In the pantheon of refreshing spring beers, it’s tough to beat the appeal of a classic kölsch. This traditional pale-hued, light, subtly malty, crisp beer comes from Cologne, Germany. Although brewed since the 1600s, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that kölsch gained a protected geographic status (like cognac, champagne, and bourbon), meaning it can only be brewed within thirty-one miles of Cologne.
But just because authentic kölsch beers can only be made in the direct vicinity of Cologne, that hasn’t stopped brewers in the U.S. from crafting their own locally-brewed “kölsch-style” beers. Since most of the American versions are brewed to emulate the classic German flavors, you’ll get a refreshing, easy-to-drink, and perfectly crisp light beer for a warm spring day.
To help you get the most out of a kölsch-drenched spring, we decided to help you out. We picked eight great kölsch-style beers and ranked them based on overall flavor and seasonal appropriateness. Keep reading to see where your favorite kölsch-style beer landed.
8) Genesee Ruby Red Kölsch
ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $14 for a twelve-pack
The Beer:
Available from March through July, the brewers at Genesee weren’t content with simply creating a classic kölsch-style beer. Instead, they opted to craft this traditional golden ale with the addition of subtle ruby red grapefruit. This creates a crisp, refreshing, and lightly tart spring/summer beer.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is loaded with yeasty bread, lightly floral, earthy hops, and a healthy dose of grapefruit. There’s more of the same on the palate with a malty backbone, lightly bitter, floral hops, and a ton of grapefruit. In fact, if you don’t like fruity beers, it’s a bit much.
Bottom Line:
While more balanced than many fruit-based beers, Ruby Red Kölsch is a little heavy on the citrus flavor for some Kölsch-style fans.
7) Altstadt Kölsch
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Fredericksburg, Texas-based brewery Altstadt might be located in the Lone Star State, but it’s as authentically German — well, as an American brewery can be anyway. Its 4.8% ABV Kölsch is a prime example of that authenticity. Using noble hops, German malts, and top-fermenting yeast, it’s simple, clean, crisp, and fresh.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is fairly muted with some floral hops and cracker malts and not much else. But that’s to be expected from a no-frill easy-drinking beer. The palate continues this trend. There are sweet malts, cereal grains, and floral, noble hops. It’s crisp and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is the definition of a simple no-frills beer. It’s crushable and crisp, but not all that complex.
6) Huss Scottsdale Blonde
ABV: 4.75%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Scottsdale Blonde is Huss Brewing’s flagship beer. It makes sense. Who wouldn’t want to drink a German-style Kölsch in a desert climate? Known for its crisp thirst-quenching nature, it gets its classic flavor from the liberal use of German-sourced hops.
Tasting Notes:
A classic nose of floral, earthy noble hops, yeasty bread, and light citrus greet your nostrils before your first sip. Drinking it reveals notes of lemongrass, cereal grains, sweet malts, and floral, bright hops. The finish is crisp, dry, and highly refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is another Kölsch that serves the purpose it was created for. It’s balanced, crisp, and drinks easy.
5) Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
We love a good crisp beer after an afternoon of mowing the lawn. That’s why we love Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower so much. This award-winning beer is brewed with kölsch yeast and Hallertauer hops sourced from Bavaria. It’s known for its balanced flavor profile of citrus, hops, and malts.
Tasting Notes:
Freshly baked bread, citrus zest, floral hops, and light spices make this a very intriguing nose. The palate is exactly the same as the nose and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Yeasty bread, cereal grains, lemon, grass, and floral, lightly spicy, hops make up a memorable palate.
Bottom Line:
This beer was crafted to be a crushable beer to drink while your legs are covered in grass clippings. But it’s also well-balanced and flavorful.
4) Three Weavers Seafarer
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $13 for a six-pack
The Beer:
We don’t know what the sea has to do with Kölsch, but we know we enjoy this American version of the German classic. This year-round, 4.8% ABV kölsch-style ale is brewed with German pilsner malts and Hallertauer hops. This creates a crisp, floral, flavorful beer that’s great for the spring.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find scents of yeasty bread, floral hops, honey, and light citrus zest. The palate continues this trend with flavors of wet grass, fruit esters, lemongrass, cereal grains, pilsner malts, honey, and earthy, herbal, snappy hops. The finish is crisp, dry, and leaves you wanting more.
Bottom Line:
While many kölsch-style beers are bare-bones and no-frills, Three Weaver’s version is surprisingly complex. It’s the kind of beer that needs multiple samplings before you find all the flavors.
3) Fort Point KSA
ABV: 4.6%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
While some breweries prefer to keep things as traditional as possible, San Francisco’s Fort Point Beer decided to make a kölsch-style beer that bridges the gap between the old world and the new. That’s why they brewed theirs with German malts and American hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a mix of biscuit malts, sweet cereal grains, fruit esters, and earthy, floral hops. On the palate, you’ll find hints of freshly baked bread, cereal grains, dried fruits, citrus zest, and more floral, bright, lightly bitter hops. The finish is crisp, refreshing, and semisweet.
Bottom Line:
This is a kölsch-style beer for West Coast hop fans as it’s brewed with Saphir and Warrior hops along with Vienna and Munich malts.
2) Utepils Skölsch
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $10 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
This 4.9% ABV version of Utepils’ Copacetic Kölsch gets its base flavor from the use of barley grown in the vicinity of Cologne, Germany. It’s known for its well-balanced, easy-drinking nature with a nice mix of malt sweetness and floral, hoppy bitterness.
Tasting Notes:
A complex nose of yeasty bread, cereal grains, caramel malts, grass, lemon, and floral, lightly piney hops are prevalent on the nose. Sipping it brings forth notes of honeyed sweetness, brown bread, spicy, floral hops, dried fruits, and light citrus zest. The finish is dry, sweet, and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is a sessionable, thirst-quencher with substance. It’s a great mix of sweet honey, floral hops, malts, and light spice.
1) Exhibit ‘A’ Goody Two Shoes
ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
This 4.5% ABV award-winning beer is the Framingham, Massachusetts-based brewery’s love letter to the city of Cologne.
Tasting Notes:
A traditional nose of biscuity malts, honey, lemon zest, cereal grains, and noble hops greet you. The feeling that you’re diving into a classic Kölsch continues the palate. You’ll find freshly baked bread, yeast, floral, spicy hops, citrus peels, honey, and sweet malts. It all ends in a crescendo with a crisp, lightly sweet, barely bitter hoppy finish.
Bottom Line:
If you only drink one Kölsch-style ale on this list, make it Goody Two Shoes. It’s complex, flavorful, and on par with the traditional beers of Cologne.
