It’s Almost Kölsch Weather

The Beerhunter: It’s Almost Kölsch Weather

Despite what you’re seeing out your front window, hot afternoons in New England are not so far away. Once spring really hits, from the beach to the backyard, we’ll be reaching for lighter beers that are, to use an all-American term, “thirst-quenching.”

For the past couple of centuries, Czech and German-style lagers have fit that bill stateside. It’s been a market dominated by beer giants like Bud, Coors, and Miller, which all sell variations on the same light, fizzy beer water. Despite the craft beer renaissance, nine out of 10 beers sold in America are still lagers, while nine out of 10 craft beers sold in America are ales.

Fortunately, interest in craft lagers seems to be rising. Jack’s Abby Brewing in Framingham has grown impressively while focusing entirely on lagers. And Night Shift Brewing in Everett got a nice write-up in The New York Times in February for its new, unfiltered Village Lager, which “tastes like a familiar mass-produced lager — only with more flavor.”

But lest we forget: there is a thirst-quenching ale in the craft beer world — crisp, clear, golden-hued, and slightly bitter —  that checks the same refreshing boxes. It’s a German style called Kölsch, and it gracefully straddles the line between lager and ale. It’s made with top-fermenting ale yeasts, but it is cold-conditioned for a month or two, like a lager. It’s sort of the pilsner of ales — except a bit more rounded, less bitter, and usually lower in alcohol.

There are quite a few places to buy imported German Kölsch in the Valley. When I chatted with Chris Sellers, brewery manager at The People’s Pint Brewery in Greenfield, he recommended the Reissdorf and Gaffel brands in particular. “A number of bars around the Pioneer Valley sell Reissdorf Kolsch,” he said. Sellers recommends a trip to the Lady Killigrew Café at the Montague Book Mill on a warm sunny day, where you can enjoy a Reissdorf Kolsch at one of the outside picnic tables.

Kölsch originated in the city of Cologne (which, in German, is spelled Köln). The Germans are still a bit touchy about brewers outside of Cologne using the term ‘Kölsch’ — much like the French are about champagne-like wines made outside of the region of Champagne. But the larger issue for American craft brewers has been that, until a few years ago, consumers didn’t seem interested in Kölsch-style American ales.

That seems to be changing, as local brewers are putting more stock in paler, clearer, more delicate styles. Despite the New England haze craze, craft beer can go anywhere from here, and the road isn’t necessarily paved with aggressive hops.

by Hunter Styles

Original Article