Kölsch help

[philmud]

I was originally going to make a pale ale using Wyeast 2565, but as I've developed the recipe it's pretty much to style for a kölsch with the exception of Summer hops late in the boil. I've used them a bit & get lovely understated stonefruit flavours from them which I think would work well in a kölsch.

I'm tossing up using sorachi ace or another high alpha hop to bitter, as I kind if want to avoid throwing lots of low alpha hops at it (could be persuaded to a noble hop, maybe perle?). Doing a search on AHB doesn't yield especially favourable reviews of sorachi as a late addition, but has anyone used it for bittering? I'm anticipating a crisp bitterness, like a Japanese lager.

The recipe I'm tinkering with is as follows (sorry re; format, I'm on my phone):

Too much Köln pale ale.

Anticipated OG: 1.048
Anticipated FG: 1.009
Anticipated ABV 4.86%
IBU: 27
Colour: 7.1 EBC


4.00kg Pilsner malt
0.75kg vienna
0.50kg wheat

Mash in @ 65C - 90 mins
Mash out @ 78C - 10 mins

90 min boil

15g Sorachi Ace 12% AA @ 60 mins (19.5 IBU)
28g Summer 5.8% AA @ 10 mins (6.4 IBU)
28g Summer 5.8% AA @ flameout

Ferment with 2565, lager for 4-6 weeks before bottling.

Thoughts anyone? Especially interested in opinions re: the Sorachi Ace.

TIA

 

[Black n Tan]

I'd just use Magnum for bittering, nice and clean. Love the idea of using Summer. Look forward to hearing how it goes.

 

[philmud]

Yeah, that's a good idea, let the summer shine'

 

[Spiesy]

I doubt that amount of Sorachi Ace at 60mins is going to make much of an impact.

 

[philmud]

Yeah, I wondered about that, so might be best using a hop that I'll use again. Not sure what else I'd stick Sorachi in.

 

[Spiesy]

It gets used in Saisons a bit.

 

[philmud]

Yeah, I think it was in the Thunder Rd saison, which was not too bad. It might call for some commercial research!

 

[indica86]

I like SOrachi, used it late in a few beers, it's good stuff.