Light, crisp, extra refreshing, a kölsch is a perfect summer brew. Technically, kölsch is only brewed in its birthplace of Cologne, Germany (like champagne or parmesan cheese, place matters) which is why the good people in Chicago’s Revolution Brewing are designating the Ghost Ride a Kölsch-style ale. This brilliant gold beer shares a lot in common with another (and possibly better known) summer-perfect beer, the pilsner, but instead of lager yeast, top-fermenting ale yeast is called in for fermentation.
Revolution used a cooler-fermenting ale yeast, which doesn’t produce quite as many of those fruity-scented byproducts we call esters. Instead, the Ghost Ride Kölsch gives you complexities you might find in a good white wine. But don’t worry (not that you were) this is still beer. Just available for the summer months, this seasonal offering clocks in at just below five percent ABV, for an easy refresher to be enjoyed this side of the Rhine.
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