Our first canned brew from The PeliCAN State of Louisiana. It's only fitting that this was also the first canned craft beer in the state. Heiner Brau begin canning their Kölsch the same year they began brewing, back in 2005. Heiner Brau Kölsch is still canned by hand and is the only beer that the brewery has chosen to can thus far. 

"Offered year round, Kölsch is a light and crisp golden German-style beer brewed in the finest traditions of the classic German Brewmasters. Traditionally brewed in Cologne, Germany, our version is similar to the classic Kölsch, but brewed and aged more in the Bavarian Style of a Kellerbier. Kellerbier (or Zwickelbier) is a beer natural carbonated and packed direct from the aging tank, without filtration or pasteurizing of the finished product.

Our Kölsch is warm fermented with Lager yeast and then cold-aged, or Lagered. Because our Kölsch is unfiltered and has natural brewer’s yeast remaining, it is not only very tasty and refreshing but is also a natural source of vitamin B. It is less bitter than the standard German pale lager and has a prominent, but not extreme, hoppiness."

Here we go...

Pour - light golden to straw like in color. A good half-inch of white foam lays on top of this pour. Clean and clear and looking refreshing.

Aroma - grainy, wet cereal, malty with some lemons. The more I stick my nose in this the more I smell some hints of pepper and spice. 

Taste - crisp, malty and refreshing. Something about this style that makes it seem simple but I'm pretty certain that it's a style that takes a lot of skill to do right. This one has just the right amount of malt sweetness followed by a nice snap of a finish - one that has you continuously diving back in. It's not an overly complex style but it's one that doesn't hide mistakes. When it's brewed well you'll know and this one is brewed well. 

Overall - I can't help but think that Kölsch is the style that should have been emulated by today's macrobrewers. Light, refreshing with actual malt flavor. Not a whole lot of hop profile but some citrus notes and altogether very satisfying. Well done Heiner Brau! 

Note - Henryk “Heiner” Orlik, owner and founder of Heiner Brau, is one of a select few German brew masters in the United States. In 1972, at the age of 16, Henryk began his brewing career in Germany.