This inspired hybrid takes the clean, delicate German Kölsch style and infuses it with a decidedly refreshing, summery Portuguese twist by incorporating cucumber or pepino.
The base of this beer adheres closely to the traditional Kölsch methodology, starting with a grist of pale malts to achieve a light, straw-colored clarity and a subtle, bread-like foundation. It is fermented with a Kölsch yeast strain. This ale yeast operates at cooler temperatures, mimicking lager fermentation to produce a crisp and clean beer while imparting a faint, characteristic fruity ester profile. Following primary fermentation, the beer undergoes a cold conditioning, or lagering, phase for an extended period to refine its clarity further and smooth any rough edges. The key production step, however, is the addition of fresh cucumber to the conditioning process. This natural adjunct is chosen for its subtly refreshing and highly aromatic qualities, which are infused into the already delicate beer without overwhelming the classic malt and yeast character of the Kölsch base. The final result is a beer that is structurally traditional and aromatically innovative, clocking in at a highly drinkable.
Poured into a slender stange, the Kölscha de Pepino exhibits a brilliant straw color and a frothy, white head with good retention. On the nose, the beer is immediately intriguing, offering the expected delicate fruitiness and faint breadiness typical of a good Kölsch, but a dominant, fresh, and vegetal aroma of cucumber skin and melon beautifully overshadows these notes. The flavor follows the scent, leading with a clean, crisp, and slightly tart profile that quickly introduces the flavor of fresh cucumber, which tastes like cool, subtly green water, complementing the light malt sweetness. This is not a spiced or aggressively flavored beer; the pepino acts as a supremely refreshing, natural cooling element. The body is light and effervescent, and the finish is exceptionally dry and clean. It leaves behind only a whisper of cooling cucumber and a gentle bitterness, making it an ideal, uniquely Portuguese thirst-quencher for warm weather.
