Help tailor my Koelsch recipe

[SailorTodd]

I've recently upgraded from kit brewing to developing my own extract recipes. My Koelsch idea will be the second 5 gallon personally developed recipe. I know, technically it won't be a true Koelsch, since I'm thousands of miles from Cologne, but it'll at least be a Koelsch style ale. I've used others' recipes and some inputs into qbrew to get the recipe to its current point, but would like any ideas for tweaking the recipe.

Biggest things I'm looking for, would you recommend any steeping grains to help round out this recipe? Hops addition: I'm reading conflicting info. One recommends to only do a 60 min hop boil, because there shouldn't be much noticeable hop flavor or aroma, should be just clean and crisp, and other recipes have bittering, flavor and aroma hop adds. Right now I have Saaz listed, but I may do Hallertau or Hersbrucker instead if I can find them readily available. How does this look:

Unnamed Koelsch
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Brewer: SailorTodd
Style: Kolsch
Batch: 5.00 galExtract

Characteristics
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Recipe Gravity: 1.040 OG
Recipe Bitterness: 20 IBU
Recipe Color: 4° SRM
Estimated FG: 1.010
Alcohol by Volume: 3.8%
Alcohol by Weight: 3.0%

Ingredients
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Briess LME - Golden Light 3.00 lb, Extract, Extract
Muntons DME - Extra Light 2.00 lb, Extract, Extract

Saaz Czech) 1.50 oz, Pellet, 60 minutes

 

[paraordnance]

you didn't mention anything about yeast and fermentation temp. Its the most important aspect if you want to be within style. IMHO Wyeast 2565/WLP029 yeast fermented cold (60-63F) than lagered for 2-3 weeks thats what makes true Kolsch style beer and nothing also. There is no substitutions. I tried many pseudo-Kolsch style beers fermented with other strains and they not even close to original. I personally love 2565, its my house strain. From same strain you can make Kolsch, Altbier, hoppy American Ales and anything you like. Its great clean yeast!

 

[SailorTodd]

Ah, sorry, didn't mention that. My intention was to use WLP029 German Ale/Koelsch yeast, because I know it's available at my LHBS. Didn't look for Wyeast 2565, but I can check into that instead.

As far as temperature, I can easily regulate temps around 68. Anything lower I have to take extra measures (not something I've attempted before). My recent ideas on this came from a technique a fellow home brewer mentioned about a shallow water bath with cloth wrapped around the fermenter to allow evaporation to cool the fermenter, possibly including a frozen water bottle if just the water isn't enough. Any good cooling techniques w/o having access to many resources? Appreciate the advice.

 

[paraordnance]

Ah, sorry, didn't mention that. My intention was to use WLP029 German Ale/Koelsch yeast, because I know it's available at my LHBS. Didn't look for Wyeast 2565, but I can check into that instead.

As far as temperature, I can easily regulate temps around 68. Anything lower I have to take extra measures (not something I've attempted before). My recent ideas on this came from a technique a fellow home brewer mentioned about a shallow water bath with cloth wrapped around the fermenter to allow evaporation to cool the fermenter, possibly including a frozen water bottle if just the water isn't enough. Any good cooling techniques w/o having access to many resources? Appreciate the advice.

you can certainly ferment WLP029 in some sort of swamp cooler changing frozen bottles once in a while, this yeast tolerates warmer temperatures better than its Wyeast cousin (2565) but you not will be able to lager this beer

 

[malkore]

Yes you definitely need cooler than 68F, or you're not going to get a true kolsch. More of a blonde ale because the yeast will throw more esters.

the Wyeast 2565 is a true kolsch strain, pseudo-lager that'll chug along at 60F in primary.

 

[lumpher]

i use a tote for the fermenter, then use water, ice bottles, and a blanket to keep mine at the right temps. have to keep a close eye on it, and change ice bottles at the right time. if you change as soon as they thaw, it'll keep it too cold. any clean hops works; i prefer perle

 

[cshamilton]

Yeast is most important, ideally ferment at 60 F

I think some hop flavor is good so maybe 0.5 oz of your hops at 30 min - any of the hops you mentioned would work fine. You could also add some wheat extract or steeping grains, it's not necessary, but you will find a lot of people include some.

 

[SailorTodd]

I may have to table this recipe for a later time, when I've upgraded my facilities to include lagers. In my limited reading about koelsch I didn't gather that the lower temp lagering was essentially a must for this beer.

A blonde actually sounds pretty good as an alternative, but I will likely alter the ingredients from what is listed above. I'm trying to brew a more approachable beer to share with some of my friends more inclined to turn to BMC in the face of more hoppy/dark brews.

EDIT: For lagering after primary, what is the temperature range needed for lagering a Koelsch if using WLP029 or Wyeast 2565?