# Style Of The Week 3/1/07 - Kolsch



## Stuster (3/1/07)

By request once more, it's the mash paddle style for this year, Kolsch, BJCP style 6C.

A post by the other Stu :lol: announcing the mash paddle for 2007 including lots of good links can be found here.

Another article on the style from Brewing Techniques, 
here

So what are your experiences with this style? Grains? Hops? Which yeast to use? Any dry yeast that will work with this style? Can this style be done by partial mashers? Any commercial examples that you can recommend?

Tell us all you know about this style. :chug: 



> 6C. Klsch
> 
> Aroma: Very low to no malt aroma. A pleasant, very subtle fruit aroma from fermentation (apple, cherry or pear) is desirable, but not always present. A low noble hop aroma is optional but not out of place (it is present only in a small minority of authentic versions). Some yeasts may give a slight winy or sulfury character (this characteristic is also optional, but not a fault).
> 
> ...


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## DJR (3/1/07)

Requests, Requests Stu eh...

Remember the main thing is that you want high attenuation in this style - so if you're not using an attenuative yeast (usually the Kolsch yeasts don't actually attenuate that much without some work) you have to work on your mash temps to get it up - a 45m rest at 63 followed by another 45m rest at 71 should help you hit 80+% attenuation with pretty much any yeast out there. Also a long maltose rest at 62-63C is very important, to increase the effect of this you can add 10% of your grist about half way through this rest to replenish the beta amylase.

Don't add Gypsum of course, as it's not a hoppy style and will add a weird dryness that will be out of place, just use some Calcium Chloride. I have had good results with Saphir and Taurus hops, i reckon anything German should be fine, there's usually a not of hop flavour/aroma in a Kolsch, just a faint background whiff that could be just 0.5g/L of flavour/aroma hops. You could get away with just using some high-alpha clean bittering hops and just be done with it, about 5-10g of Magnum/Taurus/Northern Brewer would be all it takes at 75m to get about 20-25 IBU.

Yeast - i wouldn't think that US56 would be good, i am about to put one on with K-97 though just to see if it's a good backup dry strain, S-33 or Nottingham *might* be OK as they are fairly clean, however nothing beats 1007 German, 2565 Kolsch, WLP029 German/Kolsch or one of the Euro Ale/Alt strains.

Warner reckons up to 20% wheat and the remainder Pils is the right way to go, personally i like something a bit more malty and add about 1-2% melanoidin or munich malt, however this probably throws it out of balance just a little. Next one will just be 90% pils and 10% wheat.


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## mika (18/2/07)

Can't say I've tried many examples of a Kolsch, but gotta say that Spruikers Challenge from Colonial Brewery in Margaret River makes a real nice beer that they call a Kolsch Ale.

Planning on trying a clone as soon as the weather cools down.


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## neonmeate (18/2/07)

sorry missed this SOTW when i was on hols. DJR has already covered things very well but i will tell you my experiences for the hell of it.

i have made two of these, i think both were 90%pils 10% wheat malt. one of them used JW pils and I wasn't very impressed with it - next time I will definitely be using Weyermann.
munich malt flavour isn't very koelschy but it makes it more interesting for sure - most koelsches from koeln could do with some serious flavour transplants. i tried like 15 of them in cologne and most of them did nothing much other than be yellow.

i like tettnang, mittelfruh, saaz for koelsch - perfumey, flowery hops. spalt might work too? i personally think koelsches are suicidally boring without some hop aroma.

you want to ferment as cool as practical - like 14C or so. and lager for a month if you can - it makes a big difference.
i've used 1007 and 2565, both good although 1007 is slow to clear. have used WLP29 in alts and i like that too.

next time i make a koelsch i think i will do a "pilsener koelsch" and throw 200g of something noble in.


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## razz (18/2/07)

I made 2 batches last year using the 2565 yeast from Wyeast. These would have to be the most well balanced beers I have ever made. I made them to style, if you are a hophead you will need to go outside the style, well and truly. 63 degrees mash rest and fermented at 14 degrees, I hit the high end of attenuation for the yeast (77%) This is the only beer I have made that allowed a honey addition to show through, I guess it was from the balance of hops/malt. A ratio of .5. I plan to make more this year for the spring season. I might also give it a try with Whitelabs european ale yeast for something different.


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## DJR (18/2/07)

2565 is great. I have just done my first batch using it, and i have no idea where wyeast's "extremely poor flocculating yeast" comes from. I top cropped some of it and built it up on the (new) stirplate for next time thinking that i wasn't going to get anything from the primary yeastcake - well, there was quite a big primary yeastcake! It's been in secondary only a couple of days and it is already quite clear. I'll bung it in the fridge for 2-3 weeks to get the crispness and help it flocc a bit more...

This one was 90% JW Pils, 5% JW Light Munich, 5% JW Wheat. You could probably use vienna malt at up to about 10-15% of the grist without affecting colour too much. As neonmeate says the pilsner and wheat only is a bit boring. The Xmas case one i used Melanoidin in! In the Warner Kolsch book George fix goes on about his recipe which uses Crystal malt... h34r: 

I like Saphir but then again i do have a pound of it in the fridge courtesy of Ross! Styrians and Saaz also work well - used them in the Xmas case koelsch.


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## razz (18/2/07)

I also think it would be an excellent beer to showcase the Nelson sauvin hop, although it maybe out of style.


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## chris.taylor.98 (18/2/07)

I've done this style 3 or 4 times now, and must admit that it is probably one of my most request styles from friends and relatives.

Actually have one in the secondary at the moment, unfortunatelly I over sparged it and it has turned out horribly astringent.

I highly recommend wyeast 2565 for this style. In my opionin it is the yeast that really seperates this styles from others, and adds the unique Kolsch characteristics. This particular strain definitely imparts a very pleasant honey character.

I have brewed this with up to 20% wheat, and in one case about 30% ale malt, and would rate this last one as one of the most drinkable beers I have made, although not really to style.

The last batch was 10% wheat, 90% pils (Powells) mashed at 65C, and achieved 83% attenuation (OG 1.048, FG 1.008 ) fermenting at 15C.

This yeast is highly floculant (emphasis on the highly), and would definitely recommend filtering is you have the capabilities ( unfortunately I do not ). When bottled you will notice that the yeast can be disturbed very very easily.

I have also found that this style does not keep well after about 9mths or so.


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## chris.taylor.98 (18/2/07)

Hmmm ... must learn to get my terminolgy right ... above post should read "poorly flocculant".

2656 will not compact down ... ie if you bottle condition like me, don't agitate the bottles or you will end up with a something that looks like a belgain wit.

Note it does settle out of the beer quite readily and you will end up with quite a clear beer without too much effort.


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## mika (18/2/07)

> I have also found that this style does not keep well after about 9mths or so.



I want to know what size batch you're brewing to make it last 9months ? h34r:


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## Weizguy (23/4/07)

I have the Warner book, and made a Klsch with 90% German pils and 10% wheat malt with Perle for Bittering & flavour and Hersbrucker for aroma.

I no-chilled most of the wort and saved the remainder in PET bottles in the freezer. Thawed some out and gave it a 10 min boil/cool before pitching onto Duff's sediment from his NSW case Klsch.

The culture tastes so authentic (delicious) that I think I'll re-culture, after decanting the culture into a bottle with priming sugar.

Such a shame that I have only a 25 l batch in the jerry can.

BTW, the WLP029 recommends a ferment temp of no less than 18 C. My culture prob got up to 24 or evn 26C, and it still has great flavour. Not recommended, of course, but may be worth a try (to ferment at room temp in Summer if no cooling is available).

Beerz
Seth


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## SJW (7/5/07)

I just bottled my first Kolsch. I used a big scoop of fresh Wyeast 2565 and it went of like a bomb. But I could only get it down to 1012 from 1048. Maybe I mashed a bit warm at 66 deg C. 
Anyway, the final product is very fruity. Is this just the yeast and does it settle down after a while in the bottle?

Steve


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## DJR (7/5/07)

2565 is pretty fruity, that's what gives it the Kolsch flavour.

What temp did you ferment at?

The WLP029 is very clean at 18-20C, 2565 probably needs about 15C to come out as clean

66C is pretty high for a Kolsch - you could cheat and use cane sugar as part of the grist (about 5%) if using that temp


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## SJW (8/5/07)

Yep DJR, I fermented at 20 deg. I think its not too bad though. As I am used to doing malt driven German Lagers with 34/70 and Wyeast 2206 I think this is more of a shock to the system rather than any major problems. Saying that, the Kolsch has only been in the bottle one week and I think it will be ok.

Steve


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## alamout (9/5/07)

G'day everyone,
I joined up a few days ago, great site!
it's nice to see some metric measurements on a forum for a change!

I'm pretty new to brewing, so far I've done 4 (all extracts with some grain steeps) - I'm trying to step up the complexity / fun of it each time (went from the basic can + brewblend --> coopers sparking with small bag of steeped grains and bottle cultured yeast --> american brown ale with 3 different grain steeps ---> bit of a mixup of spare ingredients inc. enzyme which I haven't haven't bottled yet but it wen't from 1.060 to 1.001 and doesn't taste too bad (very hoppy and dry))

annnnyway, enough rambling,
next plan is to do a partial mash with a cooler / grain bag trying to get about half my grav points from grains and the rest from extract, and as it's getting cooler (in canberra) i'm thinking about trying a kolsch.

my main question is this,
I hear a lot about lagering and/or conditioning - most of the time hearing along the lines of primary ferment coolish (anywhere from 14-17 degrees?) then rack to a secondary and drop it down to 0-4degrees for a month or two ? 

At the moment I don't have a secondary fermenenter and it'll be a bit hard to stick it in the fridge if I do get one, how would bottling after 1-2 weeks in the primary then trying to lager the bottles in the fridge for a month or two work? Or does the secondary continue to ferment at the low temperature and therefore be dangerous / just not work in the bottles?

any advice would be great! I'd like to try and make a stash of beers for next summer while it's cool.
thanks.


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## SJW (9/5/07)

OK alamout,
The first thing u need is another fermenter/cube for conditioning and bulk priming. Cold Conditioning of Lagers, IMO, is not that essential but I would recommend that u rack all beers to a secondary for at least two weeks for 2 reasons.
1/ to ensure that the yeast had finished its job 100% thus eliminating any bottle bombs.
2/ It will help the beer clear a lot more and gets the wort off the old yeast cake helping to eliminate off flavours.
But if u have another fridge and IMO at least 4 weeks u would notice a big diff with Cold Conditioning Lagers at as close to 0 Deg C a possible. It makes the beer very clean and crisp prior to bottling.
I think the trick to making a good brew is a nice cool fermentation. Less than 20 Deg C depending on your yeast. Some Lager yeast like Wyeast 2206 will still chug away at 4 or 5 deg C.
Hope this helps.

Steve


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## alamout (9/5/07)

SJW said:


> OK alamout,
> The first thing u need is another fermenter/cube for conditioning and bulk priming. Cold Conditioning of Lagers, IMO, is not that essential but I would recommend that u rack all beers to a secondary for at least two weeks for 2 reasons.
> 1/ to ensure that the yeast had finished its job 100% thus eliminating any bottle bombs.
> 2/ It will help the beer clear a lot more and gets the wort off the old yeast cake helping to eliminate off flavours.
> ...



thanks Steve,
I've certainly been contemplating getting a second fermenter, especially if i'm going to tie one up for 6 or more weeks. I've been leaving my beers in the primary for 3-4 weeks so far which doesn't seem to have affected the flavour too much and has let them clear up / finish fermenting nicely, but more fermenters = more beer!

regarding second ferm., should I get a glass carboy or just another plastic bucket type, not sure how keen I am on siphoning if i can avoid it, i hear having a smaller secondary is good for less headroom but I think I can get plastic fermenters pretty close to the glass ones in size.

sorry to all if this is getting off topic, it did start out relating to kolsch!


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## DarkFaerytale (25/6/07)

hey all, how do you all think saaz b will go in a kolsch?

-Phill


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## razz (25/6/07)

Are you brewing to style Phil ? If so, I think the SaazB will go well.


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## DarkFaerytale (25/6/07)

yep, here's the recipe

90% pils
10% wheat
mashed at 64-65C

22.5IBU with a 60 min addition and then another small addition with 10 mins to go

wyeast koelsch yeast at 14C for a couple weeks then lager for a couple more weeks

thanks Razz, means i can use the left over hops in a bright ale clone

-Phill


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## SJW (25/6/07)

alamout said:


> regarding second ferm., should I get a glass carboy or just another plastic bucket type, not sure how keen I am on siphoning if i can avoid it, i hear having a smaller secondary is good for less headroom but I think I can get plastic fermenters pretty close to the glass ones in size.



I dont think u need to go to the expense of a glass carboy. I just use those red lid 25 litre barrels from Bunnings. All u do is put the fermenter on a bench and run it to the secondard thru some clear hose that is coiled around the bottom of the secondardary a few times, so there is no splashing and just drain away. Using this method you sould rack just prior to hitting your FG or 3/4's of the way thru. (Now that could start a fire storm) Then u can leave it in the secondary for as long as u like.
Hope this helps.

Steve


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## razz (25/6/07)

DarkFaerytale said:


> yep, here's the recipe
> 
> 90% pils
> 10% wheat
> ...


I've made Kolsch a couple of times now with a bu:gu ratio of 0.5. The yeast will throw a nice apple tart flavour when the beer is young and then smooth out some what. This is one ale that requires a lot of restraint when it comes to hops. Your FG should be under 10 with that mash schedule. Good luck.


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## Steve (25/4/09)

Making my first Kolsch tomorrow.

8kg BB Galaxy
1kg BB Wheat

25 IBU

60gms Perle (7.2%) @ 60
35gms Hallertau Mittlefruh (2.4%) @ 10 mins + Whirlfloc

WLP029 x 2

Picked up a 2 litre erlenmeyer flask with a pre-made starter yesterday from BrewYourOwnAtHome in Canberra (now thats service! Thanks Col)

Cheers
Steve


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## Steve (8/5/09)

Steve said:


> Making my first Kolsch tomorrow.
> 
> 8kg BB Galaxy
> 1kg BB Wheat
> ...



Very happy with this one. Its been in the keg 5 days and its a pearler. Even got the thumbs up from Richard, the head brewer at the wig n pen last night. Couldnt pick a fault with it apart from being a bit young. "Leave it a week and it'll be perfect". :beerbang: 

Cheers
Steve


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## dc59 (8/10/09)

Hey everyone I'm having my first crack at this style over the next week and wanted some opinions on the recipe. My main concern is that I've never actually had a commercial example so it has made recipe formulation alittle trickier than normal as I've essentially tried to imagine the taste going off the Warner book.

22L 
effic. 75% varies a bit but usually close to this mark.

4.5kg of JW pale
20g Tettnang (2.5%AA) for 60 min
10g pacific gem (13.5%AA) for 60 min
20g Hersbrucker (2.3%AA) in cube (no chiller here)

WL029 yeast.

The pacific gem I put in to give Tettnang a helping hand in the bittering. Anyone had much experience in using this hop? I've only used it twice in small amounts and it seemed fairly neutral, though there isn't much to hide behind in the beer.

Also this is my first crack at a liquid yeast. It arrived in the mail today, so I'm naturaly very excited.

Main question is the hops and what to expect from the yeast.

Thanks David.


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## Fents (9/10/09)

personally i would drop the 20g hersbruker. you dont need it, this beer is not about the hops.

the yeast will give off a slight fruity taste that cant really be described but it just add's to this beer. make sure you do everything in your power to make the yeast drop out after fermentation. CC'ing for >4 weeks will get you there, this beer is meant to be crystal clear. personally i dont mind if its not clear but other people like thirstyboy choke at the thought of kolsch yeast in suspension.


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## mje1980 (9/10/09)

First beer i brew when i re stock will be a koelsch style ale. 100% pils, 2565, and a touch of hops. Mmmmm. 

I brewed one a long time ago, very simple, and it was a cracker of a beer. Can't wait!.


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## Barry (9/10/09)

I mash at 63-64oc for 75 mins then increase the temp to the late 60's for 15 mins (don't have to if sparge is 72-75oC) to get a light body and dry finish. I add 200 gms of malted wheat for head formation (rest is German pils malt) but not essential.


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## Fents (9/10/09)

oh yea didnt even see that! loose the JW pale and replace with JW Pils.


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## dc59 (9/10/09)

> loose the JW pale and replace with JW Pils.



Will do. I went with the pale because its the only base malt I have, but I'll get a sack of JW pils. I might halve the hersbrucker to 10g and see how that goes.

Thanks for the advice people. Brew day will be next weekend, I'll provide results for the recipe when its complete.

David.


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## jbirbeck (29/10/09)

Just did a Kolsch, have it lagering at the mo and it seems to be taking forever to clear up. tastes the goods though, fruity yet dry, lovely pils scent...I am looking forward to getting into this.

Recipe was:

Recipe: Kolsch
Brewer: Rooting Kings
Style: Kolsch

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L 
Boil Size: 20.10 L
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 3.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
4.60 kg Pilsner Powells (2.0 SRM) Grain 95.83 % 
0.20 kg Wheat Malt, Powells (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.17 % 
10.00 gm Sapphire [5.00 %] (60 min) (First Wort HoHops 5.1 IBU 
45.00 gm Sapphire [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 20.9 IBU 
1 Pkgs Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: Decoction Mash, Double
Total Grain Weight: 4.80 kg
----------------------------
Decoction Mash, Double
Step Time Name Description Step Temp 
35 min Protein Rest Add 20.03 L of water at 52.5 C 50.0 C 
45 min Saccharification Decoct 6.44 L of mash and boil it 63.9 C 
45 min Saccharification Decoct 3.91 L of mash and boil it 70.0 C 
10 min Mash Out Heat to 75.6 C over 10 min 75.6 C

The water was mainly rain water and added a few additions to get it up to Pilsen type water...


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## cubbie (8/1/10)

DJR said:


> Requests, Requests Stu eh...
> 
> Remember the main thing is that you want high attenuation in this style - so if you're not using an attenuative yeast (usually the Kolsch yeasts don't actually attenuate that much without some work) you have to work on your mash temps to get it up -* a 45m rest at 63 followed by another 45m rest at 71 should help you hit 80+% attenuation with pretty much any yeast out there. Also a long maltose rest at 62-63C is very important, to increase the effect of this you can add 10% of your grist about half way through this rest to replenish the beta amylase.*
> 
> ...



Just looking through this thread and not sure I completely understand what is being suggested above. Is it suggesting that 45min is a "long" maltose rest and to improve efficiency add 10% at 20odd mins or is it saying if you are doing just a single step mash do a long rest say 60-90 min adding 10% at about 30-45min?


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## beerbrewer76543 (11/6/11)

:excl: Thread ressurection for ranting purposes

So many homebrewers post recipes of their "Kolsch" brews that are so far from style it makes me sick!

I'm sure using late hops, crystal and US05 will make a tasty beer but IT WILL NOT BE A KOLSCH

*end rant*


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## mje1980 (11/6/11)

You ressurrected an old thread just to bash it?. I made a simple koelsch style ale ( 90 pils 10 wheat, 2565 not much hops ) and it was delicious. I might make another one closer to summer with BB pale.


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## beerbrewer76543 (11/6/11)

Not bashing Kolsch, I love it

Just annoyed that people have the wrong idea of what a Kolsch tastes like


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## manticle (11/6/11)

mje was talking about you bashing the thread, not the style.

It does seem a little odd, particularly as it's not clear whose corrupted kolsch recipe you are referring to. Most of the ones on this page seem to be bittering only with german yeasts and those that aren't have been given recommendations to be so.


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## donburke (20/9/12)

my oh my is this one great style

brewed this one 3 weeks ago, 2 weeks primary, 3 days crash chill and kegged, drinking my first few glasses as i type

the subtle flavours really are unique, delicate ... like an angel fluttering on my tongue  

lets see how long the 4 kegs last

Recipe: KOLSCH
Style: Kolsch
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 85.00 L 
Boil Size: 92.40 L
Estimated OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated Color: 6.3 EBC
Estimated IBU: 24.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
17.00 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (2.5 EBC) Grain 93.41 % 
1.00 kg Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC) Grain 5.49 % 
0.20 kg Melanoiden Malt (70.0 EBC) Grain 1.10 % 
150.00 gm Spalter [5.70 %] (60 min) Hops 24.5 IBU 
2.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc 
15.00 gm Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 min) Misc 
2 Pkgs  Kolsch II Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2575) Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 18.20 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp 
5 min Mash In Add 54.00 L of water at 63.6 C 58.0 C 
40 min Step Heat to 63.0 C over 5 min 63.0 C 
30 min Step Heat to 65.0 C over 2 min 65.0 C 
5 min Step Heat to 78.0 C over 13 min 78.0 C 
5 min Mash Out Add 24.00 L of water at 78.0 C 78.0 C 


Notes:
------
chill to pitching temperature 17 deg

ferment 40 litres with wy2575 at ambient 15 degrees, 1 pack dated 5/7/12 into 1 litre starter stepped to 2.25 litre starter, 180 sec o2 @ 1l/min
ferment 40 litres with wy2575 at ambient 15 degrees, 1 pack dated 5/7/12 into 1 litre starter stepped to 2.25 litre starter, 180 sec o2 @ 1l/min


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## Harty (17/5/13)

Kolsch is one of my favourite beers. This recipe looks great, and I'll be sure to try it this weekend!


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