Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP029
Yeast Starter: 1 quart
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 14-20
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 62-66F 18 days
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 35F 30 days
Tasting Notes: Smooth, slight chocolate roast & some toasty notes but very clean and very mild.

This was an attempt to make a Vienna Lager in the style of Negra Modelo using Kolsch Ale Yeast.

5.5 lbs Vienna
1.0 lbs Munich
1.0 lbs Flaked Corn
8.0 oz Crystal 40
2.0 oz Carafa II
1.5oz Hallertaur Pellets (5.8%) all as First Wort Hops

Half "spring" water, half "drinking" water (reverse osmosis).
I did this beer as a No-Chill and it's damn near crystal clear now.

----- Notes -------------------

When this beer was just out of the primary, it had a nice fruity character from the yeast. This dissipates with the cold conditioning but some people prefer their Kolsch's young and fruity.

The first couple pints from the keg were really nasty. Tasted similar to vomit, so much so that I thought the beer was ruined. After pulling several more glasses over the next few days while moping around, I noticed that the beer got exceptionally better, and realized it was the yeast I was tasting first. It's totally gone now and the beer was deemed clean & good by some fairly critical brewers I know.

When I make the beer again, I'll probably up the hops or not use FWHing. It could be a little more bitter for my liking. It's very clean & dry, but with a nice malty character that comes across as "sweet" mainly because of the very low hop amounts.

This is the cleanest beer I've made, and is a good way for someone to make a "lager-like" beer without getting into real lagering techniques.

If you can't cold condition in a keg, then just ferment the Kolsch yeast as cool as possible, skip the secondary, bottle, let it carbonate naturally in the bottle, then store the bottles in your fridge for a few weeks before drinking. Should be about the same.