Being a fan of ale over lager, I thought a bottle of Kölsch might be a treat for me. Unlike the majority of its German bretheren, Kölsch is fermented with a 'top fermenting' yeast like bitter, stout and pale ale is. This is a completely different strain of brewing yeast and behaves, and of course, tastes different. The German standard 'Lager' yeast, or Saccharomyces Carlsbergensis, is as clean as a whistle and lets the malt and hops provide flavour. I personally like some flavour contribution from the yeast so thought that Kölsch might just be the German beer for me.
There wasn't a choice of Kölsch in the Real Ale Shop in Richmond where I bought this round of beer from but that's not too much of an issue; the fact that they've got one was fine by me. Plus, they're jolly nice in there. Sünner Kölsch, it was then.
Standing in a typical 500ml German-style bottle with a green label, it looks as uninspiring as they get. However, I've come accustomed to Germany's perfunctory presentation and shall try and move on. What I didn't have was a special Kölsch glass: thin, straight and fairly short (200ml). My aunt is married to a chap from Köln and at barbecues will sometimes bring mini kegs of Kölsch, which he insists is drunk in the correct glass. I found the thinnest glass I could.
Poured, the beer is as pale, sparkling and bright as they come and is typical of the style. Aromatically, there are elements of honey but surprisingly no hop aromas to speak of. It wasn't giving a lot away.
The flavour is what I'd call flat, but probably should be described as 'crisp' or 'clean'. Nothing comes forward and announces itself, apart from Plisner malt, which is fairly bland in flavour. The Kölsch yeast has no fruit flavours or spiciness; I'm sure they're very different but on first critical sampling I can't see much differing from lager yeast.
After swallowing, there is an interesting tang, opposed to the usual slow introduction of bitterness. Whilst not being sour, it's got an element of that about it. There is enough sweetness to make it pleasant to drink and it's very nicely carbonated. Other than that, there's very little else to say about it.
There are those who enjoy a clean, crisp and refreshing beer and there's nothing wrong with that. They'll probably shudder at the thought of yeast dominating a beer's flavour. For those, this beer will be perfect. In my personal opinion, I find this beer erring on the insipid side. I hope to find joy in my next Kölsch glass. At least I know someone to ask...
Sünner Kölsch - 5
http://www.suenner-brauerei.de/koelsch.html
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