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gmay10

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I recently brewed a Kolsch (WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast) and it took forever to start fermenting but it is moving now. We have an apple tree out back and we are planning to make a bunch of applesauce and I know there will be leftovers. Anyone ever put apples into secondary with a kolsch. I made a killer sour cherry beer and sour cherry stout this past summer. I figured I would put about 5 lbs of apple chunks in it. I used 2 cans of pilsner and 1 pd wheat (dry) extract. It turned out a little darker than the Kolsch I had previously at a microbrew. Just wanted to know some ideas and thoughts- happy brewing!
 
Please keep this updated.... I am very interested to see how this turns out.

Been wondering how adding straight up apples to 2ndary would work.... Looking to make a Unibroue Ephemere style beer...

Thanks!
 
sounds tasty. i have no experience with adding fruit to secondary so your guess is as good as anyone's. the kolsch i make has a small amount of honey malt added, just a few ounces. adds a slight honey aroma and flavor that's really great.

any extract beer you make will always be darker than the all grain version. extract is simply wort that's been boiled down to a syrup and carmelization will occur. then when you boil more carmelization occurs.

one thought i just had about the apples; you might want to think about removing the peels before adding. it's my educated guess that there are tannins in apple peels (just like grape skins and barley husks) and you might as well try to avoid getting tannins in your beer. keep us updated.
 
One of my favorite beers is Ephemere also- I love that stuff. I am going to take off the skins (this will also help get rid of any floating yeast that has settled on the apples). I made a banging sour cherry berry beer where I put all the cherries in secondary- it was and is awesome! I am going to put the apples in tomorrow afternoon and will keep updated. Do you think 5 lbs will be enough apple flavor though. I want an apple hint versus an apple taste
 
Update: I added 5 lbs of skinless apples from my tree on 10/13. I left it in secondary for about 3 weeks. I then put it into tertiary around the 1st of November and left it there for another month and half. I bottled on 12/19. I shared a bottle with a fellow homebrewing. There was the smell of rubbing alcohol when we smelled it. The taste was awesome. It had some malt flavor with enough apple to know it was there but it was a very clean taste. I am disappionted that I used a german ale/ kolsch yeast. I enjoy Oktoberfest beer but I wanted this to be more like a kolsch and it wasn't. Other than that, the finished product taste incredible!

Do you think the rubbing alcohol smell with disappear with age??? I am almost positive there were no problem with sanitation.
 
The strong alcohol smell could be due to a high fermentation temperature. Did you record the temps from your primary?
 
I did not record the temps because I kept it in my basement so the temps didn't really fluctuate too much. I would would say that it was between 65 and 70 degree in the there. I am not even sure there was that much of a fluctuation between the temps. Would it have that smell if it was high alcohol content? I used an abbey ale and maybe that turned every possible piece of sugar into alcohol. Not sure but it really taste nice and smooth.
 
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