Grains appropriate in a Kolsch?

[cutchemist42]

From what I understand it usually contains: pils, wheat, and munich. I was just wondering if anything like carapils, crystal malts, or honey malt/brumalt would be appropriate?

Thanks!

 

[gypsyhead]

You're a homebrewer dude, try it and if it doesn't work, serve it to your Bud drinking friends.

For a more scientific answer: looking at Designing Great Beers, grain incidence and proportion values for NHC 2nd Round Recipes are as follows (the values below indicate how often and in what proportion each grain appeared in beers which made it into the NHC 2nd round):
-Two-Row: in 75% of recipes it made up 72% of the grist bill
-Pilsner: <10% of recipes, 75% of grist
-Wheat: 75% of recipes, 14% of grist
-Crystal: 45% of recipes, 5% of grist
-Munich: 45% of recipes, 13% of grist
-CaraPils: 45% of recipes, 7% of grist
-There's no mention of honey malt, but I think it might go well with this style as long as you keep the base malt fairly dry (more pils or 2-row than Marris Otter or Golden Promise)

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

A lot of folks seem to think that Kolsch is a malty beast. It isn't, it's actually pretty light in body and maltiness. Have a bottle of Reissdorf and taste it for yourself.

I prefer to stick with either American 2 row or Pilsener, some wheat. I've dabbled with Kolsch malt from Koln but I thought it was too malty for the style.

MC

 

[BigEd]

From what I understand it usually contains: pils, wheat, and munich.

Homebrew yes, but no Munich in a real Kolsch. It's pilsner malt based with maybe a small wheat malt addition.

I was just wondering if anything like carapils, crystal malts, or honey malt/brumalt would be appropriate?

Thanks!

A touch of CaraPils or CaraHell is probably OK for strict style as long as they don't intrude on the main ingredient. Honey malt would not be found in a German Kolsch although lots of homebrewers and craft breweries do like to play with the style. It's fine if you like it although probably not a good choice if you are brewing a beer for a contest to hit the style category.

 

[centralme]

Made a Kolsch last spring and perhaps the best all grain I have ever made. I did tons of research for a very authentic version. Here is what I did:

9.25 Pilsner
.5 Vienna
1.5oz Hersbrucher (60min)
.5 Hersbrucker (15 min)
White Labs WLP029

Heat 15 qts to 165 degrees. Mash in @ 149-150 for 60 min.
Boiled 90 min.

OG = 1.048

No recorded fermentation temp, but it was in cellar and in range of low 60's for 3 weeks. Put in ice bath for three days and then left it in the cool water for another 6 days.