Kölsch
Brauerei Päffgen

KölschKölsch
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Brauerei Päffgen
 
Germany
Style:
Kölsch
Ranked #26
ABV:
4.8%
Score:
89
Ranked #12,601
Avg:
3.97 | pDev: 19.14%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
48
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 11, 2023
Added:
Nov 03, 2003
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  4
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Gatch
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts

4.64/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
First Kölsch within a few hours of arrival in Köln from Düsseldorf on Saturday 11 November 2023, which happens to be the first day of Karneval, which I was unaware of. It's no wonder hotels were booked and so expensive! Enjoying this at Max Stark, a warm and welcoming pub north of the Hbf (and near one of the few hotels with availability in the city center). Proper Kölsch service with the 0,2l glasses being replaced almost as quickly as you drink them by friendly bartenders making the rounds with trays of freshly poured bier from what looks like a holzfass/barrel rather than from the draft/tap lines. Could just be a gravity keg/barrel. Either way, delicious and fresh although a challenge to truly determine flavor profile when it’s always cold. But the malt and yeast profile is as expected for the style. Grainy, a bit funky/barny, earthy yet bright, with a touch of hops in the finish. Although I know there may be better examples over this weekend, this is a stellar Kölsch, and one of the more reasonable pours in town at only €1,90!

Must update this as just a few days later I made it to the brewery on the west side of the city center/Altstadt. This is straight from a barrel and so damn fresh and luscious. Bright and almost fruity, not as sweet as other examples in town, a little earthy, slightly barny, perfectly hopped. Could drink this every day. Truly delicious!
Nov 11, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by steverx8 from England

Aug 01, 2022
Photo of flgimp
Rated by flgimp from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Had it at the brewery in Cologne while on tour.
Jul 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4.34 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 15, 2021
 
Rated: 4.13 by MTKATL from Georgia

Oct 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.12 by robotic_being from Illinois

Sep 30, 2019
 
Rated: 4.09 by NorbertB1974 from Germany

Feb 25, 2019
 
Rated: 4.92 by Anacross from Oregon

Jan 22, 2019
 
Rated: 3.92 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Nov 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.39 by Rhettroactive from Virginia

Dec 21, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by AGust82 from Connecticut

Oct 11, 2017
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.71/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Golden color and crystal clear. Typical two-finger head which leaves some streaks of lace.

Plae malt start to the nose. A bit of refrigeration as well. Some latent milky lactose notes.

Round taste of pale malt with very little hop, even in the finish but more in the aftertaste. Leans full with an average carbonation level. Easy drinking and refreshing.
May 28, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by windowside from Germany

Feb 14, 2017
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5
On-draught @ the brewpub, in a .2L stangenglas of course. Price is 1.70 euro per stangen.

A: 5cm of the creamiest frothiest goodness imaginable caps the vibrant gold body. Head is white in colour, leaves even lacing as it recedes, and retains damned impressively - ~10+ minutes.

Excellent look for a kolsch. Can't wait to try it.

Sm: Fresh. Slightly fruity estery yeast, Munich malts, floral Hops. Suggests a light but subtle brew with superb balance. Aromatic intensity is oddly low, however.

T&Mf: Drinks fresh, crisp, and clean, with a light creamy body and a bright malt base. Munich malts, fresh barley, slight graininess. A kiss of butter and honey. Sweetbread. A bit of Noble hop grassiness. Subtle floral hops play in the background. Has a delicate presence on the palate and pretty good depth of flavour. Flavour duration is average. Flavour intensity is mild.

Balanced, though simple. A very refreshing enjoyable Kolsch.

Dr: Ludicrously drinkable, and a magnificent beer fresh and cold on-draught (I.e. from the barrel). I already want more, and would happily down a strange anytime. This is, probably, one of the most drinkable beers I've ever tried - though the attention paid to its serving temperature and freshness probably has a lot to do with that. A must-try when in Koln, though I do think there's room for still more subtlety and nuance. As solid a Kolsch as this is, I can imagine it even better.

B (3.58) / GOOD
Mar 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.53 by samEBC from Belgium

Sep 10, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by tom10101 from Canada (QC)

Oct 23, 2014
 
Rated: 2.25 by PaF from Israel

Oct 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by IRONRakkasan from California

Sep 05, 2014
Photo of BMMillsy
Reviewed by BMMillsy from Florida

2.63/5  rDev -33.8%
Tap at Max Stark in Cologne. Clear golden pour, big fluffy white head. Aroma of straw, light hops, and a bit dirty as is always the case for me with the style. Flavor is as expected: straw, light sweetness like honey, tinge of hop notes, and a lingering dirty finish. Light bodied and medium carbonation, goes down easy of course. Let’s all just be real here and admit that pretty much any Kolsch just tastes like any standard Miller Lite/Bud Light with a little extra sweetness. Can’t get into this beer. Glad to have gone for it in Cologne, just not very good.
Aug 30, 2014
Kölsch from Brauerei Päffgen
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 48 ratings