Ed Worts Kolsch

I am thinking about a back up yeast in case my Wyeast Kolsch 2565 starter dosent take to my first 12 gallon batch. The starter is just starting to become more active ( no Kraeusen but lots of yeast sediment... why is that? )and I plan on pitching a second smak pack and some additional pre boiled DME to the starter but this yeast is behaving so strangely I am not confident in its ability. I have dry Safale US -05 and Safale WB -06. Would either of these be a good backup yeast?

Safale 05 and 06 are good yeasts, but for it to be a kolsch, you really need a kolsch yeast. My guess is you'll make great beer with either of the fermentis strains, but it won't taste quite like a kolsch. If you pitch a big starter of healthy yeast, it should take.

how big of a starter did you make? i often don't get krausen on a starter.

So far it is only about 1L. I plan on adding another smak pak of Kolsch yeast and some fresh wort and bring it up to 2 - 3 liters.

I brewed Ed's kolsch two weeks ago. made a starter with two cups of wort, Wyeast Kolsch 2565 the night before. the next morning, no kraeusen but there was way more yeast, brewed up the batch, pitched the starter, it was rocking & rolling in about 7 hours. and I do recomend a blowoff tube on your fermenter.

Thanks! I do see more yeast in the bottom but I will build this up 2X to make sure that I am good on the count. I don't think there is a kraeusen on this style of yeast. They claim its top cropping but it defiantly behaves like a mutant lager type.

when i use this yeast, it does krausen, but only in primary. my starters don't hardly foam at all.

expect the krausen to linger, and form a 'skin' over the finished beer in primary.

And yes, you need kolsch yeast to make it a kolsch. I think your starter is doing fine.

I brewed with that yeast not too long ago and had the same experience. There was plenty of yeast on the bottom of the flask of my starter but no krausen. Pitched into my wort and 3.5 hours later stumblin' and bumblin' and much blow off. Good thing I put a blow off in.

- WW

Do I need to do a secondary on this? Can I ferment in just a glass carboy and then crash cool after 2 - 3 weeks?

I will definatly yeast ranch off of one of these fermenters.