() is a style of beer originating in Cologne (Köln), Germany. In appearance, it is bright and clear with a pale gold hue. Kölsch is a top-fermenting beer.

Since 1997, the term Kölsch has had a protected geographical indication (PGI) within the European Union, indicating a beer that is made within of the city of Cologne and brewed according to the Kölsch-Konvention as defined by the members of the Cologne Brewery Association (Kölner Brauerei-Verband). Kölsch is one of the most strictly defined beer styles in Germany: according to the convention, it is a pale, highly attenuated, hoppy, bright (i.e. filtered and not cloudy) top-fermenting beer, and must be brewed according to the . It has an original gravity between 11 and 14 degrees Plato (specific gravity of 1.044 to 1.056).

Kölsch is warm fermented with top-fermenting yeast, then conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager. This brewing process is similar to that used for Düsseldorf's .

History

thumb| (wreath) of

thumb|10-liter barrels of Kölsch, called "Pittermännchen"

Bottom-fermented beer started to appear in the Cologne region in the early 17th century and its popularity threatened the business interest of the brewers of Cologne, who only produced top-fermented beers. In response, the town council of Cologne in 1603 forced young brewers to swear an oath "that you prepare your beer, as of old, from good malt, good cereals, and good hops, well-boiled, and that you pitch it with top-yeast, and by no means with bottom yeast." In 1676 and again in 1698, the council again tried to legislate against bottom-fermented beer by forbidding its sale within the city walls. For this reason, breweries from outside Cologne that had already brewed Kölsch and signed the in 1986 are also officially authorised to brew Kölsch. These are the two breweries Privatbrauerei Bischoff from Brühl and Erzquell Brauerei Bielstein from Wiehl. The establishment of new Kölsch breweries such as Brauerei Heller (opened 1991, closed 2024) is only permitted in Cologne.

Many breweries closed in the years that followed. Only seven of the breweries listed are still active, Früh, Gaffel, Reissdorf (the big three), Erzquell, Bischoff, Päffgen and Sünner (after the takeover by Malzmühle in 2022 and the closure of the Malzmühle brewery afterwards). Once-famous brands such as Dom, Küppers and Sion are now owned by the Radeberger Group, which no longer has a brewery in Cologne. They are contract brewed at Früh so that the beer can still be called Kölsch.

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

|+

!Brand

!Place

!Brand owner and brewery

|-

|Bischoff

|Brühl

|Privatbrauerei Bischoff

|-

|Dom

|Cologne

|Radeberger Group (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Früh

|Cologne

|Cölner Hofbräu Früh

|-

|Gaffel

|Cologne

|Privatbrauerei Gaffel

|-

|Gilden

|Cologne

|Radeberger Group (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Hellers

|Cologne

|Brauerei Heller (Contract brew at Gaffel)

|-

|Küppers

|Cologne

|Radeberger Group (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Mühlen

|Cologne

|Gebr. Sünner (owned by Malzmühle)

|-

|Päffgen

|Cologne

|Brauerei Päffgen

|-

|Peters

|Cologne

|Radeberger Group (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Reissdorf

|Cologne

|Privat-Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf

|-

|Richmodis

|Cologne

|REWE (Contract brew at Gaffel)

|-

|Schreckenskammer

|Cologne

|Brauhaus Schreckenskammer (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Sester

|Cologne

|Radeberger Group (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Sion

|Cologne

|Radeberger Group (Contract brew at Früh)

|-

|Sünner

|Cologne

|Gebr. Sünner (owned by Malzmühle))

|-

|Zunft

|Wiehl

|Erzquell Brauerei Bielstein

|}

The list includes 15 Kölsch varieties from a survey conducted by Cologne's largest tabloid newspaper Express in 2024, as well as the 2 small but independent breweries Bischoff and Päffgen.

In 1997, Kölsch became a product with protected geographical indication (PGI), expanding this protection to the entire EU.

Exports of Kölsch to the United States, Russia, Korea, China and Brazil are increasing. Exported does not need to strictly comply with the Provisional German Beer Law, the current implementation of the Reinheitsgebot.

{| class="wikitable"

! Brewery

! Established

! Annual output in hectolitres

|-

| Heinrich Reissdorf

| 1894

| 650,000

|-

| Gaffel Becker & Co

| 1908

| 500,000

|-

| Cölner Hofbräu Früh

| 1904

| 440,000

|}

Serving

thumb|A Stange of [[Gaffel Becker & Co|Gaffel Kölsch in Aachen, Germany]]

In Cologne, Kölsch is traditionally served in a tall, thin, cylindrical glass called a ('pole' or 'rod'). The server, called a , carries eleven or twelve in a ('wreath'), a circular tray resembling a crown or wreath. Instead of waiting for the drinker to order a refill, the immediately replaces an empty with a full one, marking a tick on the coaster under the . If the drinker does not want another refill, they place the coaster on top of the empty and pay for the number of beers marked on the coaster.

Outside the EU

Kölsch is a product that has a protected geographical indication (PGI) in the European Union. This protection is not recognized outside the jurisdiction of the EU, and many breweries outside the EU produce and market beer as "kolsch" or "kölsch" with varying degrees of authenticity.

See also

  • Beer in Germany
  • Cream ale
  • (Kölsches Knupp, Kölnisches Knupp, Kuletschbier), another type of beer of Colognian origin

References

  • Kölsch-Konvention
  • Website of the Deutscher Brauer-Bund e. V.
  • Brauhaustouren in Köln
  • Frankfurter Allgemeine Article on the Work of a Köbes