Kolsch Yeast

I did two all grain batches in the past two days, one was a Kolsch and the other is Blonde that I am using the same yeast in. I used Wyeast 2565 Kolsch in both. According to Wyeast it has a range of 56-70 degree's F. I normally ferment Ale at 65F. I cranked the chest down to 58 degrees and they are both setting in the fermentor now a steady 58F with about 1 inch of Krausen on top of them.

My plan is to primary them at 58 for two weeks then allow them to warm to room temp and hold for twenty four hours. Then I am going to move them to a 5 gallon carboy and lager for 6 to 8 weeks (depending on when I have a tap open, may be longer). I have read that it really improves Kolsch to lager for a while but I also read that they do not age well and begin to develop an oxidized taste after a while?

My question is does anyone have experience with this yeast?
Is there any noticable difference between 56 and 65 degree's?

This is my first try at a Kolsch and have never even drank a kolsch but after reading about the yeast having lager like qualities I decided to try it in my Blonde recipe and decided what the heck, brew one, any thoughts?

There's a big difference in those temps. You'll probably end up with a cleaner, more crisp beer when fermenting at 56.

Your plan looks good. I haven't used that yeast, but have used the White Labs Kolsch strain.

If you were able to cool the wort to 58 F before pitching I bet you could skip the room temp. step. Many diacetyl issues are from pitching warmer and then bringing down to fermentation temps. Since it appeas to be chugging away at 58 F, I bet the yeast should have no problem fully attenuating at 58 F if that is your concern. If it was going slow, then maybe a short room temp. rest would be in order

I think the not aging well is true for ALL lower hop, lower alcohol beers. If you can drink it within 6 months it shouldn't be a problem

The starters were 60 degree's so I cooled the wort to 60 and pitched the yeast. I guess I should have dropped the temps down to 58 before pitching but I figured 2 degrees would not hurt.

I was concerned about attenuation at such cool temps with ale yeast, I guess I will keep an eye on it and in a week or so I pull a hydro sample and see how it is doing. I am trusting Wyeast on this one, I suppose if it wouldnt attunuate at 56 they wouldn't publish it. I went 58F just to have a two degrees cushion just in case the thermometer is off.

One beer is less than 24 hours old and the other is just over 36 hours and both have a nice layer of krausen forming on top of them and airlocks are rockin so I have my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the reply

Another thing to keep in mind is that your liquid temp is probably a few degrees higher than your temp is reading...unless you're monitoring the liquid. I think you'll be fine. Kolsch yeast is something like a hybrid between lager and ale. It does well at lower temps.

I am going by liquid temps, right now the Kolsch is 58F and the Blonde is 59F. The actual ambient temp of the chamber is 56F. Both are activly fermenting at those temps so I guess I will see how it turns out.

I have been concerned about this ever since I pitched the yeast on the Kolsch, which I did first.

The Blonde was a 6 gallon batch, I saved three quarts of the wort from the Blonde, put it in quart canning jars and my wife worked her magic and sealed them up. I was going to use them for starters in the future, something again I have never tried but this is a beer I do all the time and thought it might work instead of using DME for a starter. I guess worst case I will warm the brews up and use them now if necessary.