Kolsch beer question?

Never had a Kolsch beer before and I bought the ingredients to make a kit. My question is what color should I be looking for and is it ok to pitch a Kolsch beer on to ale yeast cake?

A kolsch is an ale so depending on the yeast strain, yeah thats cool. It should be a straw color, about 6 SRM.

According to the style man (Jamil), you won't have a Kolsch with out Kolsch yeast. So you probably end up with a great beer, but not a Kolsch style beer.

I'm sure it's debatable, but that's what I read and hear.

I just made a Kolsch style and used Whitelabs WLP029 German ale / Kolsch yeast. I got turned onto the style in Berlin this spring. Check out my gallery for a picture of real Kolsch in the appropriate glass.

Kolsch ale yeast is a very clean tasting yeast with low esters and fruity flavor. Another ale yeast won't give you the right flavor profile. I have actually used WLP029 to make mock lagers, like an Oktoberfest Ale.

agreed, its a light beer at 6 SRM, and you need the right yeast or else it'll be a blonde ale with 'kolsch-like' characteristics.

I like Wyeasts kolsch... 2565 I think is the number.

You will need to be able to control your temperatures to make a good Kölsch. That yeast can ferment as low as about 55ºF and I think you get a much cleaner profile by doing so. You can find Kölsch from a few micros now, but IMHO most of them are a bit too fruity.

I have made Kolsch with German Ale 1007 and I thought it turned out very good.

I used WLP029 as well for my Kolsch. I got three people here at school who studied abroad in Cologne for a semester to try it...one girl said she was near tears because it reminded her of Germany and she wanted to go back, so I'll take that as an indication the the yeast did it's job!

Mine came out too dark because I didn't do a late-extract addition, plus I didn't lager mine. If I did both of those, it probably would've been damn near perfect.

Boerderij Kabouter said:

You will need to be able to control your temperatures to make a good Kölsch. That yeast can ferment as low as about 55ºF and I think you get a much cleaner profile by doing so. You can find Kölsch from a few micros now, but IMHO most of them are a bit too fruity.

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Yes, I have to agree. I do not like this yeast in a Koelsch/blonde when it is fermented fruity, it's best used at 64*F or below. I'm using WLP029 for a blonde right now, I kept it at 60-62*F for the first five days and now I'm letting it warm up to finish.

The fruitiness is good in a pale ale though.. Real Ale's Rio Blanco pale ale and Kona Rock pale ale are both fermented with this yeast probably at 68*F or so, and the fruitiness actually compliments the hops in those beers.

+1 on the low temps. I did my Kolsch at almost lager temps too. Fermented in the 50's and gave it a good long secondary in a cold water bath. Nice and clean.