Before we get started, you should know that if you want to get technical, to be called a Kölsch the beer technically must be made within 50 kilometers of the city where it originated: Cologne (Köln in German). Any beer outside of that Protected Geographical Indication under EU law can’t be called a Kölsch. Still, you’ll find brewers making Kölsch -style beers just about everywhere.
And if you’re a fan of refreshing, thirst-quenching beers and you’ve never tried a Kölsch or Kölsch -style beer… what are you waiting for?
Kölsch beers are often labeled as ales, but they share attributes of both the ale and the lager. It’s first warm-fermented the way an ale is before being cold-conditioned in the lager style. Regardless, if you’re a fan of a pilsner or lager, you’re probably going to enjoy the lightly fruity, malty, soft, and clean flavors of the Kölsch. It doesn’t have all the crisp, floral hoppy flavors of a pilsner. But that just makes it a great change of pace.
To help you on your Kölsch and Kölsch-style beer journey, we found eight of the best, most refreshing, flavorful examples. Keep scrolling to see them all.
8. Reissdorf Kölsch
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
If you’re going to try Kölsch beers, you absolutely should try at least one of the authentic brews from Cologne. Reissdorf Kölsch is a top-fermented, cold matured ale with a fruity, dry, easy-drinking flavor profile. The brewery has been making this iconic beer since 1894.
Tasting Notes:
A bready, yeasty, fruity, lemon zest, and floral, spicy hopped nose greets you before your first sip. The palate is a mix of freshly baked bread, citrus peels, grape fruitiness, and floral herbal hops. It’s simple, no-frills, and very dry at the finish.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for an easy-drinking, flavorful spring beer, look no further than Reissdorf Kölsch.
7. Altstadt Kolsch
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
If you don’t know anything about Altstadt, you might assume this was an imported beer from Germany. Well, it’s located in Fredericksburg, Texas. The brand makes a variety of German beers and one of its best is its Kölsch. Brewed with German malts, Noble hops, and top-fermenting yeast, it’s known for its sweet, malty, floral, crushable flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of doughy malts, cereal grains, crisp apples, honey, and earthy hops. The palate follows suit with notes of freshly baked bread, cereal grains, citrus peels, orchard fruits, honey, and floral spicy hops. The finish is lightly bitter and perfectly dry.
Bottom Line:
This beer might be brewed in the heart of Texas, but it’s a legit refreshing, crushable Kölsch for an warm early summer day.
6. Gaffel Kölsch
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $14 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Another German beer on this list, Gaffel Kölsch is a family-owned brewery that’s been crafting Kölsch (and other German beer styles) since 1908. Brewed by the Germany Purity Law of 1516, it’s simply made with malt, water, and hop extract. The result is a malty, refreshing, gently hoppy ale.
Tasting Notes:
There is a lot of sweetness on the nose. It’s dominated by honey, orchard fruits, lemon zest, and sweet bready malts. There are also some floral, herbal hops on the nose. The palate is a mix of bready malts, cereal grains, honey, crisp apples, grapes, and gentle floral hops at the finish. It’s fruity, dry, and very memorable.
Bottom Line:
Gaffel is as classic as Kölsch ales get. It’s malty, fruity, and lightly floral. It’s everything you’d want in the style.
5. von Trapp Kölsch Style
ABV: 5%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Yes, the von Trapps who own and operate this Stow, Vermont-based brewery are the same family from ‘The Sound of Music’. They’re just as good at brewing beer as they are at harmonizing about deer and things that are far away. If you only try one von Trapp beer this spring, make it their Kölsch Style made with German malts and hops.
Tasting Notes:
Yeasty bread, orchard fruits, honey, grape skins, a slight minerality, and herbal hops are present on the welcoming nose. Sipping it reveals more of a light mineral flavor as well as cereal grains, grapes, apples, and honey. The finish is sweet, and dry, and leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
This beer might be brewed in Vermont, but you’ll feel like you’re sitting alone on the Rhine River while you sip this balanced, refreshing beer.
4. Dovetail Kolsch
ABV: 4.6%
Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
Chicago’s Dovetail is well-known for its award-winning brews created to pay homage to the traditional beers of Europe. One of its best is its classic Kölsch. It’s known for its sessionable, easy-drinking nature with a mix of fruity, malty, spicy hop aromas and flavors.
Tasting Notes:
A complex nose of cracker-like malt, cereal grains, honey, citrus peels, yeasty bread, and hops start everything off right. The palate is a mix of freshly baked bread, cereal grains, cracker malts, lemon peels, pears, and floral hops. The finish is sweet, dry, and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
While there are some fruit aromas and flavors, Dovetail’s take is less fruity than most of the beers on this list. If that’s your jam, this is your beer.
3. Jester King Final Entropy
ABV: 5.3%
Average Price: $8 for a 16.9-ounce bottle
The Beer:
This take on the traditional Kölsch is a collaboration between Jester King and Jackie O’s Brewery. It’s brewed with aquifer water, TexMalt Llano Pilsner malt, Weyermann Munich Malt, as well as Perle and Fuggle hops. It’s a farmhouse-style Kölsch known for its clean, funky, malty, sweet, spicy flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. There are yeasty, funky scents of hay and grass followed by bready malts, honey, orchard fruits, citrus peels, and floral hops. Drinking it reveals notes of yeasty, bready malts, light funk, lemon zest, honey, orchard fruits, and floral, piney hops. The finish is dry and very refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is a slightly different style of Kölsch than the other beers on this list. It’s a little more unfiltered, funky, and farmhouse-like.
2. Notch Kolsch
ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $16 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
This thirst-quenching, sessionable beer is brewed with Pilsner malt, Spalt hops, and Kölsch yeast. One of the highest-rated Kölsch-style ales available today, it’s known for its fruity, malty flavor and spicy, floral, herbal top notes.
Tasting Notes:
The aroma is all sweet corn, bready malts, grape-like fruity scents, fresh-cut grass, honey, and floral, herbal, and earthy hops. Drinking it brings forth notes of yeasty bread, cereal grains, corn, white grapes, cracked black pepper, hay, citrus peels, and floral Noble hops. The finish is dry and gently bitter.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to well-balanced American Kölsch-style ales, it’s difficult to find a more balanced, flavorful choice than Notch Kölsch.
1.) Halfway Crooks Farina
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
We don’t know if this beer is named after Dennis Farina, but we’d like to think the brewery enjoyed the late actor’s work. Regardless, this epic Kölsch-style ale is brewed with German Pilsner malt and German Noble hops. This creates a fruity, malty, floral beer you won’t soon forget.
Tasting Notes:
Before your first sip, you’ll be treated to aromas of ripe pears, fresh bread, white grapes, honey, grass, and lemon peels. The palate continues this positive trend with notes of yeasty bread, cereal grains, orchard fruits, fruit esters, white grapes, and floral herbal hops. The finish is fruity, lightly bitter, and effortlessly dry.
Bottom Line:
If you only try one beer on this list, make it Halfway Crooks Farina. It’s simple, elegant, and perfectly executed.