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A few Kolsch questions

Northern Brewer General
#1

Hi all,

I’m brewing my first kolsch so I have no prior reference. I have never even had a commercial beer to taste yet.

Anyway, everything seems fine so far. Its an all grain brew, approx 9 lbs german pils and slight addition wheat. Pitched Wyeast kolsch strain.

Anyway, I have no real control over ferm temps other than location of my buckets. Its currently in my basement, unwrapped and hovering in the 66 degree range. The smell coming from the airlock is not as banana-ie as all my other brews (ipa’s, saison, etc)

It smells very Naragansett like to me…Is this normal?

Is the ferm temp OK or should I try to get that down some more somehow?

#2

It might be okay, but I’d apply a wet t-shirt and fan to bring the temperature down by 4-5 degrees. Cheap and easy. Also you might want to research something known as “swamp cooler”.

#3

ideally, kolsch’s need low n’ slow (high 50’s beer temperature). Check out Nighthawks autosig for ideas on controlling temp.

You will make beer, but it will have a lot more esters (pear/apple, maybe some sulfur) than a proper kolsch.

#4

Well, temps have dropped alot lately so my basement temp has as well. Fermtemp is now 62 ish. Still bubbling away consistently.

I went out and bought a couple cemmercial kolsch brews to taste…really liked both! Now I have a reference to compare when this gets done!

Very much wish I had kegging stuff so I could sample sooner! One of these days! I did score an old fridge recently so collection has begun!

#5

I just brewed a NB Kolsch with the Tettnanang and Perle hops, 20 Min boil. I came out with a 1.041/42 O.G. From what I’ve read about Kolsch brews, I should have had a 1.048. Has anybody else come out with a lower O.G., and how did it turn out?

#6

A couple things to keep in mind when brewing a Kolsch.

  1. It should be dry, and the yeast need a bit of help to get it there. Raise the temperature at the end of fermentation (when it is about 75% done) by about 5 degrees like you would for a d-rest.

  2. This yeast is about the worst flocculating strain you will come across. It takes a LONG time to clear on it’s own. This is one of the few styles that I’d use a fining agent on. Gelatin works well.

#7

[quote=“rebuiltcellars”]A couple things to keep in mind when brewing a Kolsch.

  1. It should be dry, and the yeast need a bit of help to get it there. Raise the temperature at the end of fermentation (when it is about 75% done) by about 5 degrees like you would for a d-rest.

  2. This yeast is about the worst flocculating strain you will come across. It takes a LONG time to clear on it’s own. This is one of the few styles that I’d use a fining agent on. Gelatin works well.[/quote]
    :?

Not what I wanted to hear! LOL.

Ive never used gelatin before. Can it be used in the secondary? These will probably be bottled in the next week or so. It is getting very cold here so I was going to cold crash a few nights in my bulkhead entrance. No heat but protected from critters or game that might wander around looking for a freebie. :cheers:

#8

A good cold crash will clear it up nicely. Also, after bottled and carbed, several days in the fridge before drinking will be amazingly clear.

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