Thought's on a Kolsch

[RichardG]

Guys, I'm planning a Kolsch style brew in the near future. I've had some very useful feedback on the yeast in that section (more always welcome!), and am now looking at the malts to use. My idea is to go for what seems the standard 90/5/5 mix of pale/munich/wheat (though I appreciate the munich isn't to 'style', but the reasons given for using it make sense to me). My question really relates to which malts are the best to use. Would I be better using pilsner malt over standard UK lager malt, and German munich as opposed to readily available UK munich (or even Vienna malt?), or does it actually make any discernable difference? What experinces have you had with this?

[leedsbrew]

Id go with the Weyermann malts personally mate. The Munich especially is. Dry different to uk Munich. Your goi g to get a much more authentic brew. I find the pilsner from Weyermann has a soft grainy sweetness compared to uk lager.

I brewed an Oktoberfest Munich beer a few months ago and used the Weyermann Munich. It had a great, fresh bread crust melanoidin flavour! I know your only gonna use 5% but I think it will bring a lot to the beer for such as all %.

Cheers

LB

[leedsbrew]

Infact while the weathers as it is, I have half a sack of Weyermann pilsner malt, I may have to get a kolsch on as well!

[RichardG]

Sold to the man from Leeds! Cheers matey; I was pretty much sure that was the right way to go, but thats just helped to convince me.

[Goulders]

I want to do a BIAB Kolsch at some point. Is temp control essential? (as I haven't got it)

I have read that 16 degrees is best as 18 degrees plus gives too fruity a flavour. I should point out that I have never drunk a Kolsch but fancy doing something like this as I can't lager - something the wife may consume as well as me

[Barley Water]

Just a couple of comments and a question; first of all, you are for sure making the correct call using the German pils malt for that beer for exactly the reasons posted above. Secondly, you really will be better off controlling the temperature on all your brews but in this particular case, if you have anything more than a very, very faint fruity flavor from the yeast, that is too much (and the only way to insure that is to ferment cold). Now for the question, why are you using Munich malt? It will potentially cause your beer to get too dark. The only reason I can come up with is because you want to simulate decoction results but I don't want to put words into your mouth. By the way, I did a Helles which had 3/4 of a pound of Munich malt in the grist (first time for me) and it came out really good (of couse, I also decocted it because I wanted "malty"). The beer was bordering on gold however and that is ok for a Helles but I would really rather a Kosch be lighter than that. I may try that style for a contest later this year, generally when I make up a wort like that I just go ahead and make a lager.

[RichardG]

Very interesting input there BW, many thanks for that. Firstly, you're right about the Munich; the idea was to simulate a stepped mash. It's probably worth emphasizing that the aim here is a Kolsch style, so I'm not overly worried about it being a bit darker than the norm at this stage. As for using Pils malt, I'm definitely sold on that. I'll see how I feel about the Munich though.

[Barley Water]

Another comment if I may. Step mashing is similar to decoction mashing in that the mash is typically stepped up in temperature (ie; acid rest, protein rest and maybe one or more sacrification rests). What you will not get doing a step mash however is melonodin reactions. When you actually boil the grain doing a decoction, you carmalize some of the sugars which can do a couple of things for you, one it affects the mouthfeel of the beer and two it affects the flavor. Because most of us are using highly converted malts, step infusions are frequently not required however, I know some people that do them religously and they are damn good brewers (I am however not one of them). If I want a beer malty however, I do decoctions, especially with German beers. This of course is more work but I think it really makes a difference in some styles (especially weizen biers). This is also a subject of many arguments on internet brewing forums so take it for what it's worth. Generally speaking with German beers however, you want malty but you also want a pretty dry product and Kolsh is no exception. By the way, doing protein rests can in some cases adversly affect head retention, something to think about. Anyhow, let us know how it works out for you and good luck.

[critch]

all uk malt from the likes of muntons fawcets warminster(not sure on bairds or crisp) is fully modified and does not need a steped mash

iknow warminster buys fully modified munich from wayerman if theyve none to hand(experienced the colour differential more than once!)

on kolsch my best opinion is to source a real kolsch yeast....

[ChuckE]

Ha! I just tapped a keg of Kolsch a couple nights ago and am drinking a pint at the moment. A few points;
-Mash at about 64C.
-Use the proper yeast or brew something else.
-Kolsch benefits from lagering a month. Your patience will be rewarded.
-I ferment mine warmer than most, at 19C. It gives the beer a distinctive Kolsch twang.
-I up the Wheat a bit and add Munich... but that's me.
-Go with the pilsner malt.