Fine German brews in the west end

Kichesippi brewmaster Philip Kochanke and I had sat down for a talk about his love of his craft and German style beer in general. One of the reasons, I suspect, we got on so well was this shared love of Germany’s national drink. I’ve always called it a genetic imperative. He understood exactly what I meant.

He told me “I like good drinkable beers” citing wheat beer, pilsners and lagers as amongst his preferred styles. It’s little surprise that when you grow up drinking these beers, it’s also how your palate becomes calibrated. You can come to appreciate all manner of other tastes but you return to your foundation as the go-to.

It’s a good thing that he has these preferences because his brews tell a story of authenticity. They are as close to the best of German beer styles as you’re likely to find in this market. Philip is a man who breathed in his brewing education and is not just brewing from a book. For him, this is a classic labour of love.

“If I say so myself, the wheat beer at Kichesippi is worth seeking out. We do two batches and it will be available from June until September.”

He also still loves one of their flagship beers Heller Highwater, “One of the most satisfying things for me is seeing a crystal clear lager running through the filter.”

That said, Phil was good enough to give me a tank sample of a Czech Pilsner that they brew for the Cheshire Cat pub in Carp. As I brought the glass to my nose,the sweet and rich complexity of this unfiltered brew almost had me swooning and as I drank it, I was whisked back to the Altbier houses so famous in Düsseldorf. It felt alive as it went down, an unparalleled freshness that invigorated. 

I commented on this and suggested this beer be served unfiltered and he mused, “It would be so good if we were able to serve this on our patio this summer.” I couldn’t agree more. Lovers of beer deserve to experience something this singular in our market.

Another thing I appreciate is that Phil makes every effort to give his customers beer of stylistic integrity. If it’s on the label, that’s what it tastes like. Not some approximation with non-traditional malts or hops that are seldom charming. 

His recent Altbier release is the closest I’ve come to having that beer experience outside of Düsseldorf. He certainly has the right recipe but it may also have something to do with the fact that he worked at the Früh Kölsch brewery in Cologne, a city only twenty minutes by train from Düsseldorf. Here he spent some time sampling the Altbier at the city’s famous breweries.

If you stop by the taproom you can indulge in things other than their fine brews. Shimmy is a blend of Dunrobin gin with Kichesippi sugar free grapefruit soda and Vodkow Mule mixes a fantastic Kichesippi Gingerbread radler with, you guessed it, Vodkow vodka. Both are just a little too tasty so bring a designated driver.

They also have two food trucks on site that are open from April to November. Ad Mare serves (I’m told) outstanding fish and chips, lobster rolls and po boy sandwiches while Le’s Fusion Kitchen offers up Vietnamese fare with the occasional Thai twist.

Currently Le’s is operating as a pop up on Fridays and Saturdays using the Kichesippi kitchen so let’s drop in on the man behind the food.