Am I fermenting my Kolsch too cold?

I'm hoping some people with making Kolsch at lower fermentation temps can chime in here.

I'm making a Kolsch right now from Wyeast Kolsch yeast. According to the wyeast lab website, this strain ferments well at cold to produce clean, lager like beers.

I started up at room temp (70F) for the first 18 hours until fermentation started (actually, I fermentation had probably been going overnight for a while at this point) and moved to the basement. The temp down there is about 58-60F. The wort has been steadily fermenting for about 4 days now, but it has been extremely slow. The airlock bubbles only about once every 10 seconds. At 70F, it was cranking away. Is this normal or am I fermenting too cold? Could I have temp shocked the yeast by any chance?

i plan on doing something similar but I am going to start mine in the cellar at a lower temp. I look forward to the replies on this post. Paul

58-60 may be pushing your luck a bit, but not by much. When cold fermenting Kolsch I have started my ferments out a little higher in the 64 degree range until ferment has slowed. Then I move them to around 55 for a good long while to let them clear and mellow. I do the same with my Alt beers.

I think you will be fine, as long as it is still fermenting it is fine. Plus, experiments are always good.

I have brewed Kolsch only once so I am no expert. I turned out great and I plan on doing it again. Here is what I did. 14 days at 62° and then lagered at 34-38° for 28 days.

I started my Kolsch at around 62F for two weeks or so. I now have had it at 68 for about four days. I plan on checking it with a hydometer for a couple of days, soon.

If fermentation has completed, I will move it to around 42F for a couple of weeks.

It is my first attempt at this beer.

it might take a little longer, but that sounds like a perfect temp to me!

Chris_Dog said:

Here is what I did. 14 days at 62° and then lagered at 34-38° for 28 days.

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Aye..me too 'Cept add a couple day rest at 68-69 before hitting the fridge for lagering.

Straight from several professional brewers........Start at 60º, stay at 60º. Take it for what it is worth, but I keep mine at 60º and have never had a problem!

According to the Wyeast website regarding #2565 Kölsch yeast:

...ferments well at cold 55° - 60° F range (13-16° C)...

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Sounds like you're in the right range, and it's normal for fermentation to slow down the colder you ferment no matter what yeast strain you're using. Some can just go colder than others.

brewt00l said:

Aye..me too 'Cept add a couple day rest at 68-69 before hitting the fridge for lagering.

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i was going to mention that, too. helps to clear some of the sulfur taste, right? i had to age mine for quite some time before all the off flavors were gone, but damn! it was good after that.

DeathBrewer said:

i was going to mention that, too. helps to clear some of the sulfur taste, right? i had to age mine for quite some time before all the off flavors were gone, but damn! it was good after that.

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That was my intent, clean things up and remove potential diacetyl. Once the bottles carb'd, it was very tasty.

Thanks for all the replies, I guess I'll just let it keep doing it's thing then.

Once I used this strain @56-58F and it finished a few point short. So I had to warm it up a bit and give it a shake. Next time I had bigger pitching rate and it finished just fine.

Update,
I took hydrometer readings over the weekend and it looks like it's done fermenting, 1.010 from an OG of 1.050 (it tasted great too btw). The thing is the Krausen is still there. Any ideas on how to get it to settle out or should I just rack out from under it?

You'll be fine. FWIW, my fiancee did a Kolsch that was in primary for 6 days @ 68o-70oF and secondary for 21 days at 65oF and it turned out great! Plans to brew it again this Spring.

i have a kolsch in 2ndary right now. chilled to 50F and pitched. put carboy in 50F water bath and let warm on its own to 58F; took 8 days. 58F for another 14 days, racked to 2ndary. now in 2ndary for 4 days so far, at 65F. it's going in the fridge (37F) tonight until feb 2, when i'll keg and carb in time for superbowl. so, no you're not fermenting too cold, unless of course the cold ferment produces a beer you don't like!! mine tastes outstanding so far. OG=1.049 FG=1.011