The Triangle

Issue date: 1/25/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: germanbeerguide.co.uk

Kölsch is an interesting style of beer. It is an ale from the lager-laden Germany, but even as an ale, it has to compete with the more famous wheat beers of Berlin and Bavaria. It should be poured into a stange (think of an oversized Tom Collins glass), one of the most underused of beer glassware. There's also a law in Germany, enforced by the EU that says that only breweries in Cologne, Germany can brew Kölsch. Luckily for New Holland Brewery, they are headquartered in Holland, Michigan, which is decidedly not in Germany or Europe, so they can freely brew Lucid, their Kölsch-style beer. Just don't tell the president of Germany, OK?

Kölsch also has a strange drinking culture in Germany. It is the beer that is most acceptable to drink by women and the overall Kölsch culture is that of inclusion and not exclusion. Bosses and workers alike can enjoy their favorite beer in a pub in Cologne and joke around with their waiter. Enough about history lessons, though. The beer is getting warm!

The beer is a deep straw color and is protected by a quarter inch of a cloudy white collar which dissipates quickly. It is almost completely transparent, but my fingers look just slightly blurry on the other side of the glass. You can clearly see bubbles running up the side of the glass. It's a wonderful view of the carbonation doing its job in this delightful drink.

The scent is all hops. It has the nice floral effect of a big hoppy beer, but without the boozy afterscent. It also has all the nice citrus aromas associated with hops too. Aside from the hops, the yeast is also apparent on the nose. This gives the brew a faint bread smell. Overall, it's earthy but light.

The taste is where the Kölsch shines. It is so crisp, so refreshing, so light, yet packed with flavor. It is lightly sweet and grassy. The hops provide the perfect amount of bitterness and work together with the yeast and malts to provide a well balanced flavor that is deep, but not complex. It is a bit grainy, a bit fruity and a bit bitter.

It is light to medium bodied so it goes down smooth whether you are sipping it to savor the flavor, or chugging it because your turn just came up in flip cup. You won't get any burn going down and because it is so refreshing, once you start drinking your mouth will beg you for more. It also perfectly carbonated. It doesn't burst out of control, but it's not flabby either. It is just crisp enough to remind you that this is a beer you are drinking. That might make you slow down, but probably not. The beer is just too good.

These properties make it go well with just about any food. It can match with comforting pub fare, like anything deep fried, but it also accentuates the nuances of any fine cuisine. It is a German style though, so definitely when eating wurst, it's the best. It also matches up well with spicy food. Don't drink it with dessert, though. Overall, Kölsch is an excellent style of beer and New Holland's Lucid Kölsch-style beer is a great example.

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