Time for another SMaSH - Kölsch

[DeathBrewer]

and also continuing my "space saving" experiment of fermenting high gravities and then diluting down.

i'm brewing the following ~5 gallon PM recipe, boiling down to 2.5 gallons and fermenting in a 3 gallon carboy.

6 lbs German Pilsner
2 lbs Pilsner DME

~1 oz Tettnanger @ 90 minutes
~1 oz Tettnanger @ 30 minutes

WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast

OG (based on 2.5 gallons): 1.100
OG (based on 5.5 gallons): 1.045

FG (based on 2.5 gallons): 1.024
FG (based on 5.5 gallons): 1.010

Final ABV: 4.6%

1 week in fermentation at ~60°F
2 days at room temperature (nottingham if necessary)
keg and dilute to ~5 gallons, lager in kegerator for ~3 weeks
filter and transfer to new keg

i may finish with nottingham yeast if the WLP029 can't handle the alcohol.

i'm also brewing an AG hoegaarden clone this weekend. still working on the recipe.

Cheers!

 

[DeathBrewer]

no one has any comments?? i figured SOMEBODY would give me some **** about this idea!

 

[Mutilated1]

I would drink that beer.

Why do you want to ferment in a 3 gallon carboy though ? It seems like it would take up just as much space as a 5 gallon.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i can fit two of them in my fermentation chiller maybe three actually, now that i think about it. i can only fit one 6.5 gallon in there.

it's mainly for the experiment. i also have a ~5 gallon batch of dunkelweizen that's going to be diluted to 8 gallons.

i have plenty of space at home right now (not really temp controlled) but my brewing space at my friend's house has the fermentation cabinet full of 7 carboys and another 5 or so carboys up at the top of basement. i need to find a way to save space.

 

[FishinDave07]

Cool idea death. You dont think that by diluting you will lessen the body making it watery? Let us know how it goes!

 

[DeathBrewer]

it'll be like syrup if i don't dilute it

I would drink that beer.

Why do you want to ferment in a 3 gallon carboy though ? It seems like it would take up just as much space as a 5 gallon.

oh, and it's also because of my back. it's been acting up lately and making me think. this is kind of a pilot batch, too, i'll be making 10 gallon batches in 6.5 gallon carboys...already got one going for a dunkelweizen.

:rockin:

 

[Mutilated1]

Aren't you concerned with oxidizing the beer when you dilute it ? Water has oxygen in it you know. I'm sure I read in Charlie Papazian's book not to add water to your beer. Maybe you might be better off to brew 2.5 gallon batches ??

I'll be following this topic to see how it turns out.

 

[FishinDave07]

Aren't you concerned with oxidizing the beer when you dilute it ? Water has oxygen in it you know. I'm sure I read in Charlie Papazian's book not to add water to your beer. Maybe you might be better off to brew 2.5 gallon batches ??

I'll be following this topic to see how it turns out.

Could he possibly add an anti-oxidant (forgot the specific name) or boil the water before adding?

 

[DeathBrewer]

distilled water shouldn't have any oxygen. i'll just slowly pour it into a purged keg, then purge it again with co2 before i rack the beer in.

 

[DeathBrewer]

brewing this up tonight...here's the final recipe:

SMaSH PM Koelsch

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

06-C Light Hybrid Beer, Koelsch

Min OG: 1.044 Max OG: 1.050
Min IBU: 20 Max IBU: 30
Min Clr: 2 Max Clr: 5 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 7.50
Anticipated OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.37
Anticipated SRM: 3.5
Anticipated IBU: 22.3
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.45 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.035 SG 8.89 Plato


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
80.0 6.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
20.0 1.50 lbs. Briess DME- Pilsner America 1.046 5

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Tettnanger Pellet 4.20 17.1 90 min.
0.50 oz. Tettnanger Pellet 4.20 5.3 30 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.00 Unit(s)Whirfloc Fining 15 Min.(boil)


Yeast
-----

Starter made from:
1 vial - White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch
1 vial - White Labs WLP080 Cream Ale Blend


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 6.00
Water Qts: 8.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 2.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.33 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 152 Time: 45
Mash-out Rest Temp : 0 Time: 0
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 10


Total Mash Volume Gal: 2.48 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

i'm going to do a late addition to try and keep color light. don't usually do that, but we'll see how it turns out. i'm also going to sample one of the RIS 08/08/08 tonight and drink some of my little red hen ale

i'll get pix and let you all know how it goes

Cheers!

 

[Chad]

This is a very cool experiment. I'm eager to hear how it progresses. One thing to keep in mind is that Kölsch yeast is very low flocculating. You might want to give it a bit more time in primary to clear. The last couple of Kölschs I've done have gone 10-14 days in primary at fermentation temp. and another 10-14 in the fridge to drop bright. Longer would have been better.

I'm also eager to hear what you think of the Cream Ale blend. It's an interesting idea.

Take care,
Chad

 

[DeathBrewer]

i made a koelsch with just the cream ale blend for my clubs quarterly style. that was diluted as well (only 1 gallon h20) because of high efficiency

it won third place in a small competition (only 9 beers, but all from great brewers)

it's a great yeast...i think one of the strains is actually the WLP029, so i think that will be the dominant contributor.

my current setup to cool here (i brewed this one at my apt) is just a foam ice box. it's not real consistent, so we'll see how the different yeast strains work with the fluctuating temperatures.

good call on the longer primary. i usually do two weeks and am not rushing this guy anyway, so i can let it sit awhile. changing out the ice is the only PITA, but higher temps shouldn't matter much after primary is done.

soon i'll be using the keg secondary as a bright tank...my friend and i are going to make a naturally carbonated steam beer.

Cheers!

 

[zoebisch01]

Looks good. I just did a Kolsch. Pils malt, German Hallertau and the Platinum Kolsch strain. Imho, a lot of folks fail to replicate certain styles because they try to hard to improve on what cannot be improved upon .

 

[DeathBrewer]

simplicity is key for most beers