Protos
Die Schwarzbier Polizei
I plan to brew a Kölsch repeating an excellent recipe I've brewed for 4 times, and this time I'm thinking to change mashing regimen from my usual 3-step infusion to single or double decoction.
I went to search for information whether decoction was traditional to the style and which specific decoction schedule was used for Kölsch. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything decisive: both infusion and decoction are mentioned in various texts on the history of the style and neither is stated to be the preferred method.
Eric Warner in his "Classic Beer Styles: Kölsch" gives quite a vague note on the subject: "Earlier versions of Kölsch were almost always exclusively single-infusion mashed, including our hop-bitter lager beer. Today, many brewers use a single decoction mash to brew their Kölsch". I was a bit surprised to read about single infusions in earlier German brewing. How much earlier: 1900s? 1930s? 1980s? No hints on that in the book. And as I see from various recipes most brewers today use not single-decoction but step-infusion mash for their Kölsch beers. Then the author elaborates on why decoction might be detrimental to the style (and he might have some points) but my main question still remains unanswered.
So now I'm confused and I hope there are knowledgeable people here on HBT who can tell if decoction was traditional for brewing Kölsch in Germany - or maybe Kölsch really was an exception from the more common German approach to mashing and had been indeed almost always exclusively single-infusion mashed since the very invention of the style?
I went to search for information whether decoction was traditional to the style and which specific decoction schedule was used for Kölsch. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything decisive: both infusion and decoction are mentioned in various texts on the history of the style and neither is stated to be the preferred method.
Eric Warner in his "Classic Beer Styles: Kölsch" gives quite a vague note on the subject: "Earlier versions of Kölsch were almost always exclusively single-infusion mashed, including our hop-bitter lager beer. Today, many brewers use a single decoction mash to brew their Kölsch". I was a bit surprised to read about single infusions in earlier German brewing. How much earlier: 1900s? 1930s? 1980s? No hints on that in the book. And as I see from various recipes most brewers today use not single-decoction but step-infusion mash for their Kölsch beers. Then the author elaborates on why decoction might be detrimental to the style (and he might have some points) but my main question still remains unanswered.
So now I'm confused and I hope there are knowledgeable people here on HBT who can tell if decoction was traditional for brewing Kölsch in Germany - or maybe Kölsch really was an exception from the more common German approach to mashing and had been indeed almost always exclusively single-infusion mashed since the very invention of the style?