This
a short list of the breweries in and around Cologne and the beers which
they brew. Cologne is not a city not usually associated with beer. Incorrectly, as it turns out, because not only does it have its own style of beer, but is also the only city in Germany to have a sort of 'apellation controlée'. The style is called "Kölsch", local dialect for "of Cologne".
Until a depessingly familiar sudden rationalisatin in the 1980's and 1990's, Cologne had more breweries than any other German city. Of the 24, mostly small, Köisch producers, that signed the 'Kölsch Convention', only a handful remain.
The loss has been offset a little by a clutch of new brewpubs. In a welcome deviation from the indentikit beers turned out by such establishments elsewhere in Germany, all brew examples of the local beer style.
What
is Kölsch?
In 1985 (25.06.1985 to be precise) the German government and 24 breweries
from the Cologne region published the 'Kölsch Convention'. It was inspired
by the attempts - fiercely resisted in Cologne - of outside brewers to cash
in on the popularity of Kölsch. According to the convention, a beer may only be called Kölsch if it meets the following criteria:
- it is brewed in the Cologne metropolitan area
- pale in colour
- top-fermented
- hop-accented
- filtered
- 'vollbier' - 11 - 14% plato
How
does Kölsch taste?
A relative of the Altbier brewed in other parts of the rhineland, Kölsch
is a survivor from the pre-lager brewing tradition of North Germany, belonging
to the family of Rheinländische Bitterbier.
This century, under pressure from newer, bottom-fermenting beers, it has
undergone a good deal of change. Most notable of these, is the lightening
of the colour to pale yellow, giving it the appearance of a pils. You could
call it 'the ale that wants to be a lager' and I'm sure that would many,
in a blind tasting, would classify it as the latter. There is little ale character to be found, apart from a little fruitiness. It has a very soft, rounded character and can be quite sweet. Bavarian helles and Dortmunder export are closer relatives in flavour than Düsseldorf altbier. Not beers likely to acquire the devoted and obsessive following that lambiek, trappist ale or a particularly flavoursome bitter might, but of interest as an odd, hybrid style.
Around 50% of Kölsch is sold on draught, about double the average for all beer. In a traditional "Brauhaus" (even those that no longer brew) it's often served direct from a wooden barrel. Even small neighbourhood bars often have a little plastic cask of Kölsch on the bar.
Sales of Kölsch (see below) have fallen in recent years, but at a slightly lower rate than sales of all beer.
The Cologne brewers' organistaion and upholders of the Kölsch-Konvention.
On their site, you can discover more about the history of brewing in Cologne and Kölsch (in German, I'm afraid). Both are very extensive and well-researched - amongst the best sites on beer history I've found on the web.