wrong yeast. suggestions to alter recipe?

[tannerev]

Hello,
I planned on doing a nice light beer for summer and wanted to test out the Kolsch yeast. However, the brewstore was out of it and sent me WLP080 cream ale yeast instead. (I live in northern Canada and cannot go to a LHBS).
This is the recipe I was going to do, something very simple:

batch size: 5 gal
Boil size: 3.5 gal

7 lbs light DME (70% late addition)
1.5 oz hallertau (6.2%) @ 60 mins
.5 oz hallertau (6.2%) @ 15 mins
Kolsch yeast (now have to substitute WLP080 cream ale)
target OG - 1.053 target FG - 1.013
5.37% ABV
24 IBU

So now that I have to switch out the yeast, how would you alter the recipe? Any steeping grains? Should I add carapils or flaked barley? Should I get the IBUs under 20? I plan on fermenting around 62 degrees and lagering in secondary for some time.
Still fairly new to this. Thanks!

 

[jwalker1140]

I've never brewed with WLP080, but if it were my beer, the only change I would make due to the yeast would be to ferment in the manufacturer's recommended range of 65-70F. I say this only because I lack firsthand experience with this yeast. I often ferment WLP002 and WLP300 cooler than recommended, but I know how those respond to cooler temps. Maybe someone else can chime in with some firsthand experience.

I think the recipe looks fine for a simple cream ale, though I might try to bring the IBUs down into the 15-20 range. And again, if it were my beer, I would probably add 0.5 lb of biscuit malt and possibly another 0.5 lb of carapils, just to add character and to help with body/head retention.

Good luck!

 

[mmb]

Brew it as is and call it a Kolsch. WLP080 is a blend of ale and lager yeasts anyway, ferment cool and it should be just fine.

 

[tannerev]

mmb, as a member with over 20,000 posts, I will take your advice
According to the brewers friend recipe calculator this recipe with the cream yeast will put me at almost 6% and 26 IBU's. Would you scale it back a bit to keep it within style guidelines? As I am still new to this, I am trying to keep my beers within style.

 

[mmb]

Well, style guide gives a pre prohibition cream ale that fits your ibu range but chances are the FG won't get down as far as you may like for the style.

I'd just stick with the kolsch plan and keep good tasting notes and squirrel a bottle away to do a side by side with the real kolsch yeast. And ignore the post count, it conforms to sturgeon's law.

 

[tannerev]

Haha - Just trying to learn as much as I can from the brewers who have been doing this for awhile! I think I will go with the kolsch recipe and tone down the hops to around 20ish IBUs, and take your advice to save a few bottles for when I can make the same recipe with the proper yeast.
Thanks again!


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