My first experience with brewing Kölsch was as head brewer at Chuckanut (in Bellingham, Washington), right when they opened back in 2008. Will Kemper and the Chuckanut crew make an amazing Kölsch—crisp, clean, with a nice touch of fruit and light kiss of delightful sulfur—and theirs has definitely inspired ours. Also, I’ve had several travels to Köln and absolutely love the style and drinking it there. My favorite by far is Früh—such a beautiful beer. Another standout is Paffgen; it is really enjoyable to hop from brewery to brewery in Köln and try the different interpretations. (Note: You can only brew true Kölsch in Köln. At pFriem, we brew Kölsch-Style Ale.)
The Elements
Brewing a great Kölsch looks a lot like brewing a great lager. This is a naked beer—everything you do with ingredient selection and brewing process will show up in your end result.
Brewhouse precision is important, but it’s hard to make great Kölsch without really healthy yeast. You want to balance nice fruity esters with the right amount of acid and just a kiss of sulfur. A little sulfur is nice, but too much and it takes over the beer. Cold-conditioning and time are key—you want these beers to be crisp and clean, and storing them below freezing really helps with this process. Finally, finishing is crucial—you want to make these beers bright and beautiful, so they literally shine.