can't wait to see how it tastes!!

[FreeLordBrewing]

I love attempting to be different and trying new things!! and love to stray away from the norm of things. after some tailoring and messing with hopville's beer calculus I decided on, and brewed this recipe!!

this my take on an Imperial Black Kölsch "I.B.K." extract at this time.

O.G. = 1.074 (target = 1.070-1.082 based off of beer calculus)

sanitized all items with starsan.

fermentables:
3.3 lbs Pilsen LME
2 lbs Wheat DME
2 lbs Brown Sugar

Specialty grains/steeping:
1 lbs Crystal malt 10L
1 lbs Carapils
1 lbs de-bittered chocolate malt

boil:
60 min 1 oz German select 5.8% AA
30 min .5 oz German select 5.8% AA, .5 oz Hallertau 4.0% AA
15 min .5 oz German select 5.8% AA, .5 oz Hallertau 4.0% AA, yeast nutrient
10 min 2 lbs brown sugar
5 min 1 oz Hallertau 4.0% AA

yeast starter:
200 G plain extra light plain DME and enough water to bring to 2000ml in flask
boiled for 15 minutes adding 1/8 teaspoon yeast nutrient @ beginning of boil
cooled down to 68 degrees F, added two wyeast smack packs of 2565 Kölsch yeast (allowing to swell for 2 hours before pitching). Yielding approx. 300 Billion yeast cells in a 24 hour period. using sanitized tin foil as cover and shaking approx every two hours (no stir plate at this time). incubated at 69 degrees F.

aerated wort by pouring heavily through wire colander, added water to wort to bring to approx 4.25 gallons/1.074 gravity. pitched yeast starter when wort = 70 degrees F, (bringing final Wort volume to almost 4.5 Gallons) fermented at 68-70 degrees for first 4 days. allowed fermentation temps to rise on day 5 to 76 degrees F, still resting at 76 degrees F (day 10) and still having signs of fermentation (air lock still bubbling!! :rockin

schedule:
3 weeks in Primary
2 weeks in secondary
1 week in keg at 14 psi CO2 for carbonation.

 

[KyleWolf]

The recipe looks fun, but I have always been under the impression that kolsh yeast really needs to be fermented at a lower temperature (upper 50's to low 60's in general) because if you fermented in the 70's it would produce lots of off flavors (Though I can't remember the specifics since I really only do ales). If someone can come in with specifics, that would rock. I will ask someone I know who specializes in Kolsh and Lagers. Also, remember to

Besides that, I think it looks tasty. Also, I think the beer would fall under a "Schwartzbier" category.

Keep up posted and let us know how it turns out.

Kyle

 

[FreeLordBrewing]

Thanks!! this is my first recipe I have done from scratch, I normally use a kit and "doctor" or "spice" it up to give it my own twist. I love Kostritsser schwartzbier and was the inspiration for my first black Kolsch that I made. This time I raised up the fermentables, and added some more specialty grains. Hopefully sitting on the yeast cake for 3 weeks in the primary and additional 2 in a secondary will help remove any off flavors that may result due to the temps. I had the A/C cranked up to help keep it cool in my basement but the best I was able to get it to was 69 degrees F.

 

[KyleWolf]

If you love lagers and kolsh, I would recommend building yourself a fermentation chamber. It doesn't have to be something extravagant like a fridge and thermostat. I use a home depot moving box, line it in plastic, and then use either fiber glass or board cut insulation to line about 2-3.5in on all sides (including a home made "lid") Then, when you need to control your temp, tape an indoor/outdoor thermometer in styrofoam to the fermenter and put it in the chamber with 1L or 2L bottles of ice. you can add or remove the bottles as you need to keep the temp where you want it and the styrofoam makes sure you get the temp of the beer and not the surrounding air. Just food for thought.

 

[FreeLordBrewing]

Thanks for the heads up Kylewolf!! well decided to get the beer Transferred over to the secondary today (sitting on yeast for 3 weeks), took a reading and it came in at 1.015. Yielding 7.9% at this point (O.G. = 1.074) another 2 weeks in secondary, followed by one more week in the keg to carb. smells amazing!! and looks black as black could be I can't wait!!! super stoked to taste finished product!!