Pseudo-Lager?

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Pivot

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So my brother wants me to teach him how to brew, and he told me that he wants to brew mainly lagers. While this obviously isnt going to happen for his first brew, I understand that Kolsh's can be lager like and good replacements when lagering isnt possible. Although Ive never made a Kolsh before, I assembled this recipe to be simple and easy for his first time and try to replicate what he wants in a beer without lagering. Hoping you guys could tell me if this will work!

6lbs Briess Pilsen DME
1/2lb Vienna Malt
1/2lb Wheat Malt
1/2 Crystal 10L Malt
1 oz Tetnanger for 60 minutes
1 oz Hallertau for 30 minutes
1 oz Hallertau for 15 minutes
Wyeast Kolsh #2565
 
Looks like a great recipe. If I would have brewed that as my first brew, it would be trouble. I would have to have an obnoxious amount of Northern Brewer hops and caramel malt to hide all the off flavors and esters from dumping a 6 month old smack pack with no starter into 1.063 wort. :eek:
 
Looks reasonable. The malt bill is a little busier than most commercial examples but nothing crazy going on there.
 
I didn't run your recipe, but keep in mind that the vienna and wheat combined should not be more than 10 percent of the recipe. I brew a lot of Kolsch's and over 10 percent really creates too much malty 'muddyness'. Also, do not use the crystal, it is out of style for a kolsch and also will only make it over sweet. Really a Kolsch should taste close to a pilsener. Let the pilsener malt be the star.

As far as IBU's you really should'nt need 3 oz that is a lot. Aim for about 23-25 IBU and a OG of 1.045 - 1.049. For my Kolsch's I use 1 oz spalt at 60 min. and 1/2 oz of Hallatauer at 15...That is it. AGain a Kolsch shouldn't be too hoppy, it is a lightly malty beer with a mellow sweetness.

As far as yeast, I only used WLP029...can't attest to Wyeast, but I can tell you that I LOVE the WLP029. I use it for everything now APA'S, IPA'S, even browns.
 
I dunno, Fix used a small amount of crystal malt (less than this recipe) and he knew his German beers.

The malt Koln brewers are using is darker than pilsner malt, I don't think 100% pilsner is right.

It's kinda easy to get Kolsch malt now though so 100% of that is an option.
 
If you have the means, try to keep the fermentation temperatures close to 60F. That yeast goes a little psycho when the temps are too high. Also, I had to cold-condition my batch of Kolsch for a few weeks to really get the yeast to sit down. They're like those obnoxious party guests who don't get that you want to go to bed, but you still have some Captain on the counter, and they just sent someone to the grocery store for more mixers... I hate that.
 
I have done 2 pseudo lagers with this yeast. The Pilsner I managed to ferment just at 60°, and the Oktoberfest was closer to 64°.

If you can, I would HIGHLY recommend cold crashing with gelatin at least for a week. Kolsch floccs out like garbage and it needs a little help.

And I can also promise you won't get much below 1.020 with that yeast and that much liquid malt. Deal with it, and don't let it bother you.
 
Teach your brother about US-05 and fermenting cool. US-05 at 60*F ferments out cleaner than some Lager yeasts I have tried.

:mug:
 
Vienna and wheat need to be mashed, otherwise you will have starchy wort. Drop the crystal malt for a kolsch. Kolsch yeast does need to be temperature controlled so why not use a real lager yeast and skip all the pseudo lager crap.
 
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