Lager, Top Fermented

Technically not a Lager these beers have an element of top fermenting, that is the yeast works at the top of the brewing vessel, like a typical ale. After this warm fermentation there follows long period of cold conditioning, as in lager production. The final beer can appeal to lager and ale drinkers alike as it is bright and hoppy but with a clean dry finish.

When beers of this style are made in the German city of Cologne (Köln) they may be referred to as Kölsch, roughly translated this equates to 'from Cologne'. The use of the term Kölsch has been protected since 1997 when the European Union gave the term a protected geographical indication (PGI). In broad terms a Kölsch needs to be made within 50 km (31 miles) of Cologne, brewed to the German purity law the Reinheitsgebot and following the rules of the Kölsch-Konvention. As such Kölsch is one of the most strictly defined beer styles in the world. It dates back to the late-nineteenth century though it's roots can be traced back 300 years before that.