Kolsch fermentation

What is a good, average temperature for fermenting a kolsch. I have a temp controlled freezer and can ferment and lager at any temp.

I boiled a kolsch yesterday and everything I read said to ferment between 50-60 degrees and to lager at 34 degrees.

Right now, I have the freezer set at 58.

The OG on the beer was .050 in case that makes a difference to anyone.

Thanks in advance for the advice!!

cherrob123 said:

What is a good, average temperature for fermenting a kolsch. I have a temp controlled freezer and can ferment and lager at any temp.

I boiled a kolsch yesterday and everything I read said to ferment between 50-60 degrees and to lager at 34 degrees.

Right now, I have the freezer set at 58.

The OG on the beer was .050 in case that makes a difference to anyone.

Thanks in advance for the advice!!

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It depends on what yeast you used.

cherrob123 said:

ferment between 50-60 degrees and to lager at 34 degrees.

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I use the kolsch yeast from white labs and follow the profile you described for ferm. Usually ~2 weeks @ 60º then 4 weeks @ 34º

I've fermented Kolsch yeast in the low 50's ambient and it produces a wonderfully clean, lager like beer. No problems with attenuation either.

ColoHox said:

I use the kolsch yeast from white labs and follow the profile you described for ferm. Usually ~2 weeks @ 60º then 4 weeks @ 34º

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It was the White Labs yeast. I went on their web site and that's what they recommended.

I checked the fermentor and it's bubbling away so I guess it's all good..

Thanks for the help!!

I boiled this beer on 2/10. My OG was 1.050 as was the target OG according to the brewer that posted it on Hopville. He also happens to own my LHBS.

The FG on mine as of today is 1.014. The estimated FG from the original brewer is 1.013, but his FG ended up at 1.001.

I had a really good bubble going until 2/14 and then noticed that I had little or no activity.

I don't have any krausen on the top, but i do see remnants of my starter clumped on top.

I fermented in my freezer at a solid 58 degrees.

Is this beer ready for the secondary, or do I need to give it a little more time?

Don't move it to lager temp until the gravity is stable. I would let it stay at ~58º for the full 2 weeks. You don't want to trap excessive diacetyl in there.

I usually ferment my Kolsch's at 56F. I've found that going to low results in a very clean koslch that is missing that "subtle fruit aroma" that the BJCP looks for in their competitions. Fermentation generates heat so I try to stay away from the upper end of the recommend temperature range. I'll usually let it go in primary for three weeks, transfer to a keg, and allow it carb/lager until ready.

After a few weeks around 56, I like to slowly raise the temp up to about 68, hold it there for 2 days, and then cold crash down to 34 for a coulee days before bottling. It has turned out really nice clean beers.

I've only used the white labs strain though, and never lagered it. I don't see how the 4 weeks at 34 helps, just to clear the beer more?

Darwin18 said:

I usually ferment my Kolsch's at 56F. I've found that going to low results in a very clean koslch that is missing that "subtle fruit aroma" that the BJCP looks for in their competitions. Fermentation generates heat so I try to stay away from the upper end of the recommend temperature range. I'll usually let it go in primary for three weeks, transfer to a keg, and allow it carb/lager until ready.

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That is excellent advice. I don't know why, but I felt like if I aged/lagered it in a keg, it would take on some flavors I didn't like. I will probably start lagering at 34 deg. this week and then rack to a keg with a couple of weeks left and finish the aging. I am very interested in the yeast dropping out as much as possible before racking.

By aging in the keg, I also have more room in my freezer.