Brewing Kolsch

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LouisianaVince

LouisianaVince

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Location
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Back to brewing.
Money got tight, I changed jobs, now I'm brewing again! :mug:
I'm brewing AHS Kolsh from an extract kit. Since I'm 30 min. into the boil, I'd better get back in there. Just wanted to make a note of the brew date and celebrate my ability to start brewing again!
 
Welcome back to the fold!

I just brewed 10 gallons of Kolsch as well, great lawnmower beer. :mug:

Cheers!
 
FireBrewer said:
Welcome back to the fold!

I just brewed 10 gallons of Kolsch as well, great lawnmower beer. :mug:

Cheers!
Click to expand...


Thank you!
Yep, I was thinking I needed something like a Kolsch for the rest of summer.
 
yep - Kolsch is a great summer beer! I just finished off my keg of Kolsch last night... On to my Cream Ale!
 
Welcome back! My Kolsch is about 10 days out, then keg time. Had to empty one of the 8 fermenters.
 
I brewed a Kolsch, 2 weeks into keg so far for aging. I used the Wyeast Kolsch yeast maybe I might try the white labs next.
 
Brew-boy said:
I brewed a Kolsch, 2 weeks into keg so far for aging. I used the Wyeast Kolsch yeast maybe I might try the white labs next.
Click to expand...

I haven't started kegging yet. but I'd like to when I get in a place with more space for the equipment. I like the White Labs yeasts that I've used so far (in my very limited experience). It would be good to see a comparison of one beer brewed with 2 different yeasts, all else being equal.

Oh, I'm racking to secondary today. Primary fermentation didn't stop until about day 11, so I went a full two weeks in primary. It's pretty. :)
 
Be sure to post your results for this one LouisiannaVince. I'd like to do a Kolsch next, and AHS is who I order from lately.

Tell us how it turns out!
 
I just racked my first ever batch of beer. A kolsch from Brewmaster Select. I used safale us-56. It did well for 6 days then I racked. Wished I got a SG reading but hey was my first try. And it smelled great. Just waiting to bottle now!
 
LouisianaVince said:
Thank you!
I used White Labs liquid Kolsch yeast.
Click to expand...
Good choice. Be prepared for a lengthy secondary. Kolsch yeast likes to take its time settling out. Ideally, giving it 3 weeks in the 2ndary at around 50-55 degrees will really help. If you can't do that, I'd recommend using gelatin in the secondary to help the yeast to settle. My Kolsch was one of the most crystal clear beers I did.
 
talleymonster said:
Be sure to post your results for this one LouisiannaVince. I'd like to do a Kolsch next, and AHS is who I order from lately.

Tell us how it turns out!
Click to expand...

I'll definitely post a report when it gets to the tasting stage (which somehow always ends up being a bit earlier than the ready-to-serve stage for me!).
 
tarheelbrew said:
I just racked my first ever batch of beer. A kolsch from Brewmaster Select. I used safale us-56. It did well for 6 days then I racked. Wished I got a SG reading but hey was my first try. And it smelled great. Just waiting to bottle now!
Click to expand...

Hey, congrats on your first brew!!! I hope it turns out as good as it smells (I'm betting it will). Keep on brewing!
 
BierMuncher said:
Good choice. Be prepared for a lengthy secondary. Kolsch yeast likes to take its time settling out. Ideally, giving it 3 weeks in the 2ndary at around 50-55 degrees will really help. If you can't do that, I'd recommend using gelatin in the secondary to help the yeast to settle. My Kolsch was one of the most crystal clear beers I did.
Click to expand...

I was planning on 2 weeks in secondary (it's been in secondary a week now), but I may let it go 3. Thanks for the pointer! I'll also be ready with some gelatin when I check it at 2 weeks. Will that work, if I add it then wait another week? I've never used gelatin before.
 
LouisianaVince said:
I was planning on 2 weeks in secondary (it's been in secondary a week now), but I may let it go 3. Thanks for the pointer! I'll also be ready with some gelatin when I check it at 2 weeks. Will that work, if I add it then wait another week? I've never used gelatin before.
Click to expand...
If it's already in the 2ndary, go ahead and add it now.

Use the recommended amount...soak in a cup of water for an hour, then heat to around 180 degrees to completely dissolve. Let cool slightly then add it to your secondary.
 
BierMuncher said:
If it's already in the 2ndary, go ahead and add it now.

Use the recommended amount...soak in a cup of water for an hour, then heat to around 180 degrees to completely dissolve. Let cool slightly then add it to your secondary.
Click to expand...

Thanks again! Is there a particular type of gelatin that works best? I guess I should search the site a little.
 
LouisianaVince said:
Thanks again! Is there a particular type of gelatin that works best? I guess I should search the site a little.
Click to expand...
Your LHBS will have Gelatin Finings. It's cheap (couple of bucks). I've often wondered if the flavorless gelatin powder you find at the grocery store is the same stuff. Maybe I'll experiment.
 
Just a question on this if you don't mind me hopping in. :D

I'm brewing up a Kolsch tonight, but I'm using WLP036 - Dusseldorf Alt Yeast. It's one of the platinum strains. My LHBS was all out of the Kolsch yeast, and this is pretty similar. Looks like I may not get good hop accenuation, but no biggie, it's a Kolsch, and the recipe I'm going for is just above the normal Kolsch IBU's. My starter is really going good. I did a 4cup water/1cup DME starter and it has been rolling through.

My basement is right around 66, so the yeast should do good, but what is the best way for me to help clear it? I can add gelatin, but I don't have any lagering fridge or anything. Just a beer fridge that I use for serving my kegs. I'm shooting for a two week primary, then do a 2 week (or longer) secondary, and keg it. Should I put it under pressure and then just leave it alone for 3 weeks while in the fride? Or should I just tranfer to keg, blast the 02 off with C02, then let it sit in the beer fridge a while before hooking it up?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
freyguy said:
Just a question on this if you don't mind me hopping in. :D

I'm brewing up a Kolsch tonight, but I'm using WLP036 - Dusseldorf Alt Yeast. It's one of the platinum strains. My LHBS was all out of the Kolsch yeast, and this is pretty similar. Looks like I may not get good hop accenuation, but no biggie, it's a Kolsch, and the recipe I'm going for is just above the normal Kolsch IBU's. My starter is really going good. I did a 4cup water/1cup DME starter and it has been rolling through.

My basement is right around 66, so the yeast should do good, but what is the best way for me to help clear it? I can add gelatin, but I don't have any lagering fridge or anything. Just a beer fridge that I use for serving my kegs. I'm shooting for a two week primary, then do a 2 week (or longer) secondary, and keg it. Should I put it under pressure and then just leave it alone for 3 weeks while in the fride? Or should I just tranfer to keg, blast the 02 off with C02, then let it sit in the beer fridge a while before hooking it up?

Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

More experienced brewers, please "hop" in. This is beyond my level of expertise!
 
freyguy said:
...what is the best way for me to help clear it? I can add gelatin, but I don't have any lagering fridge or anything. Just a beer fridge that I use for serving my kegs. I'm shooting for a two week primary, then do a 2 week (or longer) secondary, and keg it. Should I put it under pressure and then just leave it alone for 3 weeks while in the fride? Or should I just tranfer to keg, blast the 02 off with C02, then let it sit in the beer fridge a while before hooking it up?

Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Gassing the keg won't affect clarification.

I'd definitely use gelatin in the secondary, let it sit for 10-14 days and then keg and chill it at about 11PSI and give it 10-12 days again.

You should have pretty darn clear beer at that point.
 
BierMuncher - Thanks for that!! Always makes me feel better when a pro double checks my theory! ;) I'll be picking up some Gelatin tomorrow.....along with a dang spoon that got lost.

I pitched last night around 10pm and it was rolling along at 7am when I got up. Can't ask for more than that! I'm thinking it might be coming out of the blowoff when I get home. Thanks again. :mug:
 
I just received my Kolsch Extract kit from AHS a couple days ago. I was thinking of doing a double brew day this weekend. I have to do my Blue Moon clone first for SWMBO, she really likes Blue Moon. But so do I, so it's a win-win. :mug:
 
Just a note...I never added gelatin to the secondary, but I did let it stay in secondary for 3 weeks. I bottled (and tasted, of course!) Sunday morning. Final gravity was right on at 1.012. The pre-carbonated taste was wonderful. It's gonna be a long 3 weeks!
 
Since this a Kolsch thread - what fermentation temperature do you all recommend? I have an extract kit from More Beer and the catalog description for the kit says that it requires fermentation in the high 50s' to low 60sF. The WLP Kolsch yeast they recommend say that it does not ferment well under 62^F, which is the same as what the WLP site recommends.

So, which is it - high 50s to low 60's or above 62^F? I tend to believe the WLP recommendation.

Or is this a WTF question for MoreBeer?

Thanks,
 
Bills Brew said:
Since this a Kolsch thread - what fermentation temperature do you all recommend? I have an extract kit from More Beer and the catalog description for the kit says that it requires fermentation in the high 50s' to low 60sF. The WLP Kolsch yeast they recommend say that it does not ferment well under 62^F, which is the same as what the WLP site recommends.

So, which is it - high 50s to low 60's or above 62^F? I tend to believe the WLP recommendation.

Or is this a WTF question for MoreBeer?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

My extract kit (all LME, btw, no grains to boil) did not recommend a particular fermentation temp. It used a Kolsch yeast, I fermented in the mid 70's as I always do, since I don't have refrigeration equipment and I live in Louisiana where it's hard to get the house much cooler in the summer, and it came out fine.
 
Just a final note to say I've been drinking this, and it's delicious! There's a wheat flavor to it, I find it lighter tasting than my previous brews, but a friend who tasted it last night (Miller Lite drinker) complimented the flavor but said it was too strong for him. I can relate. I was a Miller Lite guy years ago, before I knew better!
 

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