Help. What to do with a Kolsch grain bill, but no Kolsch yeast.

[Spiesy]

making the Golden/Amber Ale... already 30mins into the boil, but thanks mate.

 

[TasChris]

Hey AHB posse.

Recently I ordered some grain and yeast from one of the site sponsors. My order was processed online, money taken, everything seemed sweet. I get a call the next day to say that Wyeast 2565 (Kolsch) was actually out of stock, what did I want to do?
"Got any other Kolsch yeast", I ask. "No, you could try to make a lager, but it will be cloudy with the yeast", is the reply.
"How about you just don't add the wheat", was my reply. "We've already milled it", came back from the retailer...

So unfortunately for me, I took the Budvar yeast and put the phone down, a little disappointed that I'm now resigned to making my first ever lager... cloudy. Not a trait commonly associated with a proper lager.

BUT... does anyone have any other ideas on what I could make with this grain bill? I could get US05 easily, or use the Budvar lager yeast I have, or just cube away the wort until getting my hands on the illusive Wyeast 2565. Thoughts?

GRAIN BILL (20l batch)
5.3kg German Pilsner (92.2%)
0.25kg German Vienna (4.3%)
0.200kg German Wheat (3.5%)

HOPS (that I was going to add)
German Hallertauer Mittlefruh: 50g (21.1IBU) @ 60mins
German Hallertauer Mittlefruh: 10g (1.5IBU) @ 10mins.

HOPS (that I have at my disposal)
Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Galaxy, Goldings, Hallertauer MF, Simcoe, Styrian Goldings (23g), Summit, UK Fuggle, US Magnum, US Northern Brewer, Warrior (50g).

At the moment I'm leaning towards just making the damn Kolsch as intended, cubing and waiting until I can get the yeast I need - make a lager next weekend with the Budvar yeast. But maybe you have another recipe that would work well with that grain bill?

Thanking you all in advance...

The grain bill would make for a pretty good saison .
Just Wyeast 3711
Cheers
Chris

beaten by Charst and too late.
Should have read thruogh to the bottom of the thread first

 

[Tex083]

My 1st AG brew was a Kolsch, went to G&G to get my grain, hops and yeast.
I havent brewed that many beers and I was reccomended US05 as a good starting yeast due to its clean ferment and high flocculation. It turned out well.
I also didnt rate 4 Pines Kolsch it was a bit light for me.
I used Pilsner, Munich for malts and Saaz for the hops.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

just make it exactly as you we going to do for the kolsch - and use a nice lager yeast instead. It'll basically be a Helles or thereabouts.

Or cube and wait for the yeast - I do agree with the guys who have said that without a genuine kolsch yeast it wont really be a kolsch - a pleasant summery pale ale perhaps, but not a kolsch.

 

[Spiesy]

Thanks for the reply mate, but this was asked weeks ago, and the grain is now sitting in a beer in my kegerator.