Reissdorf Kölsch

Inspired by another beer blogger, The BrewThusiast, I decided to crack open a Reissdorf Kölsch.  When I started asking my sales reps a few months ago about quality imported brews, in four-packs and six-packs, this was one of the first brews suggested.  The Kölsch is a great summer style brew, that doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves.


This Reissdorf comes in four-packs of 330mL bottles.  It pours out a gorgeous clear lemon yellow color, with a medium thick white foam.  There's a decent amount of foam at first, but it subsides pretty quickly, leaving behind only very little lacing.  I give it a firm swirl, and some foam rises, but again fades back quickly.


The aromas are crisp, clean, simple, and perfect.  I detect just a tiny touch of hops, but not IPA-style hops.  The hops here is very soft, smooth, subtle; you barely even know they're there.  There's a touch of grassy, or almost citrusy notes, but overall it's a very soft, clean nose.


On the palate there's a bit more complexity, but not a ton.  The Kölsch is giving me exactly what I expected, just good beer.  There's almost no detectable malty sweetness, and there's just the slightest bit of hops on the backside of my tongue.  It's very dry, mouth-watering, and straight-forward.  


I once heard Kölsch beers described as "the light, easy-drinking, girly beer" when a German doesn't want a big heavy brew.  Not that I'd use those exact words, but the basic concept was right on the money.  The Reissdorf Kölsch is great: simple, elegant, refreshing, balanced.  It's everything I want from a Kölsch, and it's executed perfectly.


Reissdorf Kölsch
TCSH Rating: 8/10
Aka - Delicious, I should have tried this months ago!