"Real" Kölsch in America
Written: May 16 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Perhaps the best American-brewed example of Kölsch
Cons: Only sold during spring and summer, limited geographic availability
The Bottom Line: A spot-on American version of the German original.
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| bfdbiff's Full Review: Goose Island Summer Time German-Style Kolsch Bier |
A recent review posted elsewhere on Epinions regarding one of the rare authentic, German-brewed Kölsch beers sold in the U.S. got me to thinking about a beer that I've long enjoyed and found to be an excellent example of what a true Kölsch-style beer should taste like: Goose Island Summertime.
Kölsch is a beer that in recent years seems to have experienced a bit of a surge in popularity, as many brewpubs and craft breweries have released beers bearing the name of the style of beer commonly brewed in Cologne, Germany (the city name is Köln in German, hence the name of the beer). However, many breweries have decided to throw the name on any beer that happens to be pale yellow in color and brewed at cold temperatures with an ale yeast.
Not so the case with Goose Island's offering. Down to the yeast strain that is said to have come from one of Köln's famed Hausbrauereien (brewpubs), this is as close to real Kölsch as you're likely to find outside of Germany.
I feel confident in making that statement since I spent the first half of 2001 living in Germany. One of the many travels I made during that half-year was to Cologne, where I sampled Kölsch from several of the local breweries (most of which sell their beer only in their own pubs, although a few, like Früh and Reissdorf, also sell bottles). About 2-3 weeks after visiting Cologne, I returned to my then-home of Chicago for about a week shortly after the annual release of Summertime. The memories of the beers I drank in Cologne were still fresh in my mind, and Summertime meshed very, very well with my recollections of the various beers I had sampled a few weeks prior. In fact, the profile of the Goose Island version was eerily similar to one of the more-popular Kölsch beers: Früh. I speculate that this is indeed where GI's yeast strain came from.
So, authenticity aside, how is the beer? Because, of course, it doesn't do any good to be a spot-on emulation of the style if the style isn't enjoyable.
The good news is, a real Kölsch is very enjoyable. The style is delightful yet subtle. American craft beer drinkers accustomed to big blasts of hops, overwhelming bitterness and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink malt bills often find themselves underwhelmed and perplexed by this style. It's a very basic beer - just pils malt, a touch of wheat malt, light hopping levels with varieties like Spalter, Tettnanger or various Hallertauer varietals, and each brewery's unique yeast strain. It's fermented at cool temperatures for an ale yeast, and the beer undergoes a short lagering period that creates a very clean profile relatively lacking in the esters and other flavor components usually associated with ale yeasts.
The resulting profile is one that is very balanced, with just enough bitterness to keep the malt from being sweet. Even the exceptionally malty examples of the style, like Malzmühl, have a malty character rather than a sweet character (in much the same way that a doppelbock can be malty without being at all sweet). There is a subtle but distinct aroma of German hops in the nose, and the beer is always a brilliant yellow to gold color. Mouthfeel is very light but far from thin, as the addition of wheat malt helps create a fuller sensation. The result is a refreshing, crisp, balanced beer that hides a lot of complexity in a very subtle package.
And, as it turns out, Goose Island's Summertime fits that profile almost exactly. The aroma is a mix of rich maltiness and slight German hoppiness, although at levels that are more like a whisper than a shout. It's a bit fuller in mouthfeel than the Cologne-brewed varieties I sampled, and a touch more carbonated. It finishes perfectly balanced, with neither bitterness nor maltiness dominating.
To truly experience Kölsch - especially the tremendous variety that can occur in such a narrowly defined beer - one must travel to Cologne. But for those who can't and want to get an idea of what true Kölsch tastes like, Goose Island Summertime is a perfect introduction.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bfdbiff
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 1 member
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