Früh Kölsch - Brauerei Früh Am Dom

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

0.2l gravity serving at Fruh am Dom

A- Pale blonde, average head retention and minimal lacing

S- Little musty, faint malts and grains

T- nice maltiness but also thin and a bit watery in the finish making for an average balance

M- Spritzy and watery

D- Its a mediocre kolsch, nice malts character but its letdown by a thin body.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2008 17:10:27 | More by seanyfo

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330ml bottle.Footed pilsner glass.Enjoyed on mar´12.Pours blond in color,cristal clear appearance.Pure white lasting crown. Herbal, slightly sulphury,aroma.Balanced malts & German hops in mouth, subtle lemon touch.Very light body,medium carbonation.Lingers with no conflicting notes. Painfully overall results quite flat. Suggested in sunny days as a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 19:51:29 | More by GONZALOYANNA

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.03/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Coming in a 500ml slim brown bottle, BB 12/12/08, served lightly chilled in Gaffel's 200ml stange.

A: pours a light straw colour, fizzy, topped with a 2cm-thick cotton-white foam with good retention.
S: a pleasant aroma mixed of clean and soft floral German hops and a focused edge of grainy light malts; very well-integrated, with 50-50 fruitiness to malts coated with a thin sheet of citrus-like fruitiness. Not bad.
T: maybe due to pasteurisation, a boiled-veggie-like sugary taste stays constantly aside, on top of a plastic and grainy touch of malts... lightly corn-ish as well at the back, while the finishing touch at last demonstrates some pleasant and clean floral hop flavour and bitterness, with a restrained fruity touch.
M&D: not comparable with the natural draught version at all, which is much more pronounced in both fruity and malty compartments; this bottle has shown some bad impacts from (maybe) pasteurisation, albeit not to the point of total displeasure. The mouthfeel is overly sharp and fizzy, the body is light alright, but the finishing touch comes somewhat acidic and metallic... the overall performance really is a world apart from its-good-self on draught, hence a below-average drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2008 23:05:45 | More by wl0307

Douberd

Netherlands

3.03/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

ABV 4,8%.
Can of 500 ml, bought on a recent excursion to Germany. At first I thought Kolsch was also part of the beers name, now I see it's a style of beer. Poured in a sort of Kolsch type of glass.
Three fingers of white, thick head, with very good retention but not much lacing left behind. At first great activity in the glass, stops almost as soon as the head disappears. Golden yellow in colour.
Pleasant aroma of hops, mixed with a malty smell, albeit faint.
Sweet and malty flavour at first, turns into a slighty bitter and hoppy aftertaste.
Thin on the body, low carbonation and dry on the palate.

It's the first time I drink this style, and I didn't find it much different than a lager, also, since it's the first time, I don't have anything to compare it to. Drinkability was high, and it was going down very easily.

Serving type: can

10-26-2012 17:24:55 | More by Douberd

kjc51478

Germany

3.1/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light yellow with a fizzy but quick dissipating head. Aroma is slight but made up mostly of wheat and malt. Taste is crisp and slightly sweeter than most Kölsch I'm familiar with. The wheaty flavors follow through into the back end leaving a sweet and bready aftertaste. This is a middle of the road Kölsch.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 22:30:07 | More by kjc51478

dasenebler

Maine

3.15/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a crystal-clear light gold, with a decent bubbly head that dissipates quickly. Nose of light grassiness, hop funk, and cracker-like malts, along with a hint of sulfur.

Refreshing, but not that clean for a Kölsch. Nice biscuity maltiness for a beer this light, with a hefty dose of hay and grain, too. Tastes similar to other German lagers (grassy, lightly skunky hops) but this beer's a Kölsch and therefore an ale. Refreshing carbonation. Good mouthfeel for such a light beer.

Not a whole lot going on, but overall a decent brew, and a welcome change from the standard German pils and lager. Better on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2008 23:02:13 | More by dasenebler

mtstatebeer

West Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

50 cl bottle. Pours a a golden yellow color, quickly disappearing frothy white head, decent lacing. Aroma is pale malts, grain, straw, earthy and a touch of fruity hops. Flavor is crisp, sweet malts, straw, a little bit of bread, and a fair amount of hops. Light in body, lively and carbonated, very crisp and refreshing. Very good beer, true to the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 03:55:52 | More by mtstatebeer

Absumaster

Netherlands

3.3/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer is very clear and pours a light golden color with lots of carbonation and a thin head.

Smell is malty and what I think is diacetyl. The yeast produces a clean profile with some slight sulfur notes.

Taste is light malty with a clean German yeast profile, some sulfuric notes. Also some bitterness and a slight hoppiness. To me this is nothing too special, it is like an average German pils.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2007 08:30:35 | More by Absumaster

Andreji

Colombia

3.33/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I was amazed to see the great score this Kölsch has from other advocates, considering I dont share such a strong opinion on it. Had it at the Früh Bräuhaus am dom as well.

The pour is light straw, translucid a long head that is rather creamier than other kolsches, but as short lasting.

The nose is rather citrusy and hoppy, with some wheats and malts as well.

The taste, its better trait above other kolsches is that it is very bitter at the end to match with a citrusy sweetness that is felt at the beginning of the taste. Balanced carbonation as well which matches it in a nice way as well.

Still, not my cup of tea...or pint of beer, should I say.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2004 18:02:32 | More by Andreji

ricke

Sweden

3.33/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Very, very pale yellow. Clear liquid. Pretty big white uneven head that leaves some lacings.

S: A very weak smell. Some malts and white bread. Faint grassy hops, a hint of lemon and some spices.

T: Not much going on here either, rather restrained. Nice spices, though. Some malty sweetness and white bread as well. Some grassy hops and resins. The finish is short and has a mineral-like touch to it. A refreshing yet restrained bitterness develops in the finish, though.

M: Light body and plenty of lively carbonation.

D: This is a good beer, easy to drink and refreshing. But it's not outstanding and it's not very exciting. Probably one for those warm summer nights.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 00:25:10 | More by ricke

jspruit

Denmark

3.35/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased in a 500ml bottle at the Bull and Castle in Dublin. Poured a golden smooth color with light 2-finger white head. Not too much smell. Smooth with some carbonation and light hoppiness-nothing remarkable though. Tasted better and cleaner as it approached room temperature a bit. I would like to try another Kölsch style beer before coming back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2007 23:06:10 | More by jspruit

rvdoorn

Netherlands

3.38/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

had this in a restaurant in koln. Pours like all kolsch beers, golden yellow with white head. Smell is light hoppy with malts and grass.taste malts and a bit more sweet than the average kolsch. Very drinkable,light mouthfeel,there is just not too much more to say about this beer,but need to fill 250 characters...

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2011 16:08:17 | More by rvdoorn

MattSweatshirt

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

My first kölsch in Köln! Stoked!

The beer is clear and golden crowned with pure white head.

Light aroma of grain.

It is light bodied and easy to drink. Tastes grainy, has some grass, mineral, and light fruity notes.

So kölsch is ok. It's cool drinking it outside on a sunny day shootin the scheisse.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2012 06:14:00 | More by MattSweatshirt

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

An ale in theory but a lager at heart. 0,33 cl bottle MHB: 14.09.11.

It pours a clear and bright gold with a foamy but frothy bright white head. It leaves little bit of small speckles behind.

The smell is grainy with a light bit of light fruit and a kiss of hops.

The flavor is interesting. It has a unique fruitiness that i haven't yet tasted in this style. It is like white wine/grapes almost. It has a slight bit of hops, but the main flavor is an overriding fruity sweetness.

The mouthfeel is not as light as expected, it is under-carbonated.

It is an interesting beer, at least it isn't monotonous. Don't be araid of this style, it isn't that bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 17:25:49 | More by crossovert

rarbring

Sweden

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer is clear straw colored, with a white head leaving some lacing. Small curtains.

Fruity aromas, ripe apples, some vegetables and dough. Rather pleasant.

Starting sweet white bread, then some lemon and apple juice, a tart peel finish.

Little carbonation, small soft bubbles, a soft and smooth texture, a slightly dry finish.

A not-to-bad Kölsch.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 16:48:35 | More by rarbring

foles

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice offering from probably the most well-known of the Cologne breweries.

The distinct differce I noticed between this and the rest of the city's Kolsch beers, is that there was a low amount of hoppiness. This opened the door for more fruitiness and the freshness was more recognisable. Sampling this is a right of passage when in town.

Solid, enjoyable, but maybe not a true representation of the style?

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2008 14:07:53 | More by foles

TheSarge

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Produces a vast amount of bright white head, which retains fairly decently. The body is clear and gold in color.

Aroma is honey, with a weird sour smell. Something in the way of a weak Berliner Weiss smell.

The taste is lemony hops and lightly sweet cereal grain, and finishes with a blunt herbalness.

Mouth feel is coarse at first, but leaves the palate wet and cleansed.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2009 16:22:19 | More by TheSarge

ultrasupergenius

United Kingdom (England)

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a traditional Kolsch glass... small in size but they are quick to bring a refill.

A good German Kolsch, if you are a fan of the style. This was the first Kolsch I had in Koln, and I had to come back the next day after I had developed a taste for the style to try this one again. I enjoyed this more after having drank a number of the local variants wandering around Koln.

Head was present, and lasted into a lace down the glass. Slight bitter and aroma of hops - but not pungent. Sweetish. Light and refreshing. The kolsch size, while frustrating, is appropriate. I would not see myself drinking two pints in a row of this, but three of the small glasses spread over time is just about right.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2009 15:43:45 | More by ultrasupergenius

patra7

Greece

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: In a filled glass it looks gold/amber, but when you draw it down you see that it actually has a yellow/gold color. Very thin, white head, quickly dissipating. You have to pour from fairly high to get a half-decent head. Just a few bubbles rising to the top.
Smell: The malt semi-sweetness is the first thing that hits me. Some honey / siropy notes as well, partially balanced by some floral notes, with a bitterness and some slightly metallic notes which pop up at certain moments (without becoming annoying).
Taste: Light malty / siropy taste at first, which is then followd by an acidity / fiziness that is quite aggressive and unexpected (esp. given the... head situation) and balances the overall feeling.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium body. Strong carbonation, besides the lack of a head. A rather coarse / "unrefined" feeling.
Drinkability: Quite drinkable, refreshing; not boring but not exciting either.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 21:58:16 | More by patra7

magictacosinus

California

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a 200ml stange glass at Suppenküche in SF. Paired with kaiser rolls and butter to start things off!

The color is a pale, golden straw color, as clear as they come, and definitely as thin as I'd expect. A slight head coats the top of the glass, but as with kölsch beers, it doesn't last too long (then again, neither does the beer), and bubbles are kept to a minimal display. Light in body, and leaves a little bit of cloudy film behind as I continued to drink it. Say... Is this keg-conditioned by any chance? It's a far more mainstream take on the style, but as far as it goes considering it's an *actual* kölsch, it's how I'd expect it to look at the very minimum.

The aroma is also rather light, with a minimal grain and hop presence right away at the nose, although they are indeed there. Slight grassy hops, almost like dried green leaves at the finish, alongside a dried cider flavor and crisp golden graininess. Not as much of the "grape-y" phenols I love in these beers, but not necessarily below average. This changed rather quickly over time as well, becoming a little bit more skunky as time went on, and little bit more grassy.

The flavor is indeed of a classic kölsch recipe, if only a bit more on the mainstream and lighter side of the style. There's an immediate rush of crisp, cereal grains, only to follow dried fruits, such as apples, light grapes, apricots, and then a finish of brief hoppy bitterness (albeit very light) that fades pretty quickly, only leaving a touch of sweetness on the tongue. Definitely refreshing, only a lightened experience overall. Carbonation is pretty good on this, although it lost gas rather quickly, even more that I anticipated. On a series of Früh advertisements I checked out, they mention that this should be consumed "before it gets old," which is more hilarious to think about as one drinks this, as it does lose a lot of its character fast as it warms up. By the end, it wasn't as bubbly, and left behind a bit of grainy syrupiness. Never cloying, but I did have to down this as soon as I realized what was happening!

A good kölsch, but definitely more fragile than the average one in the style. I do enjoy the lightened, crisp feel of the body, as well as the green-ish hop profile, but it does lack a little bit of the concentrated fruitiness I enjoy when they are good. Worked very well as an aperitif before my meal. I could definitely have a bunch of these in one setting and not complain, although it would be far more for the refreshing experience it provides above anything else.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2013 01:41:18 | More by magictacosinus

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on-tap at Harveys in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

This Kölsch poured a clear, golden color with creamy, white foam that settled. The smell was a very, very light malt aroma. The taste was lightly malty backed by light hop bitterness. Some bready malt notes as well as some floral hop flavors in the finish. The mouthfeel was clean and crisp with light body and good carbonation. The lightly hoppy flavor lingered a bit in the finish. This was a good, easy-drinking, and thirst quenching beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2006 06:46:28 | More by UncleJimbo

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle bought from GapWines, Belfast...

Poured a crystal clear light golden yellow colour... White head poured quite thick but faded pretty quickly to thin layer... sparse carbonation bubbles rise very slowly to the surface...no lacing...

Aroma - Light biscuity malts, creamy vanilla, lemony notes, juicy fruits, light peppery hop notes, some sea saltiness, grassy...

Taste – Juicy fruits (lemons, light grapefruit hints), light malts, some faint sugary sweetness, saltiness, light hop bitterness, some vanilla traces...

Feel - Quite sharp and dry. Light body.... Very very drinkable - would make a good session beer...

Overall - A pretty good Kolsch.... very drinkable. Definitely worth a try...

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2006 13:40:36 | More by mdagnew

etherashe

Germany

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Small, white 1/4 inch, short-lived head. Typical pale yellow color.

S - Slightly tart smell of hops, reminiscent of semi-dry white wine.

T - Tarty hops, followed by winey kölshiness, ending in sweet grain flavor.

M - Front tongue carbonation acts as a springboard for back-throat sweetness. Pleasant.

D - A bit on the sweet side, but not overwhelming. A nice, enjoyable triumvirate of flavors worth visiting again.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2008 17:36:18 | More by etherashe

AgentMunky

California

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

A: Clear, pale goldenrod with a light head. Generally unimpressive. No visible carbonation.

S: Very nice. Light floral nose, submerged grain and malt. Some background skunkiness.

T: Light and grainy with a pleasant wash of sweet floral flavours. Taste is unsustained, quickly fading into a neutral aftertaste.

M: Barely a mouthfeel at all. Very light. Refreshing.

D: Gracious me, but it goes goes down like a dream. Drinkable, swiggable, enjoyable. Good with a meal.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2010 22:58:16 | More by AgentMunky

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light crisp and superficially like a pale lager this beer seems to be the poster child for subtlety and delicacy. Problem is that with these I usually also expect a degree of complexity which I'm afraid I just don't find here.
This beer gives quite a thin head which leaves some wispy lacing on the side of the glass but its just too gassy for me to really like it. There is also some very fine lingering hoppiness to be found but this takes far too much effort from what should be an easy drinking sociable beer.
It's not bad really. No turkey. But it could certainly do with some stuffing.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 08:24:35 | More by Zimbo