Grannyknot
Well-Known Member
Doing a Kolsch this coming weekend, and after doing some reading on the internet it appears that a true Cologne Kolsch uses very soft water.
Here's my recipe for 5.25 gallons in the fermenter:
10lbs German Pilsener
0.5lb Munich Light
1.5oz Mt Hood @ 60min
0.5oz Mt Hood @ 5min
Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast at 58* for 3 weeks. 68* for 2 weeks. Cold Crash for 2 Weeks.
Now, I know that Mt Hood hops aren't traditional in a Cologne Kolsch, but I'd like the water profile to be close. Here is the water report for my town:
Alkalinity 67 ppm
Aluminum 13 ppb
Chloride 14 ppm
Hardness 91 ppm
Iron 10 ppb
Manganese 1 ppb
pH 7.2 Standard Units
Sulfate 26 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids 110 ppm
Zinc 115 ppb
Far from being soft water, I know. So, without doing a small chemistry experiment, would I be any better off buying distilled water for this recipe?
Here's my recipe for 5.25 gallons in the fermenter:
10lbs German Pilsener
0.5lb Munich Light
1.5oz Mt Hood @ 60min
0.5oz Mt Hood @ 5min
Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast at 58* for 3 weeks. 68* for 2 weeks. Cold Crash for 2 Weeks.
Now, I know that Mt Hood hops aren't traditional in a Cologne Kolsch, but I'd like the water profile to be close. Here is the water report for my town:
Alkalinity 67 ppm
Aluminum 13 ppb
Chloride 14 ppm
Hardness 91 ppm
Iron 10 ppb
Manganese 1 ppb
pH 7.2 Standard Units
Sulfate 26 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids 110 ppm
Zinc 115 ppb
Far from being soft water, I know. So, without doing a small chemistry experiment, would I be any better off buying distilled water for this recipe?