Kolsch advice needed

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The Soft Underbelly

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Location
Joliet, Il
I brewed the following Norther Brewer Kolsch kit yesterday.

Fermentables
* 1 lbs. Pilsen Dry Malt Extract (boil for 60 min.)
* 6 lbs. Pilsen Malt Syrup (boil for 15 min.)

Boil Additions
* 1 oz. Argentina Cascade (60 min)
* 1 oz. Argentina Cascade (30 min)

Yeast
* Wyeast #2565 Kolsch. Flocculation: low. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. Optimum temperature: 56-64.

My 6 gallon Carboy primary was goin like a MF this morning. This is my 3rd brew and my first blow-off so far. I have 2 questions...well maybe 3... i searched the forum a bit bust couldn't find much in the way of experienced answers, so please bear with me.

1. I'm at the higher end of the ideal temp scale for this yeast. What are the negatives of fermenting a couple degrees over 64 f?

2. If i were to cool this puppy down, would immersing the carboy in water be advisable? It's sitting on a cool floor in my loft right now (no basement here) it's in a big plastic tote thingy and wouldn't be much work to fill it with cool water, but is it effective or advisable to do such a thing? What other ways can i cool off just a few degrees?

3. without a dedicated lagering fridge, would my strategy of bottling after a few weeks, allowing the bottles a week or so to begin conditioning and then "cold crashing" in the bottles in the fridge work just as well. I've read on this forum about people considering this option, but haven't been able to find what the results were.


Thanks for bearing with this long post....:)
 
I ferment at 68-72 degrees all day long.

Letting the bottles do the cold conditioning is certainly a viable option if you don't keg or have the capacity to store a carboy.
 
1) you'll probably have a slightly fruitier beer @ 64 but no off flavors until you get over 70

2) Yes it would work, and a wet tee-shirt w/ a fan would lower it more

3) not as well as bulk but it will do.
 
I think you will be fine. Your beer may not be as clean as one fermenter a few degrees lower, but it will be good. It sounds like a swamp cooler setup would work well for you, too.

Crashing and aging in the bottles works fine (especially if that is the best you can do!)

I just kegged a Kolsch sort of thing with those Argentine Cascades, and I liked my sample.


TL
 
there is no problem with adding water to your tote, you can even add ice bottles to the water in the tote to cool it even more. In fact, thats how I did my kolsch.
 
1. You'll get some more fruity esters (which I personally like). If you aren't above 70F, I think you'll be fine.

2. The wet t-shirt trick works great, as well as cold water immersion. In fact, I did my crash cooling this way with some snow.

3. It'll work, but the yeast will end up at the bottom of the bottles instead of left behind in the secondary. If you're bottle carbonating, you'll already have a lot of yeast sediment so this isn't a concern.
 
I am surprised they sent you Cascade for use in a Koelsch-style ale - it's usually brewed with Hallertau and/or Tettnanger-varietals.
 
ArcaneXor said:
I am surprised they sent you Cascade for use in a Koelsch-style ale - it's usually brewed with Hallertau and/or Tettnanger-varietals.

Argentine Cascade
Even with the hop shortage in full effect, we’ve been able to obtain a supply of a brand new hop (for us) this year called Argentine Cascade. Don’t be fooled! This hop bears little if any resemblance to American Cascade. It actually exhibits characteristics of certain German noble hops (namely Tettnang and Spalt), and works very well as an aroma hop. With the practical disappearance of Tettnang this year, this is a welcome addition indeed! Argentine Cascade weighs in at 3.2% alpha acid, and sells for $4.09 per ounce. It is in stock now, and orders can be placed online or by phone. Order this special, hard-to-find hop on-line.
http://www.keystonehomebrew.com/
 
brewt00l said:
Argentine Cascade
Even with the hop shortage in full effect, we’ve been able to obtain a supply of a brand new hop (for us) this year called Argentine Cascade. Don’t be fooled! This hop bears little if any resemblance to American Cascade. It actually exhibits characteristics of certain German noble hops (namely Tettnang and Spalt), and works very well as an aroma hop. With the practical disappearance of Tettnang this year, this is a welcome addition indeed! Argentine Cascade weighs in at 3.2% alpha acid, and sells for $4.09 per ounce. It is in stock now, and orders can be placed online or by phone. Order this special, hard-to-find hop on-line.
http://www.keystonehomebrew.com/

Interesting. The name totally mislead me. I'd still prefer German hops in my Koelsch, but I suppose with the shortage it's not an appropriate time to be picky.
 
I just brewed the brewers best kolsch kit. It turn out well I used a seconday fermentation to clear it up a little better.
My batch also blew. I was told that it was fine but you run when it ferments too quickly thats where you run into problems
 
I have a Kolsch style on with German Ale Yeast from Wyeast. It has been fermenting furiously for 3 days. I put the plastic pale in one of my brewpots. I have water and ice in my brewpot. I freeze ice in gallon ice cream contatiners. It works well at keeping the temp a few degrees lower.
 
i used lil Tupperware type things filled with ice.

I'm racking to the secondary this weekend, although at this point i might as well just bottle as it's been in the primary for nigh on 3 weeks. we'll see....
 
The ice-in-the-plastic-tote-idea really works. At one point i had my hefe at 58 F!!! a bit too cold. I had a wet T-shirt w/ fan and swapped out frozen bottles.

I did also read in Snyder's "Brewmaster's Bible" that after you ferment let the bottles sit at fermentation temp or room temp for a week and a half and THEN cold condition.
 
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