Reissdorf Kölsch

Brewed by Privat-Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf
Style: Kölsch
Cologne, Germany

Serve in Kölsch/Altbier

On tap at the Oldsmar Tap House on 6/21/08. Pours a light golden color with a thin white head. No head retention. Aroma is faint but mainly of straw, grass and hops. Flavor is much of the same with notes of bread, yeast, fruit, and grass with a smooth, watery finish. Light-bodied and refreshing kolsch beer.

Draught, served in a kölsch glass at The Red in Santa Cruz. Light golden color, super clear, with a tight white head that leaves uniform lace rings. Sweet aroma of honey, hay, and light fruity notes. The flavor is on the sweet side, with just enough bitterness to balance, but the malts are very clean, showing as honey and bread. Hops are barely noticeable. The palate is medium-light, quite smooth, and has pretty low carbonation. I could have even done with some more carbonation to enhance the crisp, clean flavor, but it still worked out. As the first German kölsch that I’ve had, it has really opened my eyes to the errors of many American examples. It really is an ale that is trying its hardest to be a lager. While nothing really grabs your attention, the balance and drinkability are insane. I could drink cylinder after cylinder of this stuff.

This beer pours a bright golden colour with a medium sized white fluffy head. Very full bubbly mouthfeel, a little pear, and maybe some lemon. Very crisp, clean finish. impressive, im not usually one for a kolsch but this was wicked smooth and filling.

Pours a medium light clear gold. Small white head. Aroma is very malty and bready with some hop back notes. Flavor is very smooth and mellow maltiness. Crisp hop finish with some fruit notes. Medium bodied and fairly dry, this is a good refreshing summer Kolsch.

golden yellow pour with thin white head, i pick up slight traces of hop in the aroma but not much else that i know what to name, for some reason it reminds me of sapporo, good flavor though and very accessible.

This is a medium-bodied, mellow beer with a slightly hoppy flavor. The flavor has a citrus twing and is a nice drinking summer beer.

330ml brown bottle from The Lighthouse in Manchester. Pours a very light straw yellow with a half inch of off-white head that quickly dissipates. Smells slightly biscuity and fruity. Tastes fruity - some citrus, maybe peach? Notes of grassy hops. Great sweet aftertaste. While the flavors are fairly subtle, it’s complex enough to keep things interesting and aid heavily in the drinkability. Very light in body with light carbonation. Possibly the most drinkable beer I’ve ever had. Perfect for a long hot summer day.

A fairly careful pour into my 25cl tulip glass yields an initially, almost three-finger thick, pale, just off-white colored head. The beer is brilliantly clear with a rich golden hue. The aroma smells predominantly of clean, sweet grain that reminds of honey and a soft floral influence. A touch of herbal hop character seems to round things out as does some light, pale malt notes of saltine crackers and light biscuit notes.

Somewhat dry, though it does have a light grain sweetness to it, the beer does not have nearly the sweetness that the aroma was suggestive of. This actually has a fair amount of perceptible bitterness: at the beginning of each sip it is a light herbal bitterness through to the finish where it is a light, clean, crisp bitter note. A touch of floral honey character is more noticeable as a flavor than a sweetness. At the start of each sip a dry, malt driven flavor of crushed saltine crackers is noticeable as a flavor that is accentuated through the oral nasal; this note tends to stick around as well, even continuing on through the long finish. While light and quaffable this beer still maintains a presence and mouthfeel along with slightly viscous heft that perfectly compliments the clean malt character.

This has survived far better during the export process than I was expecting, it is missing perhaps a bit of vibrancy in the hop character, but I find it quite nice how simple and clean the flavors are here. Obviously as a Kölsch, no one flavor jumps out here, this is a subtle experience, but there is a depth of flavor here and the amalgam of flavors really work towards a harmonious whole.

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