Kolsch Recipe Using Citra + Galaxy looking for feedback

[boysbrew2012]

Has anyone thought about combining the likes of Citra + Galaxy to a Kolsch recipe? or should I stick to a Pale Ale American Grain bill+Yeast?

Any thoughts??

Kolsch
Type: All Grain
Estimated OG: 1.043-1.046
Estimated ABV%- 4.5%


Grain
10lbs German Pilsner
8 oz Crystal 15L

Hops

1 oz Perle @ 60 *sub out for 1 oz Citra
1 oz Saaz @ flameout *sub out for 1 oz Galaxy

Yeast: Kolsch

 

[Upthewazzu]

I mean, you can do it, but it wouldn't really be a Kolsch. IBU's would be way too high. Plus, you'd be wasting the ounce of Citra if you used it at 60.

 

[Flyboy84]

I'd change up the hop schedule a little. An oz of Citra at 60min is going to be very bitter for a light beer like that, try cutting it down to 0.5oz.

I've also become a fan of hop bursting, with hop additions every 5 minutes starting at the last 20 of the boil. Keeping the 2oz you have, I'd try a hop schedule like:

0.5oz Citra@ 60min
0.25oz Citra & Galaxy @ 20min, 10min
0.5oz Galaxy @ Flameout w/ 5min hop stand before chilling.

Or something you prefer along these lines would work well IMO. I'd also try fermenting at the low end of the range for that yeast if you can control ferm temps (I am really into lagers right now). Your recipe with that hop schedule should make a pretty clean and fruity/flowery beer.

One question though, is this a 10 gal batch? 10+ lbs of grain seems like it should have an OG much higher than 1.048 in 5 gal (5 gal is what the above is based on).

 

[dtwhite]

I've done something similar and really liked it with just citra, I would just make sure to do what others have said and dial down the amount of Citra/Galaxy hops in order to keep the IBUs the same as the classic recipe (~25). If you don't keep the bitterness down you'll hide the kolschy flavor.


My base recipe for a kolsch is 91% pilsner, 9% vienna.
Standard: 18 IBUs of Warrior at 60min and 8 IBUs of Hallertau at 15 min.
Citra variant: 10 IBU of Citra at first wort and 16 IBU in the whirlpool. Used 2oz total.

 

[Indian_villager]

My vote.
0.5oz Citra@ 40min
0.5oz Citra & Galaxy @ 5 min
0.5oz Galaxy @ Flameout w/ 5min hop stand before chilling.

9lbs German Pilsner
2lbs White wheat

 

[NathPowe]

I had a kolsch that was dry-hopped with Galaxy at a brewpub in D.C. (can't remember the name right now). It was really tasty. I think the only major change on that recipe from a regular kolsch was the dry-hopping. The bitterness seemed on par with a normal kolsch, as did the grain profile.

Just my $0.02. Good luck and enjoy the brew.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

I have done 3 batches of standard kolsch, just pilsner malt with a tiny bit of munich for a bit of color and hallertau hops, fermented with 2565 at 60F. I used to live near Cologne and it's just spot on, the only bummer is it's so good ever time I make it my friends empty the keg to fast!

 

[boysbrew2012]

This is a 5 gal batch recipe from more beer (grain bill) hops were what I had at home. Just trying something different. I have done a standard kolsch which went down smooth as silk! I figured I would try to spice it up with some tropical fruity hops

So i like all of the feedback and will merge it. Here is what I will go with

9 lbs German Pilsner
2 lbs White Wheat

.5 oz Citra at 40
.25 oz Citra + .25 oz Galaxy @ 5 mins
.5 oz Galaxy at Flameout

and .5 oz Galaxy Dry hop

 

[Indian_villager]

Whoo I win! I might try something with Mosaic instead of galaxy in the spring!

 

[TungstenBeer]

I had a kolsch that was dry-hopped with Galaxy at a brewpub in D.C. (can't remember the name right now). It was really tasty. I think the only major change on that recipe from a regular kolsch was the dry-hopping. The bitterness seemed on par with a normal kolsch, as did the grain profile.

Just my $0.02. Good luck and enjoy the brew.

Sounds like Bluejacket's Forbidden Planet. I had that last month when I was there, and it immediately went to the top of my list of what I want to brew when it gets a little warmer outside. It was fantastic.

 

[NathPowe]

Yup, that's the one. I knew it was Blue-something or other. Definitely a tasty beer. Went to several breweries last spring on a trip to DC and that beer was a stand-out (despite my forgetting the brewery & beer name...)

Cheers.