I found a kit (on another site) that was called a “Red Kölsch Ale” - basically a Kölsch, but more malty and darker in color (ruby red). The site wasn’t cool like NB in that they don’t share their recipes.
Has anyone heard of such a recipe, and do you know what’s in it?
Alright I will be the one to say it. HERESY!
I am not the biggest Belgian fan but do enjoy a patersbier or kolsch from time to time, and sure there is plenty of room for experimentation and creating a new personal style etc… that’s all part of the hobby/ trade etc… BUT I group this into the classics not to be messed with group.
IE: All Pils, Dunkel, Bock, Kolsch, Patersbier just to start. This particular group contains beers that shine because they are so simple in nature. You have very few to no adjunct grain, conservative hopping rates and the yeast is what makes the character of the beer what it is especially in the case of the kolsch/ patersbier.
The only time I have seen a commercial tweak of a classic is Konig Ludwig Dunkel which was considered “off” by others in the German brewing circles years ago because he dry hops his dunkel. But it is an awesome dark lager and still is true to style although with a slightly fresher hop aroma. But something such as coloring a kolsch seems like a gimmick some LHBS kid dreamed up just to make a kit. It “may” be good but it sounds like an overuse of a cara malt again whereas kolsch should be clean in character and I can only picture the malt whatever it is being used just “muddling” up a classic flavor profile.
I would say they’re doing a Vienna Lager or something similar with a Kolsch yeast.
Or maybe an alt base with kolsch yeast. There is local beer company here that makes an amber/red with kolsch yeast, and it’s pretty good. I would call it a Northern German Alt but they don’t (they just call it an amber). A few years ago I made a bunch of experimental beers with the kolsch yeast . The “brown” kolsch wasn’t very good, the “red rye” kolsch was OK, and the fruit kolsches didn’t work with the yeast. But by far my favorite was the regular/simple/standard kolshes.
Interesting. I just made a porter with a cake of WLP029 from a koelsch I’d just brewed. I think I might be able to perceive the “koelschiness” from the yeast, but it could just as easily be my imagination.
I might not go out of my way to do it, but I would not be afraid to use koelsch yeast for an American brown ale…maybe that’s different from what you were looking for with your “brown” koelsch, though.
I assume you are talking about morebeer (its ok, you can say that here). Its their kolsch kit with probably Carared malt for steeping.
I had an alt brewed with kolsch yeast recently that was pretty good.
