Fermenting Kolsch 2565 Question

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JonGrafto

JonGrafto

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Last weekend 3/3/12, my buddy and I made a 10 gallon batch of some cream ale using Wyeast 2565. We split the batch and I took it home with me. The initial OG reading was 1.052 for both of us and I keep my basement at about 63-64°F - On Sunday, I needed a blowoff tube because of a very vigorous fermentation.

Today (6 days later) I racked to a secondary and took a gravity reading. It was at 1.006

My buddy says he is fermenting at 58°F and he is still having some airlock activity. I wanted to know if I had too high of a temperature, or is he too low of a fermenting temp? Also, if I should be fine with how fast my yeast worked. I am planning on leaving it sit in the secondary for at least another week or possibly 2, then to bottle.

Thoughts? :drunk:
 
Honestly, I would have left it in primary for at least another week. Fermentation might be done, but the yeast can still clean the beer up for a bit.

I brewed a Kolsch last weekend as well with 2565. Pitched a starter and had fermentation going after a couple hours. I'm planning on leaving it in primary for another week or two before I transfer to a keg and put it on gas.
 
I just racked a Spotted Cow clone into a keg and I had used this yeast. My OG was 1.053. I fermented for 8 days at 62F and secondaried for 10 days at 64F.

My final gravity was 1.013, which is 75.5% apparent attenuation, which is spot on for the yeast and style. Your final gravity would yield an apparent attenuation of about 88.6%, which is fairly high, but I don't think anything to worry about. I suspect that you simply mashed at the low end of the spectrum, resulting in more fermentability of your wort. Just means your beer will be a little drier.

So far as a comparison to your friend, you did not mention a gravity reading for him, which makes comparing impossible. Airlock activity is not necessarily an indication of fermentation. Fermentation could be done, and if the beer heated up a little bit, it will release dissolved CO2.

That being said, all I can say is I have used this strain before, and always at 62F-64F with very good results. I would say you have nothing to worry about, and your temp was right in the middle of the range recommended by Wyeast. I am sure your friend is fine too, as I have friends who have fermented this a little cooler (< 60F) with good results. I would go ahead and bottle yours though after a week or two in secondary. I can't imagine the beer will get any drier.
 
Biobrewer said:
I just racked a Spotted Cow clone into a keg and I had used this yeast. My OG was 1.053. I fermented for 8 days at 62F and secondaried for 10 days at 64F.

My final gravity was 1.013, which is 75.5% apparent attenuation, which is spot on for the yeast and style. Your final gravity would yield an apparent attenuation of about 88.6%, which is fairly high, but I don't think anything to worry about. I suspect that you simply mashed at the low end of the spectrum, resulting in more fermentability of your wort. Just means your beer will be a little drier.

So far as a comparison to your friend, you did not mention a gravity reading for him, which makes comparing impossible. Airlock activity is not necessarily an indication of fermentation. Fermentation could be done, and if the beer heated up a little bit, it will release dissolved CO2.

That being said, all I can say is I have used this strain before, and always at 62F-64F with very good results. I would say you have nothing to worry about, and your temp was right in the middle of the range recommended by Wyeast. I am sure your friend is fine too, as I have friends who have fermented this a little cooler (< 60F) with good results. I would go ahead and bottle yours though after a week or two in secondary. I can't imagine the beer will get any drier.
Click to expand...

So next time should I mash in at a higher temperature??
 
JonGrafto said:
So next time should I mash in at a higher temperature??
Click to expand...

Depends on what your temp was. I mashed at 152F for 60 minutes, and ended up with an final gravity of 1.013, down from an OG 1.052. I also had some crystal and flaked corn, whose sugars are not as fermentable. So, hard to comment on your process without knowing your grainbill and mash temp.
 
Biobrewer said:
Depends on what your temp was. I mashed at 152F for 60 minutes, and ended up with an final gravity of 1.013, down from an OG 1.052. I also had some crystal and flaked corn, whose sugars are not as fermentable. So, hard to comment on your process without knowing your grainbill and mash temp.
Click to expand...

I made a Spotted Cow Clone.. I mashed in at 154° and after an hour temp was 152°

Here is the grain bill I used:

10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 48.78 %
4.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 19.51 %
3.50 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 17.07 %
1.0 lb Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
1.0 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
1.0 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
0.70 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 10.1 IBU
1.0 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (30 min) Hops 5.2 IBU
1.0 Whirlfloc Tablets (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565)
 
JonGrafto said:
I made a Spotted Cow Clone.. I mashed in at 154° and after an hour temp was 152°

Here is the grain bill I used:

10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 48.78 %
4.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 19.51 %
3.50 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 17.07 %
1.0 lb Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
1.0 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
1.0 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
0.70 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 10.1 IBU
1.0 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (30 min) Hops 5.2 IBU
1.0 Whirlfloc Tablets (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565)
Click to expand...

That is interesting. That is fairly close to the recipe I made, but your attenuation was baller. Are you sure you read the hydro correctly? I suppose I have heard of people getting unusually high attenuation sometimes, but the only time I usually get into the upper 80's for apparent attenuation is using a strain like Wyeast 3711 (French Saison), for which I usually get ~90% apparent attenuation.
 
Biobrewer said:
That is interesting. That is fairly close to the recipe I made, but your attenuation was baller. Are you sure you read the hydro correctly? I suppose I have heard of people getting unusually high attenuation sometimes, but the only time I usually get into the upper 80's for apparent attenuation is using a strain like Wyeast 3711 (French Saison), for which I usually get ~90% apparent attenuation.
Click to expand...

I know.. Boggling, huh?!?! I will take another reading in about a week to see where she is at... I will also have my brewing buddy take his reading when he transfers over as well, just to compare.
 
I just kegged a Kolsch last night using the same strain. Went from 1.050 to 1.007, 2565 is pretty aggresive during fermentation. Everytime I've used it , it shows a lot of vigorous activity. This beer seems to be pretty good, has the classic fruity esther profile that you would expect for a Kolsch. I think you'll be ok.
 
JonGrafto said:
Last weekend 3/3/12, my buddy and I made a 10 gallon batch of some cream ale using Wyeast 2565. We split the batch and I took it home with me. The initial OG reading was 1.052 for both of us and I keep my basement at about 63-64°F - On Sunday, I needed a blowoff tube because of a very vigorous fermentation.

Today (6 days later) I racked to a secondary and took a gravity reading. It was at 1.006

My buddy says he is fermenting at 58°F and he is still having some airlock activity. I wanted to know if I had too high of a temperature, or is he too low of a fermenting temp? Also, if I should be fine with how fast my yeast worked. I am planning on leaving it sit in the secondary for at least another week or possibly 2, then to bottle.

Thoughts? :drunk:
Click to expand...

I think your ferment temperature was likely a few degrees higher than your 63 F basement temperature. Your buddy is on the right track with that yeast at 58-60 F. Seems you may be done with ferment. Letting it sit a while particularly if you can get it somewhere cooler may help with your flavor.
 
Try to keep koelsh at lagering temperatures after bottling. It's traditionally done in Germany.
 
My brewing buddy Den, transferred his to a secondary last night and checked his gravity. His was at 1.006. So at least we are at the same attenuation and FG.

I assume mine just fermented faster being a little warmer...

Who cares, we made beer and it will be tasty...
 
just pitched this yeast a few hours ago. i wasnt thinking too clearly, and pitched when the wort was still about 82. we cooled it down to 65 in about 2 hours. worried that my hight pitch temp might produce some off flavors. whats yalls thinkin?
 
You'll probably be alright assuming you ferment on the low to mid end of the range, that yeast throws med to high acetal under normal conditions, you'll have to judge this at the tail of ferm and maybe let it have a bit of a warm up at finish to clean up its bad behaviours. Then presumably you'll lager it where time is your friend, brewing 25 gallon motueka hopped version for third time - today...it gets better with a little rest it seems, the last keg of the batch is always the best... But I think I say that with every last keg.

Good luck...
 
Awesome. thanks for the help yall. neopol, you think i should lager it?its just a spotted cow clone, and i just today got my temp controller wired up today. never lagered before!
 
I do in fact lager mine, it is as very dusty strain and takes a long while to floc out and clear the beer. It is a hybrid ale/lager strain, and I do believe both WL & Wyeast recommend lagering. Believe me, I am impatient and usually drink first couple kegs after at least a week - its a bit cloudy/yeasty but after 3-4 weeks its crystal clear and the subtle hop & pear-like notes pop. In this case patience has rewards..
 
Old thread but...
I consistently get 84% attenuation on 2565 with a 150F mash. I also tend to ferment warmer at 66-68F and I still get the subtle flavors everyone is looking for. I understand it's typical to ferment kolsch closer to standard ale temps anyway rather than on the lower end of its range. I lager for a few weeks, but it's usually crystal clear in 10-12 days.
 

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