How long to ferment Kolsch brew?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

madbird1977

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
205
Reaction score
3
Location
Madison
brewed up a kolsch recipe (extract kit from LHBS) and have had it fermenting for 5ish weeks. 2 in a secondary to clear it up a bit.

Lots to be ready and will take another gravity reading today but since I haven't brewed this before any tips advice on leaving it longer or anything before I move it to a corny keg and into the kegerator?

Any heart in letting it sit in the keg/kegerator a week or two to carb and ferment???

Any suggestions welcome, I'm looking for a nice summer brew.

I also have a Spotted Cow clone ready and a Two Hearted Ale clone fermenting away - the 2 hearted should be ready in 3 more weeks. :)

Good times ahead.
 
As long as it's nice and clear, it's ready for lagering. Keg the sucker, stick it in the kegerator, put some CO2 on it and forget about it for 2-6 weeks.
 
I would have gone straight to kegs with this one after 3 weeks in primary. lager it in the keg and everything will drop out nicely and you'd be drinking it 2 weeks earlier.
 
No, Kolsch is not a lager, it uses an ale yeast and is fermented at ale temperatures. But it is standard to 'lager' it after fermentation - which just means storing it at refrigerated temperatures.
 
So what is the purpose of "lagering" it? Just getting it ready to drink?

You slow the yeast down to a crawl, thereby inhibiting ANY phenols or esters while lagering. In the lagering phase, your beer clarifies and conditions so clean due to the low temps and slow conditioning that it turns out crisp and refreshing.
 
Good feedback all. Thanks. So for this lagering discussion, is it wise to do this for all light brews or any can do this? I have a wine fridge that can hold a temp around 40. I used that on my only Octoberfest lager. So ferment in primary as noted then stick in the kegerator or fridge huh.... Not a bad idea. :)
 
Just kegged it yesterday and set it in the kegerator at 30 psi, at 38 degrees. Have to try it in a day or so.
 
So I am going to bring this thread up. I am thinking of doing the NB Kolsch kit next and was wondering about the lagering part. I do not have a big enough fridge to condition in a secondary at the correct temps. Can I bottle after it is finished, let them carb for 2 weeks and then put them in the fridge?

ETA: Unless I wait until late fall early winter and I will be able to lager it in the garage.
 
So I am going to bring this thread up. I am thinking of doing the NB Kolsch kit next and was wondering about the lagering part. I do not have a big enough fridge to condition in a secondary at the correct temps. Can I bottle after it is finished, let them carb for 2 weeks and then put them in the fridge?

ETA: Unless I wait until late fall early winter and I will be able to lager it in the garage.

you can lager it in a bottles if you like
 
Agree w bottling. I had mine on tap for only 2 weeks....good brew. Didn't do much lagering.
 
You slow the yeast down to a crawl, thereby inhibiting ANY phenols or esters while lagering. In the lagering phase, your beer clarifies and conditions so clean due to the low temps and slow conditioning that it turns out crisp and refreshing.

So when fermenting a kolsch is it better to let it go for just 3 weeks in the primary and then lager for several weeks or should it go longer than three weeks in the primary before the lagering stage?

I am asking because my wife loves spotted cow and I want to try to make a clone recipe of this beer than we can only get when we travel to the great state of Wisconsin.
 
I live about 20 mins from the new glarus brewery and yes spotted cow is great. I made a clone of it from northern brewer a Lil while ago. It was good. Didn't lager but it did get better once kegged and temps where at 38. :)
 
Back
Top