AK's "Kolsch"

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Dr_Deathweed

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
2,376
Reaction score
49
Location
Bryan
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
WLP029
Yeast Starter
Yes
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.047
Final Gravity
1.010
Boiling Time (Minutes)
90
IBU
20.6
Color
3.8 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
14 days at 64deg
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
crash cool
Tasting Notes
Light and crisp with enough flavor and body to remind you that its a home brew
I have spent about a year tweaking this recipe, and with the last 3 batches turning out great I decided to finally share :D This recipe was developed for my wife and BMC drinking friends, and ended up becoming a staple on tap that I enjoy fairly often as well. I was trying to develop something BMC'ish, but still with a little body and flavor. This is a great beer right after mowing the lawn, or just sitting on the porch shooting the breeze on a spring or summer evening when you want something light that you can keep drinking all night long.

kolsch.JPG

Grains:
6.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
3.00 lb long grain white rice (1.0 SRM)
0.25 lbCaramel/Crystal Malt - 10/20L (20.0 SRM)
0.25 lbWheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM)

Hops:
0.50 oz Sterling [7.00 %] (90 min) 11.7 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.40 %] (90 min) 9.0 IBU

Other:
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min)

Mash:
Gum rest - Add 12.50 qt of water at room temp 105.0deg 20 min
Protein rest - Heat to 122.0 F over 10 min hold for 30 min
Sacchrafinication -Heat to 150.0 F over 15 min hold for 90 min
Mash Out - Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min

Sparge:
Batch sparge 2 rounds with ~2.35 gallons each at 170deg

Procedure:

I use long grain white rice in this recipe, but I am sure someone who wanted to use instant rice could do that as well. I put the 3lbs in a large pot on the stove, cover with water and bring to a boil. I let the rice simmer for 30 minutes until it is over cooked a slightly mushy.

Meanwhile, I mill the rest of my grains and put my strike water into my mash tun, but don't start heating it up! When the rice is done I have found adding it to the strike water brings the volume to ~110-115deg, which comes about to 105-110deg after you dough in with the grains. When I add the rice to the strike water, I use my hands to break up large clumps until I do not feel any more, then dough in. I direct fire and recirculate the mash with a march pump, and slowly bring it through the mash schedule watching to make sure I don't scorch the bottom or get a stuck mash. When I hit about 148-150 deg, I hold for 90 minutes.

Sparging and boil are pretty standard. I have sparged this with and without rice hulls, and while they help, are not necessary if you have a good false bottom. I use a 90 minute boil because I have found it makes the beer a bit "crisper" and to ensure there is no DMS left, because it will show through in the final product if it is there.

Fermentation:
I use a temperature controlled fermentation cabinet to maintain the temperature between 60 and 65 deg, and give this a couple weeks at that temperature. When fermentation is complete and the yeast have begun to slightly settle, I keg, crash cool to ~40deg, and force carb over a couple more weeks. This clears the beer up a bit more as the yeast drop out. You can drink it soon, but I have found a couple weeks at lower temps really do a lot to clean up the flavor a bit. I have no idea what longer storage would do because I have yet to have a keg last that long :D

I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we do, and I will try to answer any questions that pop up.
 
This one interests me I may try it.

How do you think it would turn out with pilsner malt and no step mash?

Would I be better off step mashing in my keggle and then try to move back to my Lauder turn/cooler to sparge?
 
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