Three Kolsch Style Beers to Enjoy This Summer

We must thank Cologne, Germany, for creating the Kolsch beer style. Sometimes controversial in its classification as an ale or a lager, this style has a light, delicate, and crisp body that attracts beer lovers worldwide. I enjoy it immensely, and I recently found three distinctly different ones that are all very good!

Zipline Brewing Co Kolsch

This clean, crisp, straw-colored Kolsch has pear and honey notes with a subtle peppery hop finish. Of the three in this blog, it is the lightest in terms of maltiness. It is very refreshing and comes in at 5.4% ABV.

Heavy Brewing Mike Kolsch

This is the first time Heavy Brewing has made a Kolsch, and it deserves a high-five! Out of the three, this Kolsch has the most fruit notes of pear and honeydew melon. The color is deep gold, and it has a decent maltiness that shows some bready characteristics. The finish is mildly hoppy, balancing out this 5.1% ABV beer. Another good local, Nebraska Kolsch!

Utepils Skolsch

I am going to Minneapolis this summer and wanted to try a Kolsch from a well-known German-style brewery that I can visit. Made with barley from outside Cologne, Germany, this blonde ale (oh, I know someone will be saying he meant lager, nope) has a deep straw color that leans into the bready notes over fruit notes. The soft, clear body finishes with a mild dose of hops to balance out well in this 4.9% ABV Kolsch.

Oktoberfest Season

Once the calendar turns to September, we all think about Oktoberfest beers. The style is called Märzen or Märzenbier, which means "March beer" in German. The style originated in Bavaria, Germany, where, in 1553, brewing was not allowed between April 23 and September 29 to prevent infection from bacteria in the beer.

The color ranges from golden pale to amber. This medium-body beer is malty and bready, with a sweet beginning and a semi-dry or dry finish. Traditional Märzens are made with Munich malt. Authentic Märzens are lagered for six to eight months at a temperature close to freezing, and today, breweries lager this beer for five to eight weeks. The typical ABV percentage is between 5 to 6% and as high as 7%.

Aries Märzen

Empyrean Brewing Company Aries is amber in color and has sweet, malty notes. It has a light to medium body that is smooth and finishes off-dry to balance it out. For me, this 5.3% Märzen nails the style! It is the lightest of the three in ABV but has incredible flavor. Looking forward to having this one on some fall firepit nights.

Festbier

Pint Nine Brewing Company Festbier is deep golden in color. It has bready notes upfront and a smooth, rich, medium-full body. A hint of honey-like sweetness appears in the middle, and the finish is semi-dry. The ABV is 5.8%. Festbier is a lager you can enjoy all year.

Octoberfest

Bell’s Brewery Octoberfest has the lightest body of the three beers reviewed. It is smooth, with a peppery hop note in the middle and a hint of sweetness. The ABV is 5.5% in this enjoyable fall beer.

I highly recommend grabbing a few Märzen beers and doing your own comparison to find out what stands out for you. For the three I reviewed, I personally prefer what Empyrean Brewing Company does with Aries.

Cheers!