Kolsch yeast - need lagering time?

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joshesmusica

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Been thinking about trying the hybrid pilsner thing with a kolsch yeast. Just wondering if it's normal to still do a lager period with this one, or if people normally just treat it like a typical ale yeast.
 
I've got one on the go right now. A Munich Helles not a Pilsner but same idea. Brulosopher's recipe and fermentation schedule is what I am using.

See it here. He covers it in all the detail you could want.

3 days to get to 50% attenuation at 58F

Passive rise to 68F where I will let it sit for another week before I check that FG is reached and see if I note any diacetyl and ramp it down to 32F

WLP029

Hope this helps.
 
I use wyeast 2565 all the time. I generally do 62 degrees for 2 weeks, then drop it to 34 degrees for 2 days add gelatin for 2 days, keg it, and put on gas for 2 weeks.
 
No. Plenty of yeast in suspension for bottle conditioning after a cold crash and/or gelatin fining as far as I know.
 
how long does this one usually take for it to take off when fermenting at those temps? mine has been about 21 hours right now, with no sign of fermentation yet.
 
how long does this one usually take for it to take off when fermenting at those temps? mine has been about 21 hours right now, with no sign of fermentation yet.

I brewed a 2.5 gallon batch of Kolsch last month, using 2565. Pitched a 700ml starter at 58, and kept fermentation between 58-60. The yeast took off about 24 hours later, with a good 2" layer of krausen.

Give it another day or so.
 
I've used the WLP029 Kolsch yeast many times. I've fermented at low and higher temps. WL recommends 65-69 degrees and says it doesn't ferment well below 62.

Personally I think it brings out more flavor fermented at higher temps.
 
I brewed a 2.5 gallon batch of Kolsch last month, using 2565. Pitched a 700ml starter at 58, and kept fermentation between 58-60. The yeast took off about 24 hours later, with a good 2" layer of krausen.

Give it another day or so.

yeah i was following the advice of others and Brulosopher about the 58F temp. then, since this was the first time i used this yeast, i had a little noob freakout moment. i've just recently purchased my temp controller, so i'm having a bit of a challenge getting it to work with this temp and this size batch (2 6-liter buckets), so it got up to about 16C, shooting for fermenting at 14.4. but weirdly enough, i just checked again, and at 24.5 hours post pitch, it's showing signs of krausen. should i be having my blowoff tube ready (or maybe just in already) for this particular strain?
 
yeah i was following the advice of others and Brulosopher about the 58F temp. then, since this was the first time i used this yeast, i had a little noob freakout moment. i've just recently purchased my temp controller, so i'm having a bit of a challenge getting it to work with this temp and this size batch (2 6-liter buckets), so it got up to about 16C, shooting for fermenting at 14.4. but weirdly enough, i just checked again, and at 24.5 hours post pitch, it's showing signs of krausen. should i be having my blowoff tube ready (or maybe just in already) for this particular strain?

Mine went right to the top of a 3-gallon carboy. It didn't go any further, but it was close. So, yes, put a blowoff just in case.
 
I would definitely lager it. The other thing I've noticed with 2565 is that it goes absolutely batsh!t when it's at high krausen. You will get tons of yeast everywhere, and it generates a lot of heat. Keep an eye out for that and you should be good.
 
I say lager. I ferment with Kolsch yeast at 58-62 degrees F for a 2 weeks then lager at 34 F for 3-4 weeks. Turns out great.
 
so i've gotten some other advice about the lagering. some people on here mentioned to basically do an extended cold crash before bottling. but now i've heard of others who ferment as usual, cold crash a couple of days, bottle carbonate it, then basically lager it for a week after that. which, yes, is just putting the bottle in the fridge, basically, for a week before they open it, but i believe they're lagering the entire batch immediately after a 3-week carb up time. anybody here done this method?
i guess i do have two 6-liter buckets to test with. maybe i should do one lagering before, and one lagering after.
 

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