Kolsch malt? not finding any "Kolsch" recepies that list it?

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odie

odie

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I've noticed when searching for Kolsch recipes that actual Kolsch malt is not on any of the grain lists? I was gonna post this question on the recipe forum but that place seems only for actual recipes.

I'm sitting on about 50# of uncrushed Kolsch grain and am utterly confused by the lack of any Kolsch recipe calling for any quantity of Kolsch malt???

I'm about to say F it and throw about 10# at some Hallertau & K97 I have lying around and see what comes of it.
 
I think Kolsch malt is a relatively new product. I'm sure it's almost identical to Pilsner malt. Use them interchangeably. Heh.... I wonder if Kolsch malt is the same product but slightly higher priced as a specialty style malt!? That would not surprise me.
 
Do you have any pilsner malt as well? If so, why not do 50/50 blend? Seems the main differences are it's 4.5L and that it's produced by a maltster near Köln. From the description on Northern Brewer it seems that while your Kölsch would be within specs for color if used 100% it would be towards the dark end. I don't believe this malt existed when Kölsch was introduced so I'm guessing pilsner malt was and still is used as a primary base malt.


Rev.
 
Traditionally a Kolsch is 80 to 90 percent German pilsner malt and 10 to 20 ish percent Vienna and/or Munich. I generally use 80/10/10 Pilsner/Vienna/Munich(light). WLP or Giga Kolsch yeast work great (WY takes forever to clear). Keep it cool and give it time to feel the love. Most commonly a Spalt variety of hop is used but very very lightly only for balance. I've taken three best of shows and numerous 1st's and 2nds with this...

OG ~1.049-1.051
15 IBU at 60 minutes, 3 IBU at 5 minutes
60 to 75 minute [soft rolling] boil
WLP029 or Giga-21
Whirlfloc
Mash at 148
Phosphoric acid to get pH to about 5.35, lactic can give odd/sour flavor to something this light
Ferment at 59F to 80% of terminal
Diacetyl rest at 65F for 3 days
Cold crash hard (33-34F) until clear
Water chemistry: very light and balanced profile (I start with RO and adjust)
Keep oxygen and light away from it
 
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I have both pils and kolsch...they cost me about the same, within a couple bucks per bag...

I do notice that most of the "kolsch" receipes call for pils as the main grain with a bit of Vienna for color...

I wonder if using all Kolsch (being slightly darker than pis) would result in basically the same thing?

The end game here is to clone the "Morning Joe" from Banger Brewing in Vegas...its a coffee-kolsch that is da bomb...I'm pretty sure they add whole beans, either to secondary or the keg. Has a nice subtle coffee essence without color. I'm not a light beer guy but this one hits the spot.
 
To better answer the O/P... There are a few companies offering "Kolsch Malt". One (Shill) is supposed to be actual malt grown in the Cologne region. The others are "Kolsch Type" malts grown elsewhere. Most people find the results a bit darker than actual German Kolsch's. I attribute this to most home brewers boiling much harder than a typical brewery. This does not mean longer, it means harder. With lighter beers, especially light lagers, pilsners, and Kolsch's, it's better to use a lower simmering boil, rather than a nuclear rolling holocaust boil which can darken the beer and alter the flavor.

Kolsch malts also tend to be sweeter and more biscuit than pilsner malts. In the Koln region, many different malts are used and what you use should be determined by the type of Kolsch you prefer. I recommend grabbing a few "real" ones from your favorite bottle shop and comparing. Then brew to your tastes. Definitely sample a Gaffel and a Reissdorf. Very different from each other, but actual Kolsch from the Koln region, and both very tasty.
 
dmtaylor said:
I think Kolsch malt is a relatively new product. I'm sure it's almost identical to Pilsner malt. Use them interchangeably. Heh.... I wonder if Kolsch malt is the same product but slightly higher priced as a specialty style malt!? That would not surprise me.
Click to expand...

Kolsch malt is darker. Probably between Pils and Pale Ale malts.
 
I have a kolsch extract kit. Has extra light LME and wheat DME along with some carapils. Similar to a pilsner , but less hoppy . Making it with Mt. Hood hops.

Ibu 25-28
Color is pale gold
Abv 4.25 - 4.75
 
Weyermann makes a Kolsch malt. It’s called Cologne Malt. It’s 3.1-3.9 Lovibond. An awesome malt.
 
Funnily enough, Weyermann's Cologne Malt seems to be only available in the US and is not listed on the official Weyermann brochures?

To the OP: I think the reason no recipe mentions Kölsch malt is because this seems to be a recent addition to the available malt types, and also apparently not available worldwide.
 
The recipe Kunze gives for Kolsch in his text book Technology Brewing and Malting is:

80% Vienna
20% Wheat
 
From my notes when I did a Kölsch... darker at 4.4EBC. Mix it 50/50 with normal Pilsner malt. Kölsch malt gives a slight biscuit character due to darker colour.
 
Jag75 said:
I believe it originated in Colonge . Not 100% sure .
Click to expand...

It definitely didn't. True Kölsch is made (in Cologne, it's actually protected here in the EU) with Pilsner malt and possibly some wheat malt. The IMHO better ones are still brewed with a decoction mash which is responsible for the deeper golden color and the increased maltiness.
 
couchsending said:
The recipe Kunze gives for Kolsch in his text book Technology Brewing and Malting is:

80% Vienna
20% Wheat
Click to expand...

Where exactly are you getting this, what edition do you have? There's two grain bills 95/5 Pale Malt (Pils)/Carahell and 85/15 Pale Malt (Pils)/Vienna, now later in the book he states there can be up to 20% wheat, which if you've been to Cologne and drank enough of their beers you'd definitely taste some of the breweries are using wheat.
 
This is the Kölsch I made. Tasted close to a commercial example I bought, so it’s broadly to style.

76EF31EA-BE86-42BF-888B-FB5D3EF65EB6.png



79E20455-A318-40EE-8B69-54C6929B07A1.png
 
Vale71 said:
True Kölsch is made (in Cologne, it's actually protected here in the EU) with Pilsner malt and possibly some wheat malt. The IMHO better ones are still brewed with a decoction mash which is responsible for the deeper golden color and the increased maltiness.
Click to expand...

Wheat is rare but it is used by a few "licensed" breweries (members of the Kolsch Coalition in Cologne). It can be darkened a smidge by using a bit of light Munich malt rather than Vienna (the ratio of Munich/Vienna to Pilsner malt will define the flavor also). Typically the single infusion recipes are mashed in the 146 to 149 range. To increase the maltiness and sweetness a bit, you can go with something like 150 to 152.

If you make it too dark and malty, it's becoming more of an AltBier which is very tasty also, but more commonly found in the Düsseldorf region, and the Kolsch purists will make fun of you :)

I also recommend doing a lower temp boil (smooth rolling, not a crazy volcano type). Depending on the brewing rig (electric, propane, heat distribution, etc) the malliard effect can be devastating on color and flavor. Any scorching on a beer as light and delicate as a Kolsch will be noticeable. With a lower temp, you might need a slightly longer boil to rid yourself of DMS with all the pilsner malt involved.

IMO, what defines a great Kolsch (beyond the basic requirements of a good Pilsner malt, solid backbone, low IBU with appropriate hops, crisp refreshing and clean), is the yeast. There is a definite unique flavor profile of a real Kolsch yeast. WLP029 just doesn't have it. WY does, but it's a ultra-low flocculator. The Giga-021 yeast has the best flavor and is a good flocculator.
 
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SoCal-Doug said:
IMO, what defines a great Kolsch (beyond the basic requirements of a good Pilsner malt, solid backbone, low IBU with appropriate hops, crisp refreshing and clean), is the yeast. There is a definite unique flavor profile of a real Kolsch yeast. WLP029 just doesn't have it. WY does, but it's a ultra-low flocculator. The Giga-021 yeast has the best flavor and is a good flocculator.
Click to expand...

I’ve used both the WL and WY Kölsch yeasts - I preferred the WL one and have used it a few times on numerous styles. I thought it was cleaner than the WY one, but still subtly fruity.
 
I highly doubt any well respected German brewery is doing any single infusion mashing..

They’re either decoction or step mashing.

If you want a sweeter more malty profile add 20-30 minutes at 160-162 to a step mash profile before mashing out.

Fru is open fermented and I believe Krausened as well.
 
couchsending said:
I highly doubt any well respected German brewery is doing any single infusion mashing..
Click to expand...

I agree in part. Most are stepped. Decoction mashing is done mostly by the oldest of breweries. However, there are many German and other European breweries that are "respected" that do not decoct and never did.
 
Mmmmmm... Kölsch. I wasn't aware there was a malt specifically for brewing Kölsch but if it is malted locally to Köln and specifically tailored to their brewing methods, it is likely the best ingredient to brew an authentic Kölsch. So long as you're going so far as to source the correct malt, make sure your water chemistry is right on the numbers to match Kölsch brewing water, and find out if they are treating the tap water before brewing with it.
 
Here is the water profile I used for my Kölsch. I went a bit higher on calcium, for a variety of reasons relating to benefits of calcium in brewing liquor.

1C52CF5D-D44D-458F-8E13-5A2A4B1ECBC1.jpeg
 
I would go with a mixture of something like pilsner, wheat(for the head) and sauermalz if I ever brew it.. Maybe add a little bit of vienna/pale ale/carapils if you like.
 
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odie said:
I've noticed when searching for Kolsch recipes that actual Kolsch malt is not on any of the grain lists? I was gonna post this question on the recipe forum but that place seems only for actual recipes.

I'm sitting on about 50# of uncrushed Kolsch grain and am utterly confused by the lack of any Kolsch recipe calling for any quantity of Kolsch malt???

I'm about to say F it and throw about 10# at some Hallertau & K97 I have lying around and see what comes of it.
Click to expand...
I like the way you think. I think I'd throw a pound of Vienna and Munich at it too
 
SoCal-Doug said:
Wheat is rare but it is used by a few "licensed" breweries (members of the Kolsch Coalition in Cologne). It can be darkened a smidge by using a bit of light Munich malt rather than Vienna (the ratio of Munich/Vienna to Pilsner malt will define the flavor also). Typically the single infusion recipes are mashed in the 146 to 149 range. To increase the maltiness and sweetness a bit, you can go with something like 150 to 152.

If you make it too dark and malty, it's becoming more of an AltBier which is very tasty also, but more commonly found in the Düsseldorf region, and the Kolsch purists will make fun of you :)

I also recommend doing a lower temp boil (smooth rolling, not a crazy volcano type). Depending on the brewing rig (electric, propane, heat distribution, etc) the malliard effect can be devastating on color and flavor. Any scorching on a beer as light and delicate as a Kolsch will be noticeable. With a lower temp, you might need a slightly longer boil to rid yourself of DMS with all the pilsner malt involved.

IMO, what defines a great Kolsch (beyond the basic requirements of a good Pilsner malt, solid backbone, low IBU with appropriate hops, crisp refreshing and clean), is the yeast. There is a definite unique flavor profile of a real Kolsch yeast. WLP029 just doesn't have it. WY does, but it's a ultra-low flocculator. The Giga-021 yeast has the best flavor and is a good flocculator.
Click to expand...

I’ve preached 021 for years. My hands down favorite Kolsch yeast. It has something 029 doesn’t. 2565 doesn’t clear for me. I think I’ll pour me a Kolsch for the New Year. Good on ya SoCal D.
 
I brewed up a light wort with an OG just under the recommended BJCP range for a Kolsch. WLP029 was used and the grain bill was primarily German Avangard, a touch of Vienna, and white wheat. It quickly fermented around 60F-65F and came out much like a light American lager, only slightly more hoppy.
I can't get my hands on a real Reissdorf to compare so I just pretended. :(
BTW, enjoying the thread.
 
10# kolsch, Schill Malz Cologne. 150' mash for 90min, sparge 168...boil 90, some hallertau I had sitting around 2oz at 60min, 1oz at 5min...probably a little much but it was a couple years old so figured a lil extra can't hurt...found some dry kolsch yeast, which I thought was kinda odd...ferming at 60 for a while then will drop to 40 in a secondary...this is basically the appearance straight from the kettle...OG is 1.046 (target was 1.044)...1/2 whole coffee beans in the ferm (trying to clone "Morning Joe" from Banger Brewing)
IMG_3467.JPG
IMG_3482.JPG
 
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I like 021 this much :)

I just didn't like paying another $16 and getting a near dead package of yeast. Problem solved.

slants.jpg
 
I used this stuff...my understanding that kolsch yeast is hard to come by...I was surprised to find it in dry form.

I'm thinking to skim off the coffee beans as soon as the activity drops and do a "taste sample" after transfer to secondary...if it's lacking that subtle coffee hint put fresh whole beans into the secondary or maybe just move these over. Basically I'm looking for a hint of coffee without any coloring (thus the whole beans and not ground/brewed coffee)
IMG_3486.JPG
 
I’ve brewed a few Kölsch style beers using 2 row Belgian and wlp029 ...... I was trying to replicate reissdorf kölsch....... I couldn’t do it until ( the purity gods are going to kill me ) I added 20 percent corn the mash. I don’t know why but my last one was about spot on , not a Kölsch but a cream ale that tasted like reissdorf.
 
well racked to secondary after a week cause I needed the bigger pri for a brown ale...but still sitting at 60' ferm...plus I wanted to sample the coffee "essence"...

well glad I did a sample cause the coffee is a bit much I think, but maybe it will mellow out after some more fermenting and then let it lager a while at 40'...

but my initial gut reaction is either I should have done half the whole beans into the pri (1/4 lb, down from 1/2lb) or less time soaking (use a mesh bag to pull the beans after a couple days)....or perhaps even wait until secondary to add the whole beans...

But it didn't seem to color/darken the beer which is what I wanted.
 

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