by Cölner Hofbräu P. Josef Fruh
When you think of unlikely collaboration partners, this one is probably up there!
BrewDog are the Scottish extraverts, often ruffling feathers and seemingly of the opinion that any attention is good attention. Like them or loath them, they do actually make some pretty decent beers. The Fruh brewery in Cologne seems the other end of the scale, quietly going about their business of making seriously good lagers for the past 100+ years.
But somehow these two breweries got together late last year to make a Kolsch, and as Fruh are known as the ‘Kolsch Kings’ the beer name seems obvious. And no prizes for guessing in which brewery this collaboration was brewed – EU law dictates that a Kolsch must be brewed in Cologne to carry that style name.
As you’d may well imagined the beer is very good. It pours a beautifully clear golden colour, with a floral and slightly fruity aroma.
In the taste there is an initial sweetness of the malt with a hint of fruitiness, then the hops come in to add the spicy bitterness. It is reasonably dry on the finish, maybe a little sweeter than Fruh’s Kolsch, but superbly drinkable.
A new Belgian brewery in Brussels brewing German style beers; this is their Kölsch Style
