I made.....Budweiser???

So I was shooting for a Kolsch...used an amalgam of some recipes I found here. I just had my first glass last night, and except for clarity, (I'll probably hit it with gelatin), it's Budweiser. or MGD. I'm not sure exactly, but I honestly don't think I could differentiate this from Bud/Miller. (Not the Lite stuff.....the regular stuff).

Now it's not bad, but it's not the "clean crisp" flavor I was expecting from Kolsch...much more heavy handed like MGD. Any ideas why it didn't come out, uh, crisper? I got way better efficiency than expected, and better attenuation, so I ended up with a 6.66% ABV kolsch, not a 4.72% one like I was shooting for...could this be why?







Recipe:
Amount Item Type % or IBU
10 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 88.89 %
1 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 8.89 %
4.0 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 2.22 %
0.50 oz Centennial [9.00 %] (60 min) Hops 14.1 IBU
1.00 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (20 min) Hops 8.1 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1 Pkgs Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) Yeast-Ale (2000 mL starter)

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.048 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.062 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.72 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.66 %
Bitterness: 23.9 IBU Calories: 276 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.0 SRM Color: Color

Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 11.25 lb
Sparge Water: 4.78 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F

Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
90 min Mash In Add 16.88 qt of water at 158.3 F 149.0 F

Well, minus the adjuncts it's not Budweiser.

I made a Kolsch once. Tasted like Stella.

The higher OG is certainly going to lead to a fuller (less crisp) beer. Honey malt also adds some sweetness that really isn't needed in the style.

There's a style sheet on this site somewhere for a Kolsch. The big factors in the "clean and crisp" flavor are the yeast and the utter lack of aroma. You're using a proper Kolsch yeast. What temp did you ferment at? IMHO, Kolsch yeast is one of the most susceptible to temperature. I get too much sulphur under 60F and too much ester above 65F or so. It also takes a LONG time for Kolsch yeast to settle. I use gelatin to speed along the process or it would take over a month. Also, a lot of your ingredients are atypical for Kolsch. I'd 86 the Munich, Honey Malt, Centennial, and Willamette. EdWort probably has the best Kolsch recipe on this site. I'd recommend starting there. The only thing I really do different from his recipe is an all-pils grain bill and a one-shot 40 minute addition of Hallertau or Spaalt instead of a 3-step hop schedule.

I think Hal is on the money - you ended up too "heavy" because of the specialty malts and too high an OG. You're dealing with a grist that'll give you a nice Helles Bock, which is what you've brewed.

Just think of it as a good Helles Bock, not a bad Koelsch. It fits just within the BJCP Style sheets for Helles Bock; I'd just rename it and call it a day!

See how some beers just sneak up on you?

Bob

Bob said:

I think Hal is on the money - you ended up too "heavy" because of the specialty malts and too high an OG. You're dealing with a grist that'll give you a nice Helles Bock, which is what you've brewed.

Just think of it as a good Helles Bock, not a bad Koelsch. It fits just within the BJCP Style sheets for Helles Bock; I'd just rename it and call it a day!

See how some beers just sneak up on you?

Bob

Click to expand...

Wow, reading that and tasting the beer, I can see it. I made a Helles Bock. I've never even heard of a Helles Bock before today.

That's right, I'm so awesome, I brew to style without even knowing the style. :fro:

(This works better than "I'm so awesome, just like a broken clock that happens to be right twice a day.")

thats funny...I have a kolsch in the keg that had a little high OG and tastes like stella...recipe is similar but hopped w/ hallertau and no honey malt...

shortyjacobs said:

That's right, I'm so awesome, I brew to style without even knowing the style. :fro:

Click to expand...

Nice.

Though I'll never give details, when I brewed in brewpubs there were a couple of occasions where something that started as something ended up named something else. It happens all the time, even to pros.

Just roll with it, baby!

Bob