Kolsch fermentation?

So I'm jonesing to do a Kolsch for the summer, but I don't have a temperature controlled fermentation system - I usually just use a large bucket with ice water and a fan. If I ferment it at 68 degrees or so, then rack to a corny and drop it to 40 degrees for a few weeks in the kegerator, would this be sufficient for a clean-tasting Kolsch?

I sure hope so because thats what I am doing now

deathweed said:

I sure hope so because thats what I am doing now

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What yeast did you use? I'm doing a wheat next with Wyeast 1007 German Ale, I figured I might use that for the Kolsch too.

I am using White Labs WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast. I have it in a cooler with a couple heavy blankets thrown over the top that I drop ice bottles into a couple times a day. I have been fermenting it pretty cool and slow at ~65, but its hard to control temp with ice bottles when the house temperature fluctuates by ~25 degrees a day.

I started mine over a month ago when it was still cold here. My basement is about 60F. It fermented slow and steady for about 3 weeks. The carboy stayed at about 62F. It is now sitting in the secondary directly on the concrete floor in the coldest corner of the basement at about 56F. I plan to leave it there for 1-2 months total before bottling.

Yup, that should be just fine.

I did one on February 1st with a little honey and Wyeast 1010 American Wheat It's been in my lagerator for 7 weeks now at 34º just waiting for a spot to open in the kegerator.

Liquidicem said:

I started mine over a month ago when it was still cold here. My basement is about 60F. It fermented slow and steady for about 3 weeks. The carboy stayed at about 62F. It is now sitting in the secondary directly on the concrete floor in the coldest corner of the basement at about 56F. I plan to leave it there for 1-2 months total before bottling.

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I go similar...ferment in the low 60s then lager in the fridge at 34. I've found that the wyeast kolsch yeast get estery/winey when it's fermented in the mid-upper 60s.

Professor Frink said:

What yeast did you use? I'm doing a wheat next with Wyeast 1007 German Ale, I figured I might use that for the Kolsch too.

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I have a Kolsch lagering right now that I made with 1007. It looks and smells good, but it is SUPER cloudy. I'm thinking it might take a month or two in the fridge just to drop all the yeast out of suspension.

If you listen to the Jamil show he says that if you don't use a true Kolsch yeast then it's not a Kolsch, but I like to buy yeasts that I can reuse for other beers--I'm not too concerned in this case with making the most true-to-style beer.

maltMonkey said:

If you listen to the Jamil show he says that if you don't use a true Kolsch yeast then it's not a Kolsch, but I like to buy yeasts that I can reuse for other beers--I'm not too concerned in this case with making the most true-to-style beer.

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..course, you could always reuse the kolsch yeast on other beers. I just did a Dead Guy style brew with harvested kolsch yeast.

maltMonkey said:

If you listen to the Jamil show he says that if you don't use a true Kolsch yeast then it's not a Kolsch, but I like to buy yeasts that I can reuse for other beers--I'm not too concerned in this case with making the most true-to-style beer.

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I figured since I'll be using the Wyeast 1007 for my next back anyway, I can just piggyback the Kolsch right onto that.

I just did back to back red kolsches with the same German kolsch/ale yeast.
I made a yeast starter for the first batch, let it sit for 12 days @ 62-66F, drained it and dumped the second batch right on top, mixed it up, and 1 hour later it was bubbling like crazy and as of yet hasn't reproduced the sulfur smell that the first batch had. I love this yeast...its made some of my best beer so far. Its held up just fine under some heavy OG's too...I can't keep the honey out of my kettles!

Ive heard you should always brew up in OG..as in your gravity should be heavier than the last batch