I’m looking at brewing a Kolsch in the next week or so and was wondering what you all might suggest for boil times. I’ve read that 90 minutes helps to reduce DMS –- do any of you adhere to this?
Also, I’ll be brewing the NB’s Kolsch AG kit, but decided to swap out the German Pils for NB’s Kolsch Malt, just to see what the result would be (I know that it will likely come out darker than with the German Pils). Have any of you used this malt?
Lastly, I plan on fermenting at ~60* and then lagering for 4-6 weeks before bottle conditioning for 4 weeks, which would bring it online in June. Does this timeline sound reasonable?
As long as you know the Kolsch malt will make it darker, cool. I have never used it before though.
I make Kolsch no less than 6 times a year since my wife is from Koln.
I usually ferment between 62-64F, to bring out the kolsch yeast flavor a tad more. It really is ALL about the yeast charater in this beer. Using a lager yeast or fermenting cooler than 60F will really make it seem like a german helles.
Also get the beer dry. In all honesty, it’s more in line with light american lager than other german style beers. If you’re doing AG, mash between 147-149F.
As far as conditioning, mine always reaches it’s peak after 9weeks from brew day. 2 weeks fermenting and lagering till kegging.
Good luck and please please please, drink it from a Stange!!
Thanks very much for the advice - it sounds as if you could brew this recipe blindfolded. I’ll be using Wyeast 2565 and have always been worried about fermenting too warm, but may well give your temps a try.
As for the glassware, I’ve got that end covered! In case anyone is interested, here’s a link to a site selling Stangen at a pretty reasonable price. I had good luck when I ordered from them…
I haven’t done an all grain kolsh yet but I brewed three of them from Northern Brewer when I was extract brewing and they were all great. What a underrated style of beer!
I still do a 90 minute boil for beers with Pilsner malt, although I may not need to with modern malts. I just do it for peace of mind… and it doesn’t hurt.
Also, I bought my stanges from Lee Valley as well and I’m happy with them.
I LOVE this style of beer and Kulture that surrounds it. To be such a light beer, it has such a distinct flavor.
I’ve made many malt variations that have portions of vienna, munich, and wheat malt added, but keep coming back to the simple 90% Pilsner and 10% Wheat malt. It seems to let the yeast flavor shine with a firm head backbone provided by the wheat.
I also do 90 minute boils, but I do that on just about all my beers, pils malt or no. And just to throw a different experience out there, I’ve fermented this yeast in the high 50’s and still obtained some of that subtle almost white-wine flavor.
