I’m going to make this all grain batch and I like making the yeast starter with the liquid packs. Unfortunately the optimum temperature for Wyeast 2565 is 56-64 F. My pantry is 71 F. Do I need to pitch dry yeast and if so, should I pitch an extra pack or should 1 pack be enough?
Thanks,
Brent
I hate to tell you this, but the defining characteristic of a Kolsch is the yeast and fermentation. If you brew on but ferment with US-05 in a 71F pantry, you will end up with a blond ale, not a Kolsch. And unfortunately, it will be an estery blond ale because 71 that’s too warm to make a clean beer.
Look up swamp coolers to keep your fermentation temperatures under control.
Marshall Schott of Brulosophy.com recently did an experiment where the WLP029 Kolsch yeast turned out just as well at warm fermentation temperatures as cold. Unfortunately if you already have the Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast, that is a totally different yeast and might not perform as well warm. If you haven’t bought your yeast yet, then seek out the WLP029 if you can’t ferment cool. Experiment results here: http://brulosophy.com/2015/01/19/fermen … t-results/
I agree with setting up a swamp cooler. Or do what I do. Take an old t-shirt and saturate it with water. Place your fermenter into a tub with about 2 inches of water in the bottom. Place the old wet shirt on the fermenter. Blow a fan on it. This will reduce fermentation temperature by approximately 5 degrees F. Make sure the shirt stays wet for the whole fermentation. Unfortunately, if you use the 2565 yeast, fermentation is also slow and may take up to 5 weeks. Another advantage of WLP029; it ferments at normal speeds of a week or two.
Hope this helps.
I’ve done Kölsch with S-05 and it is nice but nor true to the flavor, as the post above indicates. I just racked this one done with 2565 after 3 weeks in bucket at 63 degrees…may take a while to clear, if ever. That’s part of the character of the yeast.
Thanks for the advice. I haven’t bought the kit yet but after reading your replies I think I will invest in a small swamp cooler. I have purchased this one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UH ... UTF8&psc=1Since my pantry is only a 5x5, I am hoping to keep it at 60 F. Btw, the temp in the pantry is about 70F right now.
Is this realistic?
[quote=“brentconn”]Thanks for the advice. I haven’t bought the kit yet but after reading your replies I think I will invest in a small swamp cooler. I have purchased this one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UH ... UTF8&psc=1Since my pantry is only a 5x5, I am hoping to keep it at 60 F. Btw, the temp in the pantry is about 70F right now.
Is this realistic?[/quote]
That’s not what I had in mind, that’s essentially an air conditioner that works by a different principal. I was thinking of the "place your fermentor in a shallow tray with water in it, and drape a wet t-shirt over it solution. If you do that and run a fan across it, you can get the fermentation temperature down maybe 3-5 degrees below ambient, which isn’t enough to make a Kolsch, but it will keep most of your ales in check if the closet is at 70. Something like you bought is powered though, and might work better. Don’t know for certain, I’ve never used one of those.
Wet t-shirt and fan, man.
Ok guys. LOL. When I think swamp cooler, I think evaporative cooler. My bad. I will keep you posted on the results. I have 2 more batches to make before I make the Kolsch. I hope everybody is amused at my interpretations. 
I think this is a great idea for a room 5’x5’. Will it work? Not sure but even if it drops it to low 60°s you can drop temps even further with the water, T-shirt, and fan method.
Wet t-shirt and fan is evaporative cooling. Same principle, less money.
[quote=“rebuiltcellars”]
Wet t-shirt and fan is evaporative cooling. Same principle, less money.[/quote]
I understand what you’re saying but I don’t see myself putting a wet t shirt on a carboy and fanning it. After giving it more thought, I have decided to buy a chest freezer instead and control my temps on demand. I jumped the gun on buying the evap cooler. Thanks for all the advice and as always I am still learning. thanks to all! :cheers:
If you have the space and can afford it, that’s the way to go. The quality of your beer will improve dramatically with good temperature control.
I bought a 15 CF chest freezer. I think I’m going to lager a few batches.
BUMP!
I am planning a Kölsch and I’m somewhat limited to dry yeast in the sunshine state. K97 and Lallemand Köln are prominently but not universally recommended. Each seems to have its own particular flaws, not clearing well, low cell count, “yeasty and hazy for several months”, etc. The local micro brewery that’s close to me is currently featuring a Kölsch on tap that tastes fine, with K 97, but is quite cloudy.
@dmtaylo2 had even recommended in a previous post and another thread Safale SO4, which I have, and would be willing to try. Not sure if that would be an authentic Kölsch(?), however, I do see other citations that it has been used for this style of beer.
I used the Kolsch wyeast 2565 very clean
These days I would just skip Kolsch yeast and use Diamond or S-189 or S-04. I’ve heard some good things about the Koln yeast, might try that one eventually. But I stand by my previous statements to avoid K-97, it’s just not good at all.
Thanks, yes. I have the ability to ferment on the cool side, so trying to stay with one of the more traditional Kölsch avenues. Especially since this is my first attempt at this style, if you can believe it. But certainly that would be a good option for people with limited space or no ability to ferment Cool.
Ok, recipe for Kölsch is finished and grain and yeast ordered, tried to stay as close to a ‘kölsch style ale’ as possible(technically you can only call it kölsch in Köln (Cologne) 
)
Finally, decided to use the Lallemand Köln yeast as it seem to have the least negative press. Accounting for low cell count ….using two packets, fairly expensive, unfortunately.
Just got home from work and it’s bubbling like a champ. The Köln yeast obviously kicked in much earlier today, judging from the krauesen, well under 24 hours.
So, kegged and waiting for it to carb up.
Ordered my stange (pronounced stong-uh)glasses from kegworks(6.8 oz).
Found several commercial kölsch varieties to try(Früh, Reissdorf, and Gaffel) and find out how far off I am 
