Partial Mash or Extract Kolsch Recipe

Hi all,

I've been wanting to make a Kolsch since I had one at a smaller brewhouse in the Bay Area and was hoping to find a Partial Mash or an Extract recipe. I've seen a few AG recipes through searching the forums but am at a loss as to how to convert these (I don't have BeerSmith as I'm a faithful Mac user )

Any help would be appreciated!

EDIT: I've never PM'd before so I might prefer an Extract recipe, though a PM recipe would give me a good excuse to follow https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231

BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines - Category 06

Brewing a Kölsch is fun and easy. It's a perfect way to get started with a partial mash recipe. I would suggest something along these lines:

2 lbs of German Pale Malt
3 lbs of German Pilsner Malt
Mash at 152-154°F

Use 3 lbs of Pilsner Extract

20-30 IBUs (depends on your alpha acid for quantity) of hops for a 90 minute boil (you don't need flavor or aroma)

Hop selections could be Hallertau, Tettnanger, Spalt, Saaz, etc. Any noble hop will work. Low alpha acid content and nice and spicy.

You could use the Kölsch yeast from white labs (WLP029) or wyeast (2565). I've also had good Kölsch beers with white labs cream ale blend (WLP080)

I would suggest fermenting in the low-mid 60s (no higher than 66°F).

Awesome, that doesn't sound so hard

Use 3 lbs of Pilsner Extract

Click to expand...

Would 3# of pale LME work? Or is this a certain type of extract?

EDIT: Actually looking at my LHBS they have Pilsner DME, would 3# of that be what you are referring to?

Thanks!

Going to brew this afternoon:

2# US 2-row (couldn't find and german pale malt at LHBS)
3# German Pilsner Malt
3# Pilsner DME

1 oz 5.8au Saaz (IBU of 23 for 90 minute boil)
Wyeast 2565

Hope using 2-row works, guess we'll find out.

EDIT: Just found out about BeerAlchemy, here's a printout:
Kolsch

Selected Style and BJCP Guidelines
6C-Light Hybrid Beer-Kolsch

Minimum OG: 1.044 SG Maximum OG: 1.050 SG
Minimum FG: 1.007 SG Maximum FG: 1.011 SG
Minimum IBU: 20 IBU Maximum IBU: 30 IBU
Minimum Color: 3.5 SRM Maximum Color: 5.0 SRM


Recipe Overview
Wort Volume Before Boil: 6.08 US gals Wort Volume After Boil: 5.28 US gals
Volume Transferred: 5.28 US gals Water Added To Fermenter: 0.00 US gals
Volume At Pitching: 5.28 US gals Volume Of Finished Beer: 5.02 US gals
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.022 SG Expected OG: 1.050 SG
Expected FG: 1.011 SG Apparent Attenuation: 77.8 %
Expected ABV: 5.2 % Expected ABW: 4.1 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 22.7 IBU Expected Color (using Morey): 3.3 SRM
BU:GU ratio: 0.46 Approx Color:
Mash Efficiency: 70.0 %
Boil Duration: 90.0 mins
Fermentation Temperature: 68 degF


Fermentables
Ingredient Amount % MCU When
German Pilsner Malt 3.00 lb 37.5 % 0.7 In Mash/Steeped
US 2-Row Malt 2.00 lb 25.0 % 0.7 In Mash/Steeped
Extract - Light Dried Malt Extract 3.00 lb 37.5 % 1.7 Start Of Boil


Hops
Variety Alpha Amount IBU Form When
Czech Saaz 5.8 % 1.00 oz 22.7 Bagged Pellet Hops All Of Boil


Other Ingredients
Ingredient Amount When
Irish Moss 0.15 oz In Boil


Yeast
Wyeast 2565-Kolsch


Water Profile
Target Profile: No Water Profile Chosen
Mash pH: 5.2
pH Adjusted with: Unadjusted

Total Calcium (ppm): 0 Total Magnesium (ppm): 0
Total Sodium (ppm): 0 Total Sulfate (ppm): 0
Total Chloride(ppm): 0 Total Bicarbonate (ppm): 0


Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Extract with Mini-mash
Schedule Name: Single Step Infusion (68C/154F)

Step Type Temperature Duration
Rest at 154 degF 60


Recipe Notes

Just finished the brew. Thanks for your help both with the recipe and the Easy Stovetop Partial Mash technique.

Here's some pics:
PM Pics

great pictures! I wish I could use my cupboards to drain the bag like that I do that with the hop bags sometimes.

DME is what i meant...sorry i didn't specify

I'm assuming they didn't have the pilsner extract in the database and that's why you used light?

That 5.8% saaz is probably american (probably just the software again?) but still very tasty and will make a fantastic beer

Let me know how it goes! Makes me thirsty.

I stole the bag draining idea from your hops bag draining pictures

Yeah the software did not have an extract listing for Pilnser Dry Malt Extract so I used to closest I could find.

Shoot, I chose the Saaz because I heard good things but the LHBS labeled them as Czech. Oh well, will this disqualify it from being Kolsch-style?

Thanks again, you rock! :rockin:

Many LHBSs mislabel hops...I've had it happen a number of times where domestic hops were labeled as their original foreign strains. The US saaz are still very clean and spicy just like the czech saaz. A little different profile, but it should still be fantastic and completely "to style"

I'm looking over my notes and typing them into this neat BeerAlchemy software and I noticed something. I came in about 4 IBU less that "to style".

I did not account for partial boil volumes in the software. Now that I'm re-doing the "actual" portion in the software I noticed it....

I actually bought 2 oz of the Saaz hops originally to have some breathing room to compensate for the partial boil but never actually added them because I didn't calculate for the partial boil.

I'm sure it'll still turn out well, maybe to quite "to style" but just wanted to add this in there for future consideration when I look back at trying to duplicate this recipe!

I'll be fine. Won't be quite bitter enough to be a true Koelsch but it will be a fine, light german-style ale.

Thanks for the encouragement

I'll chalk that mistake up to a learning curve and move on. This is only the 4th brew I've done so I'm bound to make a whole lot more haha

how else would you learn!?

I'm interested to hear about your results.

I did a PM Kolsch with 3# 2-row and light DME, plus saaz. I fermented around 68, and it is FRUITY! Naturaly, I listened to Jamil's kolsch show afterward and learned that he recomends fermenting those yeasts below the temp listed as "optimal", around 62f. Live an learn...

I ferment almost all my ales in the low 60s. hybrid or no, they come out cleaner.

A little aging, however, and that koelsch will be right as rain. No worries.

Good to know. I'll give them a month or two in the mini-kegs before I tap them. I had a little left over that I bottled and tried after 2 weeks. Hopefully time will heal all.

I don't have temp control yet so I was hoping the higher temp guidelines would work in my favor. We shall see.

That temp will work good for most ale yeasts, but Kolsch won't cut it.

If you can cold-condition the kegs during their aging, that will also help.

DeathBrewer said:

If you can cold-condition the kegs during their aging, that will also help.

Click to expand...

I was thinking of cold conditioning while it was in secondary. I keg so I was hoping to get a little extra clarity by some of the low flocculation yeasts dropping out. Kind of a longer cold crash. Would that help?

BarnabyHooge said:

I'm interested to hear about your results.

I did a PM Kolsch with 3# 2-row and light DME, plus saaz. I fermented around 68, and it is FRUITY! Naturaly, I listened to Jamil's kolsch show afterward and learned that he recomends fermenting those yeasts below the temp listed as "optimal", around 62f. Live an learn...

Click to expand...

I just racked it to secondary and tasted the gravity sample. Not fruity at all, and REALLY good I fermented at 65 the whole time (2.5 weeks).

This is my first experience with a low-flocculation yeast and it's ... interesting.

jyda said:

I was thinking of cold conditioning while it was in secondary. I keg so I was hoping to get a little extra clarity by some of the low flocculation yeasts dropping out. Kind of a longer cold crash. Would that help?

Click to expand...

Sure it will. And then when you rack it in the keg and leave it in the fridge...it will just get better and better.

DeathBrewer said:

BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines - Category 06

Brewing a Kölsch is fun and easy. It's a perfect way to get started with a partial mash recipe. I would suggest something along these lines:

2 lbs of German Pale Malt
3 lbs of German Pilsner Malt
Mash at 152-154°F

Use 3 lbs of Pilsner Extract

20-30 IBUs (depends on your alpha acid for quantity) of hops for a 90 minute boil (you don't need flavor or aroma)

Hop selections could be Hallertau, Tettnanger, Spalt, Saaz, etc. Any noble hop will work. Low alpha acid content and nice and spicy.

You could use the Kölsch yeast from white labs (WLP029) or wyeast (2565). I've also had good Kölsch beers with white labs cream ale blend (WLP080)

I would suggest fermenting in the low-mid 60s (no higher than 66°F).

Click to expand...

I know I am resurrecting this thread from the dead, but I was wondering Death (hah, get the pun) if you could provide more detail here. I plan on trying my first PM this weekend, and I think this would be a great one to do. Specifically, how long on the mash? Then I see a 90 minute boil... But I note in Beersmith, if I use a 60 minute boil with Tettnanger, the IBU difference is minimal... Does it really have to be a 90 minute boil? Also, how much water for mash and for boil?

BigB said:

I know I am resurrecting this thread from the dead, but I was wondering Death (hah, get the pun) if you could provide more detail here. I plan on trying my first PM this weekend, and I think this would be a great one to do. Specifically, how long on the mash? Then I see a 90 minute boil... But I note in Beersmith, if I use a 60 minute boil with Tettnanger, the IBU difference is minimal... Does it really have to be a 90 minute boil? Also, how much water for mash and for boil?

Click to expand...

I would change the mash temp to 148-150°F...not sure what I was doing there. The 90 minute boil is to drive of the DMS of the Pilsner Malt, but it is such a small quantity it might not matter...just a habit of mine whenever I use a significant portion. I would use at 2 gallons of water for the mash. Sparge with another 2 gallons. Here:

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

06-C Light Hybrid Beer, Koelsch

Min OG: 1.044 Max OG: 1.050
Min IBU: 20 Max IBU: 30
Min Clr: 2 Max Clr: 5 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 8.00
Anticipated OG: 1.050 Plato: 12.49
Anticipated SRM: 4.0
Anticipated IBU: 25.8
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 7.10 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.039 SG 9.78 Plato


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
37.5 3.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
25.0 2.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
37.5 3.00 lbs. Briess DME- Pilsner America 1.046 5

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.25 oz. Tettnanger Pellets Pellet 4.20 25.8 90 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 5.00
Water Qts: 8.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 2.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.60 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 148 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 162 Time: 60
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 60


Total Mash Volume Gal: 2.40 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

Click to expand...

Ok, so the boil volume would be the remaining mash volume and the sparge water so roughly 3.5 gallons (assuming .5 gallon grain absorbtion). After boil I would top off to 5.5 gallons, right?

Sure, you could do it before if you want, but my partial mash method is usually a partial boil for ease of cooling.

Cool! Thanks, I'm going to try this tomorrow!

Let me know how it goes!

Well Deathbrewer I finally got around to doing this today. I modified the recipe slightly using 2 oz Hallertau 3.8%. I figured for the 3.5g boil my IBU should be around 23. Other than that, I had a really high mash conversion of 84% (3.5 gallons wort at 1.044 preboil and pre DME). But I must say, your Easy Partial Mash Brewing thread and your advice here made this a really easy and fun step up from all extract! I really appreciate your help!

84%, very nice! Glad I could help.

Resurrecting again from the dead, but I just wanted to tell you Deathbrewer that I brewed this twice. The second one (using Wyeast fermented at 58 degrees) got an honorable mention in the Michigan Beer Cup! This is Michigan's largest homebrew competition and there were over 750 entries. By the way, I named it "Death Kolsch."

Nice! Great name, too!