TOPIC:

Anyone know where I can buy "Koelsch" In south Dublin?

Lots of the decent offies have Früh. Try Deveney's Dundrum or Redmond's in Ranelagh.

Thornbridge's Kölsch-a-like Tzara is out as well, and is pretty good.

But there's a massive difference between bottled Kölsch (which just tastes like any other fizzy lager to me) and the cask version you get in Cologne.

I concurr. Completely different (and better) in the brau haus. And the food......oh the food. I highly recommend a trip over.

It's the best non-Bavarian part of Germany, in my opinion.
Meunster isn't far away either so you could work in both Kolsch and Alt bier if you play your cards right on a trip to Germany.



Adam

In the German tradition, Kölsch is probably considered a "lager" because it's "lagered" or cold conditioned for an extended period of time, but it's an oddity because it's a top fermenting yeast strain that works best at lower temps (close-to-lager strains). It produces some subdued fruity esters because it's an ale strain.

Kölsch, Alt, California Common, and some would argue even Kellerbier are the "category busting" beers that blur the lines between Ale and Lager and draw distinctions between the BJCP and German categorization schemes.

Kolsch is one of the most unforgiving beer styles, so unless you've mastered everything and have strict temp control and a German-like obsession for process don't try to make it at home to avoid disappointment.


Adam