Kolsch - American Version?
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Auger
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what exactly that would mean....I guess you could say that any Kolsch-style beer brewed in America would be an American-style Kolsch, as "the Kölsch Konvention specifically defines the rules to be followed to allow a beer to carry the name Kölsch, which includes that it must be brewed within a 50 km zone around Cologne, Germany." (Wikipedia).
What are you thinking of doing my "Americanizing" it? The problem is that its such a narrowly-defined style that there's not much you can change without it becoming a different style.
What are you thinking of doing my "Americanizing" it? The problem is that its such a narrowly-defined style that there's not much you can change without it becoming a different style.
No but you can make a Blonde Ale. Despite what some American breweries get away with calling a Kolsch, if you use American flavors and hop rates it is no longer a Kolsch. Auger pretty much nailed it with the first reply.
TurnipGreen
Well-Known Member
A lot of recipes call for two row and Pilsner malt, while I don't have access to a nice American Pilsner malt if you do you could definately pair it with a nice American two row. Same deal with the hops, you could find a nice spicey American noble type. I just made one with Santiam hops, it's pretty good. I think I prefer saaz though.
Kolsch is a pretty simple and clean style so you wouldn't need to change much to make it an American Kolsch. I would stick to a kolsch or alt yeast though.
Kolsch is a pretty simple and clean style so you wouldn't need to change much to make it an American Kolsch. I would stick to a kolsch or alt yeast though.
LandoLincoln
Well-Known Member
Sure. Not sure what an "American" version would be, though.
Here's my recipe for a Kolsch that has done very well in previous competitions that didn't use imported grains. Though it did use foreign hops.
ABV 4.97%
OG: 1.046
FG: 1.008
IBU: 24
SRM: 3.7
11g batch
14lb (78%) Pilsner
2lb (11%) Munich
2lb (11%) White Wheat Malt
.75 oz Northern Brewer hops, first wort addition (9.6% Alpha - 13.7 IBUs)
1 oz Hallertauer hops, 60 min addition (2.7% Alpha - 4.7 IBUs)
1 oz Saaz hops, 15 min addition (3.0% Alpha - 2.6 IBUs)
1 oz Tettnang hops, 15 min addition (2.4% Alpha - 2.1 IBUs)
1 oz Saaz hops, 5 min addition (3.0% Alpha - 1.0 IBUs)
2 packs of Kolsch ale yeast, Wyeast #2565 - make 2L starter on stir plate
Other notes:
Mash at 148 for 75 minutes, 1.5 quarts per pound thickness
60 minute boil
Use 2 tablets of Whirlfloc at 15 minutes
Ferment at 67° for 7 days and then pseudo-lager at 50° for 21 days
Here's my recipe for a Kolsch that has done very well in previous competitions that didn't use imported grains. Though it did use foreign hops.
ABV 4.97%
OG: 1.046
FG: 1.008
IBU: 24
SRM: 3.7
11g batch
14lb (78%) Pilsner
2lb (11%) Munich
2lb (11%) White Wheat Malt
.75 oz Northern Brewer hops, first wort addition (9.6% Alpha - 13.7 IBUs)
1 oz Hallertauer hops, 60 min addition (2.7% Alpha - 4.7 IBUs)
1 oz Saaz hops, 15 min addition (3.0% Alpha - 2.6 IBUs)
1 oz Tettnang hops, 15 min addition (2.4% Alpha - 2.1 IBUs)
1 oz Saaz hops, 5 min addition (3.0% Alpha - 1.0 IBUs)
2 packs of Kolsch ale yeast, Wyeast #2565 - make 2L starter on stir plate
Other notes:
Mash at 148 for 75 minutes, 1.5 quarts per pound thickness
60 minute boil
Use 2 tablets of Whirlfloc at 15 minutes
Ferment at 67° for 7 days and then pseudo-lager at 50° for 21 days
The proper way to americanize a Kölsch is a follows:
#1. Get rid of that umlaut. What's more unamerican than letters with dots?
#2. Mash, boil, and ferment the beer to a soundtrack comprised entirely of Lynyrd Skynyrd albums.
#3. At any time during the boil, you must brew a batch of English tea and dump it in as dramatic a fashion as is possible.
#4. For the last 5 mins of the boil, shoot off your choice of fireworks. Note: if fireworks are illegal where you are, you may wave two American flags over the kettle as an alternative.
#5. All brewing equipment and ingredients must be made in the US. If your brewing rig includes any duct tape or bailing wire, your Kolsch gets further points of Americanification.
#6. Finally, the batch must yield exactly 50 blue bottles which are capped using 25 white caps and 25 red caps (Also, no 11.2 oz bottles, get that euro stuff outta here). If you keg, the final volume must be exactly 5.0 gallons and you must wrap the corny in a poster size version of the Declaration of Independence.
Note: Failure to comply with these instructions may result in you being attacked by a bald eagle.
#1. Get rid of that umlaut. What's more unamerican than letters with dots?
#2. Mash, boil, and ferment the beer to a soundtrack comprised entirely of Lynyrd Skynyrd albums.
#3. At any time during the boil, you must brew a batch of English tea and dump it in as dramatic a fashion as is possible.
#4. For the last 5 mins of the boil, shoot off your choice of fireworks. Note: if fireworks are illegal where you are, you may wave two American flags over the kettle as an alternative.
#5. All brewing equipment and ingredients must be made in the US. If your brewing rig includes any duct tape or bailing wire, your Kolsch gets further points of Americanification.
#6. Finally, the batch must yield exactly 50 blue bottles which are capped using 25 white caps and 25 red caps (Also, no 11.2 oz bottles, get that euro stuff outta here). If you keg, the final volume must be exactly 5.0 gallons and you must wrap the corny in a poster size version of the Declaration of Independence.
Note: Failure to comply with these instructions may result in you being attacked by a bald eagle.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
was this a 10 gallon batch? 2 packs of yeast? Thanks for the info!
I second dfborn!
just my 2 cents but last spring i brewed Cream of 3 Crops and used a Kolsch yeast. Fermented at about 56 degrees ish sort of by accident. Conditioned for about 4 weeks. It was hands down the best brew I ever made. It mysteriously vanished in about a week. Lucky for me i saved the slurry to wash. I brewed up a batch of Honey Kolsch (added 2 lbs of orange blossom honey from a local farmers market) it was also a huge hit. that tasted its best after about 6 weeks of conditioning in the bottle. it fermented a bit warmer about 63 ish degrees.
Cheers!
just my 2 cents but last spring i brewed Cream of 3 Crops and used a Kolsch yeast. Fermented at about 56 degrees ish sort of by accident. Conditioned for about 4 weeks. It was hands down the best brew I ever made. It mysteriously vanished in about a week. Lucky for me i saved the slurry to wash. I brewed up a batch of Honey Kolsch (added 2 lbs of orange blossom honey from a local farmers market) it was also a huge hit. that tasted its best after about 6 weeks of conditioning in the bottle. it fermented a bit warmer about 63 ish degrees.
Cheers!
grizzly2378
Well-Known Member
I've never brewed a Kolsch, American or otherwise, but I do know that Boulevard Brewing has an "Amerikan Kolsch" included in their newest sample 12 packs. Haven't tried one yet. Per their website, the grain bill is Pilsner and Malted Wheat with Magnum, Northern Brewer and Vanguard hops. 4.6% ABV. 18 IBU. No yeast listed, but one would assume a Kolsch yeast of some sort. Not really sure what makes it "American", other than where it's made.
