Kölsch

Kölsch (the Low German name for Cologne) is a specialty beer brewed only in Cologne. A document known as the Kölsch Convention was signed in 1986 by the directors of two dozen Kölsch breweries, ensuring that Kölsch beer can only be brewed in Cologne and its surrounding area, and nowhere else in the world.

The guidelines stipulated that Kölsch is not only a type of beer, but also a designation of origin. They specify that true Kölsch beer is a pale yellow, clear, highly fermented, fully-rounded ale, brewed according to the German Beer Purity Law of 1516.

It is the lightest ale in Germany, and it is served in traditional, tall, cylindrical Kölsch glasses. Kölsch is usually enjoyed in a traditional beer pubs known as Kölschkneipe or Brauhaus. There, the 'Köbes' (special waiters dressed in blue aprons with a rough Kölsch dialect) serve this fantastic ale one after another until you signal you have had enough by placing your coaster on top of your glass.