New Development Beer - Kölsch
02 August 2022
Development Beer
Kölsch 4.4%
Pale, Crisp & Refreshing
The fourth beer in the development beer series is a 4.4%
Kölsch, a traditional top-fermented, lagered beer originating from
Cologne, Germany (Köln).
A Kölsch is a hybrid beer, mixing ale and lager styles. The
beer is brewed using ale yeast which adds some fruity flavours
found in ales but is then cold-conditioned like a lager for several
weeks, a process known as 'lagering', which adds some lager
characteristics. The combination of ale and lager methods produces
a brilliantly clear, pale beer with a delicate balance of malt,
fruit, and hop character, a dry, crisp finish and soft
mouthfeel.
Kölsch Vs Pilsner
The two beers look similar (pale, clear and golden) but
Kölsch is an ale and Pilsner is a lager. Pilsners will be more
bitter and dry compared to a Kölsch which, brewed with ale yeast,
will be softer. Both beers are lagered so will have a common degree
of crispness.
To keep as close to an authentic Kölsch as possible we've
used ale yeast, Pilsen and Vienna malts, German noble
hops.
Technically, only beers brewed in Cologne can be called a
Kölsch, so this would be considered a Kölsch-style
ale.
Brief History
Köln has a top-fermenting brewing tradition dating back to
the Middle Ages. The beer now known as Kölsch was developed in the
late 1800s as an alternative to the pale lager that had started to
be imported from Bohemia. The Cologne brewers decided to fight back
against the imported beers, with a pale beer of their own, Kölsch
and bottom fermented beer (lagers) were actually prohibited in
Cologne.
Kölsch is an appellation protected by the Kölsch Konvention
(1986), and is restricted to breweries in and around Köln. The
Convention simply defines the beer as a "light, highly attenuated,
hop-accentuated, clear, top-fermenting Vollbier."
