NB's Kolsch

Beer Recipe Design
1

Getting ready to brew the 5 gal all grain Kolsch from our host. Going to use s-05. Just curious if any have brewed this, how it turned out, and if there is any advice out there pre-brew. Just looking for a good, clean beer, but I do like the slight fruity hint I get from a Spaten or a Weihenstephaner lager. I guess I’m mostly looking for advice on ferm temps, if there’s any chance of getting something like that out of 05.

Thanks,

Ron

2

How do you control temps and do you have lagering capabilities? A kolsch is no different than other beers as far as making. Its a hybrid because you ferment it at cooler temps and then lager. If you can do that why don’t you use the kolsch yeast ( technically not a kolsch unless you do)?

3

I use a swamp cooler (big deep laundry sink). I can keep temps down to about 56*f pretty well. I don’t have any way of truly lagering, so this kit looked interesting using 05. I realise it won’t be a true lager, but hoping to get a reasonable facsimile. I guess that’s one reason I was looking for feedback, since a real Kolsch should be lagered and this kit doesn’t “require” that with the 05.

Thanks,

Ron

4

That’s pretty annoying that their kit includes a west coast ale yeast to make this beer. I agree with Loopie that this will not taste like a kolsch if you don’t use a kolsch yeast. There’s that slight delicate mix of sulfur and pear that you just don’t get with other yeasts.

HOWEVER: I do love US-05 at the real low end of its temp range, particularly in really simple beers like this one likely is. It will kick out a peach ester if fermented in the high 50’s, which I find works great in a few beers I make. Brew it up, but don’t expect a kolsch.

5

Any advice on which water profile to use in brunwater for this beer? Still very new at brunwater and a little unsure.

Thanks

Ron

6

I would personally go with yellow balanced (don’t have access right now so trying to go off memory).

7

Thanks Josh. We’ll give it a whirl.

:cheers:

Ron

8

Just an update. This beer turned out great! I kept fermentation in the mid-50s and ended up with that slight fruitiness that Pietro mentioned. If you like beers like Spaten, you would like this.

Cheers and thanks for all the help.

Ron

9

Good for you! Glad I could help. I like the kolsch strain for beers like kolsch as well as blondes and cream ale. I always have a saved slurry on hand.