not so impressed by my second batch...

Tried a Kolsh.

I just bottled and drank a small amount I couldn't get out of my bottling bucket, and while it tastes "ok," it doesn't blow me away like my 1st effort ("lager a like") did.

The beer smells a little like trub, and a little like beer.

It's cloudy too. hopefully it'll get better in the bottle. Given its taste I think I'll easily resist the urge to try one soon...

I won't be using Kolsh yeast anymore...

I already have my next project: German Hefeweizen, whitelabs hefeweizen4 yeast. Am really looking forward to this one.

You had some right after you bottled? If Im understanding you correctly, I would give it a couple more weeks before judging

JimmyBeam said:

You had some right after you bottled? If Im understanding you correctly, I would give it a couple more weeks before judging

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yeah... like another 3 to 6 weeks. you will be amazed at how much it can change.

-walker

your first batch as long as it isn't bad will always be your best.. kinda like sex.

Kolsch is a style that I find fairly "meh." But it's really not fair to judge your batch by what a trubby, sugary serving from the bottom of your bottling buck tastes like. I usully taste what's left in the bucket, too (who can resist?), but it doesn't usually taste very good.

Your Kolsch will benefit from some cold conditioning in the bottle if you have the fridge space to swing it. Make sure you give it 2-3 weeks to carbonate first before chilling, though.

We're all in between 'meh' batches, you just never know when you're going to hit one!

If I am understanding you correctly, you bottled and then drank what you could not get in the bottles. WAY to GO! You are on your way to being a true brewer! Taste every thing at every stage. Chew every kind of grain...munch on every kind of hop (takes a strong constitution here) but TASTE it. What you drank SHOULD taste sugary. You added sugar to it! In the bottle, those little yeasts are gobbling it up and creating co2. Exactly what you want. Give it a little time. And remember, what you did drink, did have alcohol in it....

Sneaky

My advice to you with your kolsch: put it away in a dark, cool corner, for about 4-5 months. Yes, months. I had the same thing happen with my first batch of kolsch. Cloudy, milky, tasted like yeast and trub...

I started to drink it and complained until everyone here was sick of it. Then... about 3 bottles in to the second case it suddenly started to taste good. Boy, was I p*ssed. I rationed out the rest of the second case and saved some until it was about 5 months old. A couple of weeks ago I popped one open (well, actually two or three ) and I was even more p*ssed. Man, that stuff was good (and unfortunately, was is the operative word here--it's all gone now). It was as clear and crisp as could be, with a German lager type flavor.

Not to worry, though-- I have a new batch in the secondary that I really should get around to bottling.

Whatever you do, don't dump the stuff out. Kolsch is a sort of a hybrid between an ale and a lager. You can ferment it at ale temps, but it apparently takes more like lager times to age into a good brew. It's worth it, though.

My first Kolsch was excellent. But sadly was drank before ageing a bit. I would have liked to have tasted an aged one. i guess I'll have to brew another.

budbo said:

your first batch as long as it isn't bad will always be your best.. kinda like sex.

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Exactly. You spend the whole time worrying that you're screwing something up, it's over way too soon and you can't stop thinking about when you can do it again.:cross:

Well, almost all of the Kolsh is just sitting around. It does taste much better now after a week and a half in the bottles. I will see if I can stretch this batch a little.
It now tastes and looks like BJ's Brewhouse's Brewhouse Blonde

I am brewing a hefeweizen tonight, so I'll have two batches to drink from in a few weeks...