Every month the DC Beer staff picks a beer available at Arlington’s The Brew Shop, and this month was my turn, so we’re going to talk about Kolsch, brewed with ale yeast, but lagered for the best of both worlds.
The Tao of Kolsch in the DC area starts with Bill Madden, who brewed at Capitol City Alehouse, Vintage 50 in Leesburg, and Mad Fox in Falls Church. His Kolsch influenced Charlie Buettner at Fair Winds, Matt Ryan of Cedar Run, and the late Chuck Noll, of Franklin’s and Bluemont, Virginia’s Bear Chase, among others.
DC is a Kolsch town. Bluejacket, Elder Pine, Lost Generation, and Silver Branch all do a proper Kolsch service, 7 ounce glasses–stanges–of Kolsch, at varying points throughout the year. It’s unlikely you’ll find a city in the United States that has more bars and breweries–hi Shelter!–offering this than DC. We slow down for the finer things, be they picking crabs or drinking half-pints of beer served in narrow glasses that are somehow crisp, herbal, and slightly floral like a lager, yet with a wisp of stone fruit esters like an ale.
Few area breweries boast a better view or a better Kolsch than Bear Chase, which won the 2023 gold medal for this beer at the Great American Beer Fest. That’s not a fluke, the beer took silver in 2020.
But don’t take the judges’ word for it. Beth Helle of The Brew Shop has tasting notes: “Kodiak Kolsch [4.5% ABV] greets you with the traditional puffy, somewhat luxurious Kolsch head – a visual that makes your mind drift to planning a vacation to Cologne. Super clean and lean with delicate floral aromas paired with earthy and herbal undertones. The finish has a subtle fruitiness rounding out what is otherwise a very dry, refreshing profile. Crushable, balanced, and matched perfectly to cut through the August humidity.”
DC Beer Patreon members, see below, get 10% off. Everyone else pays full price, but Kodiak Kolsch is worth it either way. Buy some at The Brew Shop, and take a day trip to Bluemont, leaf peeping season is coming up and that view is even better in person. Cheers.
