# Kolsch



## bennuttall (24/8/11)

Hey guys

Dunno if any of you have ever done a Kolsch before but I recently had the 4 Pines one and was massively impressed by both the style in general and that beer in particular.

I'm now on the warpath to find a good/great recipe for a Kolsch - it can be AG but preferably either partial mash or kit and kilo as those are easier for me to brew. I'm guessing it would be predominately pale malt with only about 10% at most of something else? Also, what hops would I use? One of the German noble hops?

Hope you guys can chuck a few good ideas my way 

Cheers, 
MacBrew


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## Mearesy (24/8/11)

This is a super simple beer as far as grain bill/hops go. Id go with all Pils malt, nothing else. And bitter to around 25ibu with a noble hop. I use Hallertau.

Most of the character comes from the yeast. I'd suggest Wyeast 2565 or 1007. This beer also needs to be treated a bit like a lager. Cool ferment (14c) and some time lagering. Both yeasts mentioned take quite a long time to clear out. Worth the time investment though!






macleodbrewing said:


> Hey guys
> 
> Dunno if any of you have ever done a Kolsch before but I recently had the 4 Pines one and was massively impressed by both the style in general and that beer in particular.
> 
> ...


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## Lecterfan (24/8/11)

If you make it on the 11th there might be a kolsch floating around you could try.

I've recently used wy1007 in an %80 pils, %10 munich, %10 wheat beer bittered to 29ibus (and hop bursted from 15 mins to flameout) with saaz. Its currently in its second week of cold conditiong.

I don't know what to call it other than "the beer that will be gone by November" - style wise....meh.

Two things I've learnt so far in a reasonable number of AG brews over the last 12 months: don't try to clone, just approximate; don't aim for style, aim for personal palate. The respective formers can lead to dissappointment, the respective latters lead to joy.

Of course that's different for everyone - that just works for me. :icon_cheers:


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## kocken42 (24/8/11)

I think Kolsch is all about getting malt character, without adding too many specialty malts which attribute 'maltiness'.

A big part of it is a mash of low temperature (62-65) for a lengthy time (90 mins), and you should aim to achieve high attenuation (80%+).

A longer boil (90 mins) will help to drive off any DMS.

A clean ale yeast fermented at low temps (17 or below).

German noble hops (Spalt, Hallertau, Saaz) to 20 - 30 IBU's. Hops flavour and aroma should be low to none.


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## Tony (24/8/11)

100% pilsner malt...... 5 to 10% wheat if you want.

1.048, 25 IBU 

Bitter with Tettanger, one big addition for a 40 minuite boil.

Ferment with a kolsch yeast at about 17 to get a nice mild fruity finnish..... ferment it too cold it ends up clean like a lager and the best part of a Kolsch is that fruitiness.

The one thing to remember with a Kolsch is nothing should dominate. Malt, hops, sweetness, bitterness, hop character and yeast fruitiness shouold all be in ballance. Thats the secret to a good one!

Other than that..... its a very simple basic beer.

One of my favorite styles!


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## Mearesy (24/8/11)

hmm might have to try fermenting my next one a touch warmer next time


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## fergi (24/8/11)

i tried the 4 pines a couple of weeks ago and decided i would like to make a kolsch myself.

3.90.kg pilsner
0.21wheat
[email protected] for 45 mins
raise to 71 for 15 mins could only get to 69 after adding the required 3.5 liters water @96 deg.

60 min boil
67 grm tettnang for 40 mins
whirlfloc 15 mins

original gravity 1046 est, my og came in at 1052, dont know how that will effect it.
21 liters
yeast whitelabs wlpo36 

i am fermenting at 18 deg after initial 24 hours @21 deg.

will be interesting to see how this turns out, didnt quite hit a couple of targets but i am not after a direct replica of the 4 pines but a beer similiar in taste and style.

fergi


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## ratchie (24/8/11)

drinking one now bittered with spatler select


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## fergi (24/8/11)

ratchie said:


> drinking one now bittered with spatler select



bit more info would be good.
fergi


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## fergi (24/8/11)

ratchie said:


> drinking one now bittered with spatler select



bit more info would be good.
fergi


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## bennuttall (1/9/11)

Wow cheers everyone - some promising looking recipes in there! I've had to hold off on it because I am unable to lager ferment anything until the end of the year without some serious temp fluctuations which I'm not too keen on. Have gone with 2 different pale ales - one india, one regular.

On that note has anyone here had a chance to use Citra or Green Bullet hops yet? Saw them in and the Citra caught my attention as something new, yet to use them in a brew.\

Cheers,
MacBrew


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## Thefatdoghead (1/9/11)

Tony said:


> 100% pilsner malt...... 5 to 10% wheat if you want.
> 
> 1.048, 25 IBU
> 
> ...


I just made your Kolsch Tony and It was the best smelling and looking on the boil so far. It's sitting in the fridge almost ready to drink. Cant wait!!! I was going to have it for christmas but I dont think it will last anywhere near that long!!


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## kiwisteveo (1/9/11)

macleodbrewing said:


> Wow cheers everyone - some promising looking recipes in there! I've had to hold off on it because I am unable to lager ferment anything until the end of the year without some serious temp fluctuations which I'm not too keen on. Have gone with 2 different pale ales - one india, one regular.
> 
> On that note has anyone here had a chance to use Citra or Green Bullet hops yet? Saw them in and the Citra caught my attention as something new, yet to use them in a brew.\
> 
> ...



just finished a pale ale with citra hops was like drinking the tropics loved it so much put another one down straight away citra is now my flavour of the month


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## mxd (1/9/11)

I was going to give one a shot on Satdy

1.048 t0 1:008
90 -95% pils
2.5 - 5 % carapils
2.5 - 5 % munich

IBU 22 C Saaz 60% at first wort then rest at 40 minute

60 min mash 64Deg
90 min boil

Kolsh yeast around 17


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## Tony (1/9/11)

I have made 2 recently with the recipe i quoted...... got a 2nd place at beerfest and a 1st at nsw state comp in its catagory.

cant be half bad 

The 2nd place at beerfest i put down to is coming from the last of the keg and was past its prime, and then sitting down there after they delayed the comp.

Its a beer best filtered clear and drank young.

cheers


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## MaestroMatt (1/9/11)

I've been planning a Kolsch lately based around arguably the best Kolsch I have ever tasted which is brewed by Wig and Pen Brewery in Canberra. It goes under the name of Kemberry Ale nowadays but used to be Kamberra Kolsch. Super quaffable and perfectly balanced.

They plugged a pseudo recipe in an issue of Beer and Brewer....it goes something like this:

90% BB Galaxy (or Pale Pilsner)
10% Pale Wheat

Mash 66C

Hops to 32 IBU
50% Styrian Goldings @ 45mins
25% Hersbrucker @ 15 mins
25% Hersbrucker @ 5 mins

WLP029 or the Wyeast Kolsch I @ 16C


Whilst I want to have a plug at this one, I am not sure if that hop bill is too much for the style? IBUs are within style but possible too high?

In any case, a Kolsch is my personal goal brew - going to work hard to find the perfect mix.


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## Mikedub (1/9/11)

I'm about to put a Kolsch down also, pils+5% wheat, thinking I might slip 1-2% acidulated malt in too, 
I figure a little tart always goes down well


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## Tony (1/9/11)

MaestroMatt said:


> Whilst I want to have a plug at this one, I am not sure if that hop bill is too much for the style? IBUs are within style but possible too high?
> 
> In any case, a Kolsch is my personal goal brew - going to work hard to find the perfect mix.



the key is ballance.

You need some nice hops but flavour and aroma should not dominate one another... they need to be equal. And you need to ferment with the kolsch yeast at a temperature that will produce a nice fruitiness without it being dominating the hops....... they need to compliment each other.
Both hops and yeast character need to let some malt character come through as well. Bitterness should be just enough to counter malt sweetness, and once again, neither should dominate.

All these things need to be there, and all need to be equal in character........ ballanced 

Its a fun style to make.

I am not a fan of late hopping these days in a beer like this, the hop character ends up a bit grassy and fades quickly. Give a big 40 min bittering addition of hersbrucker a try, with 1/2g per liter addition at flame out.

cheers


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## Bada Bing Brewery (1/9/11)

Mikedub said:


> I'm about to put a Kolsch down also, pils+5% wheat, thinking I might slip 1-2% acidulated malt in too,
> I figure a little tart always goes down well



Exaclty what I did with my last kolsch. I used Tony's grain/hop bill and chucked 200g of acid malt in as well. Superb ...... and yes fermented at 17-18C
Cheers
BBB


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## DJR (1/9/11)

WLP029!!

Wyeast 2575 Kolsch II is out soon I think - should be the Sept VSS if previous years are anything to go by.

2565 finishes too dusty, doesn't settle and isn't as good. Wig and Pen definitely use WLP029 - it's got a distinctive taste to it.

Go easy on munich or those malts - 5% vienna or 2-3% munich is plenty. Some wheat for sure but doesn't need to be 10%, 5% is good, more may introduce haze problems

Also to help it get really dry you can step mash - 63C then 70C each for 45m, add 10% of the grist for 10 minutes before ramping to 70C, to add in more enzymes

You want a dry, well carbonated and mildly malty beer with a winey/fruity profile, go easy on the "herbal/spicy" hops but that's the style of hoppiness you want - Saphir/Hallertau/Hersbruck/Saaz/Spalt etc - 60m and 10-20m addition works well, no more than 1g/L of late added hops

Haven't done one with a protein rest and it's probably not required but might try one out to get a thick fluffy head


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## Mikedub (1/9/11)

DJR said:


> You want a dry, well carbonated and mildly malty beer with a winey/fruity profile, go easy on the "herbal/spicy" hops but that's the style of hoppiness you want - Saphir/Hallertau/Hersbruck/Saaz/Spalt etc - 60m and 10-20m addition works well, no more than 1g/L of late added hops




I've got a bag of Southern Saaz flowers but I've been putting off using after reading fairly unenthusiastic reviews, think I give them a run at 60 and 20 with the Kolsch and see


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## np1962 (1/9/11)

Mikedub said:


> I've got a bag of Southern Saaz flowers but I've been putting off using after reading fairly unenthusiastic reviews, think I give them a run at 60 and 20 with the Kolsch and see


I've just used them in a Blonde Ale, reckon they'd go well in a Kolsch.
Nige


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## Mikedub (1/9/11)

cheers NigeP


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## Nicko_Cairns (29/6/14)

Tried some four pines Kolsch in the German Club in Brisvegas, very nice session beer, now one of my favourite brews. Thanks for posting, will try your recipe Tony.

Anyone have updates on thier Kolsch adventures?


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