how would you go about making a high ABV and keeping the body light?? is it possible

[FreeLordBrewing]

I was tossing the idea around of a Imperial Kölsch. Any one ever try one?? what were your results and how did it end up??

 

[spearko520]

distillation would do that

 

[Pommy]

I would expect it would be somewhat like a strong European lager, if you are doing AG then mash long and low and use a high percentage, maybe 40% rice would be my 2c. Also pitch a shed load of yeast.

 

[jtakacs]

i'm bottling my imperial BMC tonight - a ton of german pils, 2 lb of rice, 2 lb of corn and 1 lb of sugar, mashed low and fermented w/ US05 - should clock in at 8-9% abv. my yeast didn't attenuate like i'd hoped (83% aa at the moment, i was hoping for 88ish) but that might actually give it more body... at 3 srm it should really be a contradiction in appearance/taste/style, etc... (yeah, i know - sounds undrinkable, it's not for me)

i'd say mash low, add a tad of crystal to get some mouthfeel, toss in some sugar to dry it out and boost the recipe to accommodate the imperial nature. the tough part is keeping the balance of the beer you're shooting for and making it "imperial" - you don't want to lose the kolsch profile by just boosting abv

 

[bb239605]

look into techniques to make a belgain trippel just use a kolsch yeast instead. That should get you to where you need to be

 

[BrewKnurd]

I was tossing the idea around of a Imperial Kölsch. Any one ever try one?? what were your results and how did it end up??

Some keys to high alcohol and low body:
Long, low temp mash (for example 145-148 for 90 minutes). You can also add a higher step to let the alpha amylase do its thing once the beta amylase is done
Simple sugars
Highly attenuative yeast - since you want a kolsch, your yeast options are limited, but you could finish it off with a higher attenuating yeast to further dry it out

 

[thetragichero]

i'm bottling my imperial BMC tonight - a ton of german pils, 2 lb of rice, 2 lb of corn and 1 lb of sugar, mashed low and fermented w/ US05 - should clock in at 8-9% abv. my yeast didn't attenuate like i'd hoped (83% aa at the moment, i was hoping for 88ish) but that might actually give it more body... at 3 srm it should really be a contradiction in appearance/taste/style, etc... (yeah, i know - sounds undrinkable, it's not for me)

i'd say mash low, add a tad of crystal to get some mouthfeel, toss in some sugar to dry it out and boost the recipe to accommodate the imperial nature. the tough part is keeping the balance of the beer you're shooting for and making it "imperial" - you don't want to lose the kolsch profile by just boosting abv

sorta like my imperial cream ale i just made a 3g batch of: 4lb 6-row 2lb flaked maize 1lb instant rice 1.5lb sugar (added once fermentation slowed) 90 minute mash 90 minute boil pitched onto a us-05 yeast cake from an APA i had just bottled
been in primary three or four weeks, tasted the pipette sample when i took a refractometer reading and it was HOT

i'm glad there are other crazy folks like me trying these things

 

[FreeLordBrewing]

I forgot to add I'm still in the extract world lol.

 

[thetragichero]

i do 3g all grain batches with a cooler and boil on my stovetop (using a few extra pots until i get a propane burner)... the move isn't as big as you think, and it gives you a TON more control over what you brew

 

[Pommy]

Well since you are working with extract you will want to find the extract appropriate that offers the lowest final gravity, use around 10%-15% corn sugar to make up the fermentables and choose a yeast that suits your flavour profile and promises the most attenuation.

 

[dinnerstick]

not that i have ever done this, but theoretically you could mash something with high enzymatic power (like 6 row) in a pot/bag and add your extract to the mini-mash, to hit it with some more amylase and make it as fermentable as possible, hold it a long time at low temp. might not be hugely practical for you but if you are already doing steeping it's not so different