kolsch advice

[alix101]

My plan today is to make a kolsch I'm going to use northern brewer but with probably only a,60min addition, or is a late addition welcome in this style? I'm also pondering grain additions, I was thinking 80% larger malt and 20% wheat, or can you add specialty malts like munich.?
Thanks

[Wolfy]

90% pils/lager malt, 5% Munich and 5% Wheat malt worked well for me.
Hops were added at the start of boil, but some were a 'first wort hop' addition (which some people may suggest provides some 'mild' late hopping characteristics).

[Manx Guy]

Hi

The style guidelines allow you a bit of latitude with the grain bill, but I go for lager malt with 10% wheat.
Personally I think this style benefits from a late addition say at 10-15mins but my best Kolschs were the ones I used tettnang in!
What yeast are you planning to use, and will you lager it?

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Guy

[jimmiec]

My last one was Pilsen 90% and Wheat 10%. Earlier batches I had some Munich or Vienna malts (5%). You want it nice an clear like Wolfy's. Too me the most important part of a Kolsch is the type of yeast with a health pitch and nice cool fermentation to have a clean aroma and flavor with just a hint of fruity ester (not much at all).

[alix101]

I'm using wlp029 kolsch yeasts, I've never used it before, and I was thinking about 65f and then, larger it for a couple of weeks. The examples above look great I hope I can get the clarity.

[Wolfy]

Since 65F is 18.3C I assume you mean thats the temp you will use.
Mine was Wy2565 @ 17C for 10 days then 3 weeks at 4C.

[alix101]

Had to wait for the wife to go out to get it on the go..but I've sneaked out for a pint ..I'll post back when I've begun just need to, check my speciality malts

[zgoda]

I tried many grist compositions, with and without wheat and the most "silky" kolsches was with 2-5% wheat, the rest being pilsner malt.

Anyway the key for good kolsch is lagering for at least 2 weeks. This makes kolsch a "top fermented lager".

[alix101]

I went for 5% wheat and 5% munich. its in the fermenting fridge at 65 but I intend to drop the temperature after 2 weeks....

[Manx Guy]

Cool,

Its a good yeast but can take a while to drop out...
Let us know how it turns out



Guy

[Rookie]

Cool,
Its a good yeast but can take a while to drop out...
Let us know how it turns out

Guy

I'd think that the time that kolsch should be lagered would take care of that.

[alix101]

Do you need to chill this yeast then? And if you do for how long and how cold. As this is an ale, yeast I'm assuming there is no need.

[Wolfy]

Kölsch and Kölsch yeast are really 'hybrid' type beers, they essentially use an ale yeast but are generally fermented like a lager - often at cooler temps than Ale is usually fermented and often including a cold lagering process. As others mentioned above Kölsch yeast is not generally very flocculant so the extended cold storage helps yeast drop, to produce a nice bright beer (as per my photo above).

[alix101]

If my beer turns out that bright I will be pleased wolfy. The whitelabs web site said to keep the temperature at 65 , but didn't mention anything for secondary.

[Wolfy]

Most online resources indicate that Kölsch is a lagered ale:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6lsch_(beer)
http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/K%F6lsch.html