I can't comment there.

 

Interesting. Makes a ton of sense either way. Can't say I was a fan of the Uerige Weizen. There wasn't anything inherently bad about it, but it was a bit bland for my tastes. Had it side-by-side with their alt which is a fantastic beer. I didn't see anyone else with one there or at Fuchshen, either so it might just be a niche item to keep up with the surging popularity of the Bavarian-style weizens.
Having never had it - is the Rothaus weizen in the style of the ones from the southeast or is it unique, too? Just curious about wheat beers from other regions.

 

I liked Mühlens more than Ueriges. SIlberfüchschen I don't really like as well, Sünner is usually pretty good, so my personal vote goes to cologne...

 

Weizen is now so popular that as a brewery you really have to have one. Rothaus is a relative newcomer – there has been Weizen brewed in the south-west too for a long time. (Check the pictures of Sanwald beers from Stuttgart in the old Michael Jackson books if you don't believe me!)

 

Speaking of Altbier, today (Thursday) was Latzenbier at Schumacher -- word from a friend was that is was very good.

And I'll be at Uerige next month (Oct 18) for Sticke in case anybody here will be around.

 

How long does Sticke usually last at Uerige after it's tapped?

 

It varies from year to year. I have been there when it has run out Tuesday night. There was also once where it lasted until Thursday midday. Normally though it lasts until sometime on Wednesday. It depends on how much the locals like that year's version (the beer varies from year to year)

This is all of the October Sticke (which I've had every year since 1998) -- I've only been to the January one twice.