Kolsch Beer fermentation

[bigbrewbowski]

Hey all-

I have a batch of Kolsch in the fermenter now, and I'm a little unsure about what is going on.

This was the first time using a liquid yeast - I'm using the White Labs German Ale/Kolsch yeast.

I pitched on Tuesday night at 10:00PM - wort temp. was 68 deg. and I put it in my basement (ambient temp of 65). No fermentation for over 24 hours made me nervous, so 7pm Thursday I brought the fermenter upstairs (temp was 70) and later that night I started to get some bubbles in the airlock.

I left it upstairs overnight, on Friday when I got back from work at 5 pm I noticed fermentation still going pretty well and the ambient temp was 75, which I thought was a little high so I moved it back down in the basement (ambient temp was now 70 down there). After about an hour down there the bubbles stopped, but the temp on the "fermometer" still said 74 deg.

Here we are on Saturday and still no airlock bubbles, ambient temp is 70 deg and the fermometer still says 74 deg.

I'm unsure what, if anything, to do.

I was planning on racking to my secondary after the primary fermentation ended, but I'm not sure that it has.

How long should I wait to put it in the secondary, and should I do anything to make sure primary fermentation is finished?

 

[DD2000GT]

I just got done with my all grain Kolsch and used the same yeast. I noted this yeast worked much slower and had a longer sustained ferementation than any other ale yeast I have used. Never a violent krausen, but steady and lasted well over a week at 68 degrees. I would not take it too much over 70 degrees unless you are trying to get it more active to finish off fermentation.

The yeast is designed to ferment cooler than most normal ale yeast. My Kolsch came out great - I am guessing a big part of the unique taste of a Kolsch is this yeast.

From the White Labs website:

WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast
From a small brewpub in Cologne, Germany, this yeast works great in Kölsch and Alt style beers. Good for light beers like blond and honey. Accentuates hop flavors, similar to WLP001. The slight sulfur produced during fermentation will disappear with age and leave a super clean, lager like ale.
Attenuation: 72-78%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-69°F
Does not ferment well less than 62°F, unless during active fermentation.
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Well I was curious as to what was going on, so I opened up the fermenter this morning and measured the gravity - 1.019. O.G was 1.040 so there's still a ways to go.

It appeared that fermentation was still happening, so I'm feeling relieved. I think I may let this one stay in the primary another 2 weeks and skip the secondary.

 

[Nukesquad]

I think you're on the right track. Just stay patient and all should go well.

 

[jsuiker]

So I just started a similar batch on Thursday. If you look closely at the White Labs tube, it says to keep the temp between 70/75 until fermentation starts, THEN cool to 68.

Sounds like your yeasties got confused when you pitched them into 68F wort

*edit* - I agree w/ Nukesquad... sounds like you're on the right track by leaving it in the primary

 

[Araxi]

I used the same yeast for my kolsch except I fermented for 2 weeks at 62 degrees.

 

[boydak]

Same yeast I used. I let it sit in primary for 1 week and secondary 45 degrees for 2 weeks

 

[Heckle]

My first batch was a Kolsch also. Same thing happened to me. Had it setting about 65 degrees and nothing was happening. Brought it up to 69-71 and the fermentation kicked in. Once it kicked in, I kept it around 69 - 70 degrees.

 

[QueenCityALER]

BIG lag time!! I suggest making a starter with liquid yeast strains. Check out mrmalty.com. That'll get you started.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Thanks for all the replys & suggestions.

I definitely will make a yeast starter next time.



Bottle last week, and the results are .... delicious!
I just picked up a couple of traditional kolsch beers to do a taste off. I like my results, but just not sure that it is representative of what a kolsch is supposed to taste like.

 

[PhlyanPan]

I just picked up a couple of traditional kolsch beers to do a taste off. I like my results, but just not sure that it is representative of what a kolsch is supposed to taste like.

Unless you have a way to get the kolsch beers fresh from Cologne, I'm not sure that the beers you're comparing it to are super representative of kolsch beers. I was talking about German beers with the local brewmaster and he was saying he had some German beers that he really liked to drink over here...until his brother brought some back from Germany fresh. They were totally different because of the shipping times and clearing customs.