Secret to an authentic Kölsch

[LegTaste]

This is probably useless information as i'm guessing no one here would brew such a bland style of beer

I've drank a bit much of my own brew and felt like kicking some knowledge

I was in Köln/cologne a while ago (about a month) and drank a fair bit of kolsch in a pub, and i admit i wasn't all that impressed, tasted like a bland lager.

use larger or pilsner malt

aim for 5% or less alcohol (mine came out at about 4%)

dont add any hops that will get less than a 30 min boil time and an IBU of 25 or less (i used Hallertau)

You could probably add them all at the start probably doesn't make much difference, but i went 50% at the start %50 for the last 30 mins.

My beer hasn't even conditioned fully, and hasn't been lagered.

I fermented at about 20 degrees maybe higher with nottingham, and to me it tastes just like he kölsch i was drinking.

[lancsSteve]

Some food tips id reject the bland label though and there are quite a few kolsch brewing fans here - I'd recommend using spalt hops and much cooler fermentation at 15c with wlp029 or if you want to stick with dry yeasts (why?) then cool temp k97 or failing that nottingham in mid teens

It's also good fairly young from cask which makes it my summer brew of choice as cellar is then 15c and it's way easier than a lager but shares many of it's appealing and refreshing attributes

[Invalid Stout]

Why did you try to replicate a beer that you didn't like?

[leedsbrew]

I really like Kolsch. Gaffel is good, as is Kuppers! I have done a couple of great Kolsch brews! I go with Pilsner (or lager if its all I've got, 5% munich and 5% wheat. I've found that Tettnang makes a great kolsch. I use the Whitelabs yeast (wlp029 IIRC). It's great, super clean, sets like a rock at the bottom of the bottle!

in fact as soon as TMM has some back in stock I'm getting some more and getting a brew on!

[Invalid Stout]

Where does this thing about putting Munich malt in Kölsch come from?

[leedsbrew]

Where does this thing about putting Munich malt in Kölsch come from?

personal preference! also it has probably come from over the pond as I know that jamil zainasheff has used the following recipes in US comps, so the practice has probably been copied a few times!

http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/Kolsch.html

http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/JamilsKolsch.htm

It does make a nice kolsch STYLE beer IMHO

[Manx Guy]

Hi LB,
Sounds great - I still have a Kolsch planend but think that the yeast I chose (wyeast kolsch) isnt a great floculator so may have to chill it to get it to drop out...
Do you use German or UK Munich (as I believe there is a difference-UK is 'maltier'?)
What sort of colour does it come out at with the 5% Munich addition?

I'd planned to go with 90 Pils/lager 10% wheat and hop with Tet or Hallertau to about 25 IBU

Do you mash on the cool side ro does the yeast alone give that dry german taste?

Cheers!

Guy

[leedsbrew]

hey guy!

If you get another kolsch yeast defo get the WL, it drops out like a mother! the last kolsch I did was the clearest beer I have ever made! It looked filtered!

as for colour, I used UK munich last time but really want to try it with german


not the best picture but you get the idea! Still pretty pale!

I mashed in at 64oC, OG of 1.050, FG 1.011 28IBU. It can go a little drier than that but I find it nice like that. I think tet or hersbrucker are awesome in these beers. I fermented at about 15oC I think, cant remember! Turned out a cracker like!

[lancsSteve]

When i next make a kolsch (love them) I'll def use Spalt again and maybe a little melanoidin or tiny bit of german munich to add a little maltiness and easy simulation of the flavours of decoction mashing without the pain of doing so - then a lowish temp mash of 64c.

WLP029 is a GREAT yeast though! Barley Bottom's K97 (http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=249 dunno if he still splits it though) is supposed to be v similar if you want dried...

[coatesg]

My Kolsch is in drinking condition now - I'm a little surprised it has as much flavour as it has. Fairly prominent hallertau flavour, and a little peachy fruityness too, though I did ferment cool (16C) with WLP029.

[leewink]

2750 g Pilsner malt
125 g Wheat malt
125 g Munich Malt

3000 g total grain bill - guesstimate ABV 3.6 % - came out 4.1% LOL (probably the bottling sugar added to this)

42.5 g spalt

WLP 029 Kolsch

Its about as authentic as your gonna get, apart from swapping out to personal preferrences.

I have bottled this and has sat for 2 weeks now, tried earlier and its superb, still young and i'm liking it, even served it room temp.

I also used 42ml of CRS in my starting 27ltr liquor, giving a softer water to start.

[Swiller]

Scuse my ignorance leewink what is CRS?

J

[mark]

Scuse my ignorance leewink what is CRS?

J

Carbonate Reducing Solution.
It is an acid that is used to reduce carbonate (CaCO3) levels in brewing liqour.

[Swiller]

Cheers.

[LegTaste]

I'll just add, the reason i brewed a beer i didn't like, was because i wanted to see if the kolsch i had in Koln was just a bad one since a lot of people have good things to say about it.

I enjoy a good pilsner, but all i could think of when drinking the kolsch in Germany was Carling and similar piss they sell here.

No doubt, adding some late hops will enhance it.

Also Früh responded to a homebrewer via email, was posted on some forum, and they say for a good kolsch they recommend fermting at 18+°C

No doubt my attempt would probably be quite different if compared side by side (to whatever it was i was drinking), but it makes me question extreme lagering (0°C for months)

I will have to experiement with lagering (storing in the fridge) some of my beers and see if i can taste any difference.