Kölschbier?

I picked up an extract kit of this Kölschbier.
Since I had an empty primary just sitting around. It's an Ale but it's supposed to have different Characteristics? Figured I'd brew it up.

Anyone have any feedback on this type of beer?

Take a look at the BJCP guidelines for that style.

osagedr said:

Take a look at the BJCP guidelines for that style.

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Looks like there is a ton on info. Thanks for the suggestion

It's a great style, I've brewed it many times..Once I keg, I cold crash for a bit. It's a nice, crisp and light. I use a little wheat in my recipe. I was reading about a recipe that uses vienna. I think that's a little closer to the style.

I brew a kolsch using German pilsner malt and a little white wheat. Ferment at 65 for 7 days then cold crash for at least 2 weeks.

It's a great beer and will appeal to almost everyone from bmc to craft drinkers. Very crisp and with a lot of similarity to a German pilsner.

Nice,
I just got the kit for kicks while I was in the brew shop for DME for a yeast starter. Now I'm glad I did. Heard a lot of positive feedback. Now I'm getting excited.
My wife cringes every time I go there to get bottle caps or DME. I always end up with a bag of extras.

I've got a Kolsch kit in my fermenter right now. Day 5 I believe. Can't wait to secondary in the 45° crawl space for about 3 weeks, should be good and tasty!

Do you have temp control? For a Kolsch, it's hard to do without it. You're typically using yeasts that like to be kept cold and then lagering the beer for a while.

What yeast did they give you with the kit?

It came with Ale yeast.

It uses ale yeast but fermented lower than a typic ale and then lagered for a short time. Typically I will ferment a kolsch at 58-60F and then rest at about 68 for a day or two to clean up then lager at 32-34 for as long as I can stand it.

I just popped the top on my fermenter to take a gravity reading and there is still about a full inch or so of krausen on the top! So much so that I decided to forget about even trying to take a reading and wait at least another week. I should mention that aside from the yeasty/fermenter smell, it smelled amazing! Can't wait to have a drink of this stuff in about 6 weeks!

Last fall was the first time I ever tried the style. And I've really fallen in love with it. It's a nice soft beer, for lack of a better description. It's a nice refreshing palate cleanser. The only reason I got into it was an Iron Brewer Comp (which I placed 3rd out of 15 entries in) held here in Michigan. The mystery ingredient was Fennugreek, and my team mate suggested we do a honey kolsch with it. After that I tried every one I could find and was really impressed with the gentle fruitiness of it. (Although personally I hate my fennugreek one though.)

I'm glad I happened up this recipe. I was going to just brew it as an Ale but I'm now gonna hold off a week. I have me new temp control unit on it's way and I think I will lager it in the new ferm chamber.

Detroitish Michigan? I'm originally from MI. Where from?

tone_s said:

I'm glad I happened up this recipe. I was going to just brew it as an Ale but I'm now gonna hold off a week. I have me new temp control unit on it's way and I think I will lager it in the new ferm chamber.

Detroitish Michigan? I'm originally from MI. Where from?

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I live in Fraser, work for Wayne State University in Detroit. It's sort of all one area to me.

Kolsch is a nice mellow break from the hop bombs I usually have sitting around. Should be very clean and crisp with just a little fruitiness and earthy tones. Most BMC drinkers like it as well, so if your like me and have some friends that aren't into hoppy brews, it's a good one to have around.

Revvy said:

I live in Fraser, work for Wayne State University in Detroit. It's sort of all one area to me.

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No KIDDING! I grew up in Fraser. Graduated Fraser High in 91