# Kolsch Recipes



## BenH (9/10/07)

Hi All,

I'm looking to brew a kolsch in the next week or so, and looking for recipes.

Currently thinking: (25L batch)

5.5kg Pilsener Malt, mash 75 mins at 64 deg. (80% eff)
75 min boil
30IBU Spalt (75 mins)
7g Spalt (20 mins)
Wyeast 1007 @ 16 deg.

Aiming for approx OG 1.056 32 IBU

Feedback welcome - or post your mashpaddle kolsch recipe!

Cheers, BenH.


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## Screwtop (9/10/07)

BenH said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm looking to brew a kolsch in the next week or so, and looking for recipes.
> 
> ...




Pilsener Malt and up to 10% wheat, mash at 63 for 75 min. Thats the easy bit.

Determine your OG from the attenuation percentage of your choice of yeast, you want it to finish dry and low 1.007 - 1.011. Should be hopped to a Balance Value of 1.11


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## Randall the Enamel Animal (9/10/07)

5% wheat works pretty well. Like Screwtop said, attenuate it out nice and dry. US05 isn't bad as it's bone dry and neutral. Fruit it up with hops instead. BU might be a bit high... a bit of CaraPils may help balance it out a bit.


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## wee stu (9/10/07)

BenH said:


> Feedback welcome - or post your mashpaddle kolsch recipe!
> 
> Cheers, BenH.



Don't think I am giving *too *much away in saying that, the top dozen in the Mash Paddle this year were medal winners , many no doubt from recognised AHB posters. So, there are a few good recipes out there


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## chris.taylor.98 (9/10/07)

Never really tried a Kolsch with the 1007 yeast before.

I usually go with the 2565. This one can attenuate all the way down to 80% if you really push it.


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## wee stu (9/10/07)

Chris Taylor said:


> Never really tried a Kolsch with the 1007 yeast before.
> 
> I usually go with the 2565. This one can attenuate all the way down to 80% if you really push it.


 
Given the poor flocculation reputation of 1007 (well deserved in my experience) I'd have to agree. Only brewed alts with 1007, but have always had clarity problems <_<


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## razz (9/10/07)

G'day Stu. I used 2565 and mashed at 63-64 degrees for 90 minutes. Kept the hops reasonably low with a ratio of 0.55. I think I did additions at 60 and 30 minutes. 10 percent wheat malt with the rest pils malt. A very tasty drop indeed!


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## Fents (9/10/07)

Heres my kolsch recipe im doinf for the Vic XMas case swap : 

Recipe: Kris Kringle Koelsch'
Brewer: Fenton
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Koelsch
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 34.00 L 
Boil Size: 46.57 L
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 6.7 EBC
Estimated IBU: 23.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0 %
Boil Time: 70 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
8.00 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (3.3 EBC) Grain 100.0 % 
34.97 gm Pearle [6.40%] (60 min) Hops 16.9 IBU 
22.98 gm Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [4.10%] (30 min) Hops 5.5 IBU 
5.00 gm Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [4.10%] (15 min) Hops 0.8 IBU 
5.00 gm Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [4.10%] (0 min) Hops - 
0.70 tbsp Moss Tab (Boil 10.0 min) Misc 
1 Pkgs Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) [Starter 6Yeast-Ale 


I thought long and hard about adding 5 or 10% wheat but from what i'd read apparently most kolsch's wernt made with it so i decided not to. IBU is 23.1 and style says 20-30ibu and most of my beers are really hoppy but this one i decided to settle down. tasting brillant out of primary, about to rack it.


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## Stuster (9/10/07)

wee stu said:


> Given the poor flocculation reputation of 1007 (well deserved in my experience) I'd have to agree. Only brewed alts with 1007, but have always had clarity problems <_<



I have nothing to say about brewing a kolsch, but I must defend the honour of this yeast. It does clear for me, though it does take 2-3 weeks after bottling. But it does drop bright. I admit it's not like most British yeasts which clear so amazingly quickly, but it's possible to make a clear beer with it without filtering.

Anyway, after all that, it might work for a kolsch, pretty good attenuation normally, but it won't give the winey quality that a kolsch can (should?) have.


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## alexbrand (9/10/07)

BenH said:


> 5.5kg Pilsener Malt, mash 75 mins at 64 deg. (80% eff)
> 75 min boil
> 30IBU Spalt (75 mins)
> 7g Spalt (20 mins)
> ...



Sounds nice. I would boil with 15 g Spalt for 5 Minutes instead of 7g for 20 mins. Spalt is such a nice hop, don't distroy its flavour by boiling so long.  And think about addig 10-20 % wheat malt. Also consider a second (first) rest at 50C for half an hour. OG should be IMHO a little bit less @ 1.047-1.049.




Chris Taylor said:


> Never really tried a Kolsch with the 1007 yeast before.
> 
> I usually go with the 2565.



I used the 1007 several times, works great. But you're right, fermentation @ 16 deg is good, not warmer. 14 deg would even be better. Do you have fridge for fermenting? Don't pitch at temps higher than 18, otherwise your wort is fermented before it's cooled down.  :super: 




wee stu said:


> Only brewed alts with 1007



Oh, there is not really a difference ALT <---> KLSCH. It's more a battle between Alt and Klsch- supporters...
I grew up in the "Altbierland" close to Cologne, belive me :icon_vomit: 


Alex

EDIT: rest temp., fermentation temp. and OG


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## Screwtop (9/10/07)

alexbrand said:


> Sounds nice. I would boil with 15 g Spalt for 5 Minutes instead of 7g for 20 mins. Spalt is such a nice hop, don't distroy its flavour by boiling so long.  And think about addig 10-20 % wheat malt. Also consider a second (first) rest at 50C for half an hour. OG should be IMHO a little bit less @ 1.047-1.049.
> I used the 1007 several times, works great. But you're right, fermentation @ 16 deg is good, not warmer. 14 deg would even be better. Do you have fridge for fermenting? Don't pitch at temps higher than 18, otherwise your wort is fermented before it's cooled down.  :super:
> Oh, there is not really a difference ALT <---> KLSCH. It's more a battle between Alt and Klsch- supporters...
> I grew up in the "Altbierland" close to Cologne, belive me :icon_vomit:
> ...



I agree on the Spalt Alex, love this hop. Gives a distinct flavour/aroma to a Klsch. Have you ever used W2565 yeast.


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## alexbrand (9/10/07)

Screwtop said:


> I agree on the Spalt Alex, love this hop. Gives a distinct flavour/aroma to a Klsch. Have you ever used W2565 yeast.



I've never used the 2565, I've done my Alt and my Klsch with 1007. If you use the 1007 at lower temps, the taste is closer to usual Klsch. For my Alt I ferment around 18-20 deg.

Alex

EDIT: spelling


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## mfdes (10/10/07)

I was under the impression Kolsch had no hop flavour or aroma, and the BU:GU ratio was 0.5-0.6.

That said I just finished a Nelson Sauvin Ale which is a variation on my basic Kolsch recipe: 95% Pilsner malt, 5% wheat malt for the grain bill, mashed at 65 degrees and fermented with WLP029 Kolsch yeast at 16 degrees, slowly rising to 18 + 2 days at 20 after the fermentation subsided to clear off all yeast byproducts. However my hop bill is totally un-kolsch-like: nelson sauvin to 25 IBU with the main addition at 30, and small (10g) ones at 15 and 0 minutes, then dry-hopped with 10g NS. The taste is fantastic, amazingly clean on the yeast front, with noticeable NS flavour but not cloying. Going easy on the amounts of NS seems to have done the trick.

MFS.


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## Fents (10/10/07)

From what i read genearlly kolsch's dont have falvour or aroma hop. some have a slight touch tho, plus this is homebrewing no rules barred so i threw 5g of HM in mine cause i like to smell and taste hops.


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## alexbrand (10/10/07)

mfdes said:


> I was under the impression Kolsch had no hop flavour or aroma [..]





Fents said:


> From what i read genearlly kolsch's dont have falvour or aroma hop.



Those I know and like have hop flavour. Not like in beers from the pils family, but they do have a recongnizable "hoppy" taste. Examples are "Frh", "Gaffel", "Gilden", "Sion" and "Pffgen". Try to get your hands on it.


Cheers,

Alex

EDIT: The inhabitants of Dsseldorf think the way Klsch is produced is shown in the graphic below...


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## tangent (10/10/07)

before the ahem "awards" come out...

what did you think of your Kolsch beers?
is it a style you'd brew regularly?
thoughts on the 2565 Kolsch yeast?
add the 4% wheat?


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## blackbock (10/10/07)

tangent said:


> add the 4% wheat?



I think the wheat is pretty standard. I would say a Klsch recipe without it would be the exception. But it doesn't appear to be compulsory by any means, and if used, the amounts can vary quite considerably. There are good arguments for putting it in, and also a couple for leaving it out.


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## BenH (10/10/07)

Thanks everyone for your tips, I've re-jigged the recipe a bit: 



> Currently thinking: (25L batch)
> 
> 5.5kg Pilsener Malt, mash 75 mins at 64 deg. (80% eff)
> 75 min boil
> ...



Now thinking: (25L batch)

*4.5kg* Pilsener Malt, mash 75 mins at *63 *deg. (80% eff)
75 min boil
*18 *IBU Spalt (75 mins)
7g Spalt (20 mins)
Wyeast 1007 @ *14* deg.

Aiming for approx *OG 1.045 FG 1.010 20 IBU*

Will ferment lower at 14 deg, yes I have a fermenting fridge. And thanks Alex for the advice on pitching temps.... I probably would have pitched at 20! Will pitch at ferment temps.

Probably won't brew before the weekend, so may wait to see some of those mashpaddle entries that won medals... and re-jig the recipe again!

Cheers, BenH.


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## Aaron (10/10/07)

Most things I have read suggest that wheat is not common in a Kolsch. That said I have no direct knowledge so am not willing to bet my life on it. I have achieved really good results by using really soft water, 100% Weyermann Pils malt and a 60 minute hallertau addition to about 20-25ibu. I have not tasted a lot of Kolsch but I have tasted some "real" Kolsch and I think you need to use the 2565 yeast, or the white labs equivalent I assume, to really capture that "Kolsch flavour".

It's a great style when done right.

I wouldn't use spalt as I find the flavour can be quite strong and may be a little much in a Kolsch but that is really subjective.


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## roger mellie (10/10/07)

I had a couple of Kolsch's when I was in Germany once (actually drank a shedload of the stuff as you do) - I remember it being Winey and Floral - the striking memory was how bright it was in the glass - yellow tints - fantastic.

I have tried to replicate this - used WLP029 and the Noble hops - in the end I resigned myself to not being able to replicate it.

But - I did decide that the Saphir hop goes particularly well.

And come summer I will try again.

RM


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## alexbrand (10/10/07)

Aaron said:


> Most things I have read suggest that wheat is not common in a Kolsch. [...]
> I have achieved really good results by using really soft water, 100% Weyermann Pils malt and a 60 minute hallertau addition to about 20-25ibu.
> I wouldn't use spalt as I find the flavour can be quite strong and may be a little much in a Kolsch but that is really subjective.



Because of this thread I got a little bit deeper into the lecture on the web. So I can say:

- Wheat malt up to 20% is very common in Klsch. Not all the breweries do so but many.
- Malt used for Klsch is roasted at at max. temp of 70C :icon_chickcheers: 

- The hardness of water in cologne varies from middle hard to hard, depends on wich side of the river Rhine you take the sample. On the left side (Gaffel, Frh, Dom) the water is more hard than on the right side (Snner, Gilden). So I think the water should not be too soft.

- The hops used for Klsch is grown at the lower rhine area (around Cologne and Dsseldorf) and in the Hallertau. Therefore it could be useful to throw some Hallertauer into the kettle. But I have no special information about the hops.

Cheers,

Alex


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## Screwtop (10/10/07)

BenH said:


> Thanks everyone for your tips, I've re-jigged the recipe a bit:
> Now thinking: (25L batch)
> 
> *4.5kg* Pilsener Malt, mash 75 mins at *63 *deg. (80% eff)
> ...



Looks the goods, I've had difficulty managing attenuation as the fermentation takes off and heats up, the fridge keeps running to try to drop the temp and reaches a point where the yeast gives up and drops out. Pitch at the lower end of the temp range for the yeast and then raise the temp a couple of degrees at high krausen to prevent this.

Should make good "pferd pissen" :lol:


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## alexbrand (10/10/07)

Screwtop said:


> Should make good "pferd pissen" :lol:



I think so. There is not so much to do in a wrong way. Because of my origin I have to say, that Klsch is Klsch and not beer.  But it could be very tasty.

And please do not forget to serve it in thin high cylindric glasses of not more than 0.2 L... The so called "Stange":






Alex


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## Aaron (10/10/07)

This may help with water profile:

http://www.unm.edu/~draper/beer/waterpro.html


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## tdh (10/10/07)

My 2 bobs worth - 

mash at 64-65*C
1007 works better for me, nicer flavour
100% German Pils malt
Bitter at half the OG using German noble hop
FWH no more than ~ 25% of the bittering hop
Don't ferment too cool ~18*C is good
Do a diacetyl rest
Lager for a month at 0-4*C

tdh


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## jayse (10/10/07)

I would think everyone would be waiting for their mash paddle results (and other comp results) before putting up there recipe here  Its a pretty straight forward recipe and almost every single brewers recipe looks the same for the most part.

I wonder how many american comps get versions with 5 different malts and american hops :wacko: :lol:


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## Kai (11/10/07)

Aaron said:


> Most things I have read suggest that wheat is not common in a Kolsch. That said I have no direct knowledge so am not willing to bet my life on it. I have achieved really good results by using really soft water, 100% Weyermann Pils malt and a 60 minute hallertau addition to about 20-25ibu. I have not tasted a lot of Kolsch but I have tasted some "real" Kolsch and I think you need to use the 2565 yeast, or the white labs equivalent I assume, to really capture that "Kolsch flavour".



What Aaron is too polite to say is that his Koelsch was almost bang-on to a good, fresh bottle of Reissdorf. However, with a beer as delicate as this I think you need to pay extremely careful attention to your process as much if not more so than the recipe.


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## blackbock (11/10/07)

My old Klsch recipe-



makes ca. 23 liter batch. I am not afraid to use the wheat!

3.7 kg Pilsener Malt
1 kg Wheat malt
70 g hops (6 %AA)
Klsch yeast

Mash in @ 40 C.
15 Min @ 55 C.)
40 min @ 64 C.
20 min @ 72 C.
20 min @ 78 C.

6 weeks cool conditioning.


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## Screwtop (11/10/07)

Kai said:


> However, with a beer as delicate as this I think you need to pay extremely careful attention to your process as much if not more so than the recipe.







Now ain't that the truth


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## chris.taylor.98 (11/10/07)

A few points regarding Kolsch and the 2656 yeast:

i) You should ferment it cooler and longer to get to ensure there are less esters and other undesirable flavours. This yeast produce a lot of esters even at the cooler temperatures ( wouldn't go above 14C personally ).

ii) This yeast has very low flocculation characteristics, and is a PITA for bottlers like my self. If you want to get that brilliant finish that everybody raves about, you really need to filter this one.


I also agree with the comments about noble hops and less of them, in fact I only do a bittering addition when I brew it. This one really is a yeast driven beer in regards to the flavour.

Cheers

Chris


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## tangent (11/10/07)

what's the recommended temps for 2656? Still chug away at 12C?


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## chris.taylor.98 (12/10/07)

tangent said:


> what's the recommended temps for 2656? Still chug away at 12C?



13-16 C according to the wyeast site, but I would guess it could handle down to 11-12. 

Only danger if you go to low is that it might stall and/or produce more undesirable flavours if you are stressing it out too much, but I haven't encountered any of these problems with it to date. 

I usually ferment it at 13C for about 2 weeks.


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## Fents (12/10/07)

just racked my kolsch last night (2565) and noticed it is cloudy as hell! dont have a filter so hoping 3-4 weeks @ 2deg does the trick, otherwise all the vix xmas case swappers will be drinking a cloudy kolsch!


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## milpod (12/10/07)

jayse said:


> I would think everyone would be waiting for their mash paddle results (and other comp results) before putting up there recipe here  Its a pretty straight forward recipe and almost every single brewers recipe looks the same for the most part.
> 
> I wonder how many american comps get versions with 5 different malts and american hops :wacko: :lol:




So true,change recipes to usa style and pretend to brew to style


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## mika (13/10/07)

The style guidelines suggest that most authentic versions are filtered with the yound unfiltered versions being called 'weisse'. Which to my mind would tend to back up the comments about the Kolsch yeast being a poor flocculator. Then given the 'delicate' nature of this beer, would that preclude cold conditioning ? I don't currently filter and don't wish to start. But if the yeast is poor at floccing out, how else do you get it clear ?


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## Screwtop (13/10/07)

mika_lika said:


> The style guidelines suggest that most authentic versions are filtered with the yound unfiltered versions being called 'weisse'. Which to my mind would tend to back up the comments about the Kolsch yeast being a poor flocculator. Then given the 'delicate' nature of this beer, would that preclude cold conditioning ? I don't currently filter and don't wish to start. But if the yeast is poor at floccing out, how else do you get it clear ?


Gelatin


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## Aaron (13/10/07)

mika_lika said:


> The style guidelines suggest that most authentic versions are filtered with the yound unfiltered versions being called 'weisse'. Which to my mind would tend to back up the comments about the Kolsch yeast being a poor flocculator. Then given the 'delicate' nature of this beer, would that preclude cold conditioning ? I don't currently filter and don't wish to start. But if the yeast is poor at floccing out, how else do you get it clear ?


I have used a silica based fining agent on mine with good results. If you can give it a good long lagering that will do the trick too. Try to be as gentle with it as possible as it doesn't take much of a bump to push it all into solution again. I guess filtering would be ideal but I bottle condition so I need some yeast left in there.


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## alexbrand (14/10/07)

:icon_cheers: Off topic but may be interessting:


Some years ago a brewery belonging to the "Klsch convention" wanted to sell an unfiltered Klsch and they also wanted to call it Klsch. The other breweries refused because the convention says a Klsch HAS to be filtered.
The brewery ("Hchelner Brauhaus") went to court. They won. It was labeled as "ungefiltertes Klsch" ("unfilterd Klsch").

Cheers,

Alex


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