MM Kolsch

[Beerrific]

I know it is like beating a dead horse here, but I haven't seen a Kolsch thread in a couple days so I thought I would get one going. . .

I just brewed a hefeweizen, tasted it last night after 5 days in the bottle (about half carbed), it has improved drastically since I bottled. It is going to go fast since I am having some friends over for a party in a couple weeks.

So I am looking to my next brew, I want to start mini-mashing. I was thinking of making BierMuncher's Blue Balls Belgian Wit but since I just finished wheat I wanted to try something different. I am thinking Kolsch.

There are a lot of posts here for AG Kolsch, so I thought I would come up with a MM. Kind of put this together on my own, please comment.

_________________________
Grains:
2 lbs. Bohemian Pilsner Malt (Moravian) 1.8L
1 lb. Flaked Wheat 2.0 L
8 oz Cara Pils 1.7-2.4 L
Mash 90 min at 152F

Extract:
4lbs Extra Light DME 1.0-3.0 L

Hops:
0.25 oz. Perle (60 min)
0.25 oz Saaz (60 min)
0.5 oz Tettnanger (30 min)
0.5 oz Hallertau (5 mins)
0.5 oz. Hallertau (dry hop)

Yeast:
White Labs Kolsch

Boil size: ~2.5 gallons
Final Batch: ~5.25 gallons

_______________

I may change the hops, I don't want to have to buy 1 oz. when I am only going to use 0.25 oz.

I am new to this not-buying-a-kit game so any help is appreciated.

 

[Beerrific]

I have used The Recipator and calculated the IBUs at 25. I think this is the high end for a Kolsch, I am happy with that.

 

[Beerrific]

Any ideas?

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Well, since you asked...

I'd cut the wheat to a half pound, maybe a quarter, and lose that cara-pils all-together for a half-pound of munich.

25 IBUs is on the high end of the spectrum for a kolsh, but acceptable, though flavor and aroma hops are very untraditional.

I've been researching these myself lately, and that's what I'd do. Take that with a grain of salt though, it turns out that I'm becoming a style-freak.

 

[Beerrific]

Well, since you asked...

Sorry about that don't know what was going on. . .

I'd cut the wheat to a half pound, maybe a quarter, and lose that cara-pils all-together for a half-pound of munich.

25 IBUs is on the high end of the spectrum for a kolsh, but acceptable, though flavor and aroma hops are very untraditional.

I've been researching these myself lately, and that's what I'd do. Take that with a grain of salt though, it turns out that I'm becoming a style-freak.

Thanks for the input on the grains.

As far as the hopps go, I think 25 IBUs might be wrong.

What is the traditional hopps for a Kolsch? I am going to look into this and maybe come up with something better.

Thanks

 

[Beerrific]

OK how about this. . .

Grains:
2 lbs. Bohemian Pilsner Malt (Moravian) 1.8L
1 lb. munich malt (4-7 L)
8 oz. Flaked Wheat 2.0 L
Mash 90 min at 152F

Extract:
4lbs Extra Light DME 1.0-3.0 L

Hops:
1 oz. Hallertauer (4.25% AA, 60 min.)
1 oz. Saaz (3.75% AA, 60 min.)
1 oz. Saaz (aroma)

Yeast:
White Labs Kolsch

Boil size: ~3 gallons
Final Batch: ~5.25 gallons
OG: 1.052 FG: 1.008

I think the addition of the Munich might make this a bit darker than what I wanted, but it might be OK.

Think the hop additions look better (now at 22 IBU).

 

[DeathBrewer]

that looks tasty

 

[maukiman]

Beerrific -

How did this turn out?

Thanks!

 

[Beerrific]

For the mash part, it went very well. Took a long time but was fun (SWMBO actually got mad because I told her it would take 2 hours, oops). I got nearly 65% efficiency without making any pH adjustments.

Started bubbling within 12 hours, after hearing others reports I highly recommend a starter with WLP029. It was finished fermenting at 10 days. Tasted and racked to secondary. It tasted really good. I could have bottled right then, probably the best tasting beer I have made. I think the hops worked out well, it was a bit more bitter than I expected, but that could be easily that it is green.

It is at 40F right now, the point of the cold conditioning is to remove any sulfur tastes that built up during fermentation. I tasted none, smelled a little. I will probably bottle it after 3 weeks in the cold.

I am probably going to take a sample out tomorrow. I will update then.

 

[Beerrific]

So this is the actually recipe I finally decided on:

3lbs pilsner malt
1 lb vienna malt
1lb white wheat malt
3-3.5 lb DME (enough to get to 1.046 OG) Added with 15 minutes remaining.

1 oz Tettanger bittering (60 min)
.5 Spalt flavoring (30 min)
.5 Saaz flavoring (30 min)
.25 Spalt aroma (5 min)
.25 Saaz aroma

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Looks good! I need to get mine going soon.