talk about pints...
I was at Tony's Bar again yesterday and after one draft of Warsteiner Oktoberfest she told me they're having a CO2 problem and couldn't dispense draft for a bit and would I like to try something in a bottle? They have a vast selection of bottled beers so I picked one I never had or heard of, it was Gaffel Kölsch, a German beer from the Köln area. I enjoyed it very much. Here's the bottle and a description. The description is pretty close to what I would say except for the "...strange smell akin to lighting a Calor gas burner..." << I don't get that part.
This brew from Köln was tasted alongside Küppers Kölsch, a beer in the same style sharing the same appelation of origin.
It is a bright straw-coloured ale with a fairly fine head that gradually recedes but never quite disappears. The nose is quite light, consisting of hops, a touch of zest and a strange smell akin to lighting a Calor gas burner. In the mouth a delicate yet bitter hop character is immediately obvious, balanced by light, malty, fruity flavours - honey, orange, lemon and perhaps a touch of grapefruit. It is not too lively, and the hop notes become almost pilsner-like, but less intense. The finish still retains some of the grassy hop flavours, leaving a bitter, orange-zest aftertaste. This is an excellent example of the style, combining the refreshingly clean hoppiness of a lager with gently fruity ale-yeast notes.
This beer scored highest in a direct comparison with Küppers, although both are pleasant and refreshing. It is very enjoyable, with a complex blend of gentle hop character and lots of light fruitiness.