Zunft Kölsch

International Green Week, Berlin 2012: Hall 12, the hall dedicated to German breweries and food to go with beer. We find a table and seats by the Andechs bar, leave the womenfolk to keep the area safe and we blokes start to forage for beers. Loads of breweries and beers to choose from and I eventually stumble across a Kolsch brewery bar: OK I’m not the biggest Kolsch fan in the world, but I decided to give this one a try. 0.25 Litre glass, tall as you’d expect: bright straw yellow body, full white head of bubbles, looks clean and refreshing, bubble trails rising to join the head throughout the tasting. No real aroma to talk about, some hints of hops and grains but otherwise nothing: typical Kolsch really. The mouthfeel is crisp and invigorating (I’d just had a very bland Landbier), light yet with some oomph. Tart, sharp and thirst quenching; without complexity or any true depth. The beer isn’t flavoursome or exciting but it does the business if you’re thirsty. Hop base with very little malt presence for balance, however it seemed right at the time. Now back home I can check my Kolsch reviews: this is my 6th within this style and my average score is 3.29, this is well above average in my eyes. This beer review has also reminded me of when I used to visit Koln to stay with friends: we hit almost all the brewpubs over the years: well before beer sites came on the scene. Friends now moved, but I must go back one day.

50cl bottle from Bierzwerg. BBE 11112011. Poured clear golden with a white head.Grainy malty, somewhat fruity aroma. Flavor is sweet malty and grainy. Quite dry finish. Refreshing, typical kölsch.

Bottle from Bottleworks. Pours pale gold with a foamy 3 finger white head. Light fruity aroma - hint of citrus too. Lightly bready, lightly fruity, citrus seems absent. There’s a clean aspect to this. It’s just lightly bitter. After an NA it’s tasting pretty good. Refreshing.

Draught. Light honey colour with a flat head. Has the nice oily texture of a Kolsch but the flavour us a bit light.

Bottled (from bierzwerg.de). Golden colour, mediumsized fluffy slightly off-white head. Aroma is wood, fruits, some malts and mild earthy notes as well. Flavour is fruits, wood, some sweet malts as well as mild grassyness. Long quite fruity aftertaste.

Bottle. Barley malt and grassy hops aroma. Golden yellow color with moderate head and light effervescence. Bittersweet barley malt flavor with light metallic finish. Would be much better without the metallic aftertaste.

The bottle looks simple, but good, the beer in the glass is zippy, nice head. Starts fruity and fresh, a little bit yeasty. Notes of lemon. Very mild. Finish well balanced, not very intense. Quite drinkable. Not bad!

Guest tap at Schneiders weisses brauhaus In München. Light nose. Pale golden, white foam. Light fruity notes on a grassy and hayish background. Light sparkly body light dusty finish. Fresh.

Bottled 330ml. -bought on some gas station near Köln, drunk straight from the bottle. Malty, hoppy and slight bitter with mild grainy notes. Simple and drinkable Kölsch.