Beerlust Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Thanks for the vote of confidence Kelsey! This little detour of sorts away from my normal patterns has been very interesting, enjoyable & good for my learning. The 2565 Kolsch yeast despite being an Ale yeast, really benefits from being treated like a lager strain (IMHO). It was part of the reason I decided to try it. Admittedly hoping I could brew a pseudo-lager of sorts without having to follow the usual lager practices, but I have to admit at least from my position, if you want any sort of clarity at all if using this top cropping yeast, a cold conditioning period is pretty much warranted & thus negates much of an advantage by using it in preference to a true lager strain. That said there are some very nice attributes that present from the yeast that take the good aspects of both ale & lager yeast strains as well (IMHO). This Kolsch based brew is aimed at taking the better qualities of beers I've drank & enjoyed, then molding that into a hybrid of sorts. Hence the name I've procrastinated for it. I'm looking forward to mucking around a bit more with this yeast in the warmer months where it has a distinct advantage over the lager strains in terms of it's turn around time from brewing to being suitably aged for drinking. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiphile Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 You might be right, Dr Lust, about the conditioning time. A friend sent me a sample of a Kolsch yeast (and I won't swear to it but it may be a White Labs) and it took quite a while to clear as well. I used it at ale fermenting temps, but if I get some more, it might be "lagered" afterwards to clear more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Hi guys. I kegged this beer & bottled a few earlier today. I fast carbed the keg up & poured a couple. It drinks really well, so I'm very pleased. Short boiling the Galaxy has worked very well. The flavour & bitterness of the beer is really good. The Rye malt has added a light spicy note on the palate & improved the head development, retention, & adds another element into the beer that could otherwise present a little on the bland side. Using a hop like Saaz would also be another way to impart this spicy type influence, albeit presenting in a slightly different manner. The small Munich malt addition has also been beneficial (IMHO) without imposing a whole lot or taking away from the light malted basis of the Kolsch style. You could certainly use Vienna malt the same way in this instance. The only negative from my standpoint is it lacks a heightened aroma that I would like in the beer. I only had 80gms of Galaxy to work with on this brew so ended up going with a 20,20,20,20 amount over the same schedule I mentioned in the recipe outline. Because of this I expected a lower aroma as an outcome, that for moving forward with the brew is a small issue & easily improved. The areas I wanted to make improvements on from the first brew, I've improved on in spades! I've been collecting this yeast through each brew & plan to add something very close to this recipe into my Spring/Summer brewing schedule. Cheers & good brewing, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Lusty, This looks like a good idea...I just ordered the ingredients you mentioned. Will let you know how it turns out. HL Hi Mark. Merely as a suggestion for your next attempt at this beer' date=' if wishing to use a kit base why not keep your recipe simple. The TC Pilsner kit could certainly make a good Kolsch style beer at normal ferment volumes if only a tad bitter for the style. You could increase ferment volumes to lower that bitterness but then can have issues with thinning flavour & having to re-balance that etc..etc. so why torture yourself. [img']pinched[/img] A Kölsch is often referred to as a "Lawnmower Ale". Coincidentally Coopers have a reference to this in the DIY recipe section being the "Lawnmower Lager". I'm not suggesting you brew that recipe, but perhaps make a European twist on it for your Kolsch. The Coopers European Lager kit is ideally suited as a base (I feel) for what you are looking to produce here. Using this kit instead of the TC Pilsner will alleviate the need for mashing Munich malt grain as there is most likely some Munich or Vienna grain as part of the kits make up. The Euro kit is also bittered lower right in a good spot for the Kölsch style that would allow for a little late aroma hopping if you wished. For a kit based brew of this style, this is probably the recipe I would brew... Coopers European Lager 1.7kg Light Dry Malt Extract 1kg CaraPils 200gms (to aid with head retention/mouthfeel etc.) Wyeast 2565 Kölsch yeast Brewed to 23 litres Ferment around 15-18°C. The recipe may look like you are simply brewing the European lager recipe, but it is the Kölsch ale yeast that takes it in another direction. A nice article on brewing the Kölsch style can be found HERE. I hope you find the info useful. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 This looks like a good idea...I just ordered the ingredients you mentioned. Will let you know how it turns out. G'day HL, Yes, I realised the difference between a pilsner and a Kolsch is the yeast and the hopping levels. That means if you're like me and have both a German lager and a Kolsch yeast strain on the go and plenty of noble hops on hand it is quite a decision as to what to brew with the grain bill! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 G'day HL & welcome to the forum. Lusty' date=' This looks like a good idea...I just ordered the ingredients you mentioned. Will let you know how it turns out.[/quote'] I'll be very interested in how this brew turns out, as I'm sure quite a number of other forum members will be. I wish you well with the brew. Given you've gone to the trouble of buying the Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast, do yourself justice & make sure you ferment the brew with the 15-18°C range (preferably nearer 15°C). If the end result puts a grin on Mark's face (ICzed), it'll certainly put a grin on mine! Good luck with the brew HL! I'm certainly rootin' for ya, & for a great beer you'll hopefully enjoy! Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Time for another tilt at this Kolsch I've been slowly developing. I feel I've got a reasonably good understanding of how to malt the beer, & after a recent brew testing a late hopping schedule, I reckon I can now take it to a level near what I'm looking for. Pacific Kölsch Ale (v.3): Briess Pilsen Light Liquid Malt Extract 1.5kg Pilsen Light Dry Malt Extract 250gms Pilsner Malt grain 500gms Vienna Malt grain 500gms Rye Malt grain 300gms CaraHell 250gms Galaxy (14.2%AA) 20gms @ 20mins Ella (14.3%AA) 20gms @ 5mins Galaxy 60gms hop tea (75°C temp steep 30mins) Ella 25gms dry hopped Galaxy 75gms dry hopped Wyeast 2565 Kölsch yeast (1 litre starter) Brewed to 23 litres Ferment @ 15°C OG = approx. 1.044 FG = approx. 1.010-1.012 IBU = 25.1 EBC = 6.8 Kegged ABV = approx. 4.4% Putting this together tomorrow. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Well the above recipe is in the fermenter cooling down to approx. 18°C where I'll leave it overnight. Tomorrow I'll step that down to 15°C before I go to work later in the day, where I'll have it ferment at that temp throughout primary. I ended up using a 3½ litre volume for the 60gm Galaxy hop tea. The water for this was heated to just on 80°C & then removed from the heat, hops added & stirred, then lid placed on & steeped for 30mins. 'Garetz Theory' is almost always running around in my head! Once combined in the fermenter to make up the full wort, smelled pretty damn good. My only concern now though is yeast related, & despite very good signs & a good starter process, I admit this is now my only worry with the brew moving forward. The 2565 has proven a very reliable & vigorous yeast in my 3 uses of it so far, so I am at least optimistic about the chances of it fermenting out. Not bad for someone who is an eternal pessimist! After this brew, I'm done with experimenting to a large degree. I have some great recipes in styles I like now, so plan to brew them more regularly with only minor tweaks moving forward. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 The 2565 yeast is going great guns atm, fermenting away nicely. Nice big healthy krausen too. It's proving to be a very reliable & vigorous yeast for re-using through the starter & pour off method. Now all I'm hoping for is that I've got my malt profile & hopping levels right to produce the beer I'm looking for. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this beer ends up like in the glass. Time will tell I guess. I'll update down the track. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 You amuse me with your constant stressing about yeast performance, Lusty. I know you have had some issues in the past, but not every strain is BRY-97. Anyway, glad to hear it's all going well. Hopefully this beer turns out to your expectations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 You amuse me with your constant stressing about yeast performance' date=' Lusty. I know you have had some issues in the past, but not every strain is BRY-97. [img']tongue[/img] ...and thank God for that! Don't forget the S-04 either! At least I was smart enough not to use that again after the first fail, unlike the BRY-97 that I persisted with for 3 brews! I admit it, I do stress a little until the yeast gets up & going. Even more so since I've been going through the starter build up & pour off method. It's a long brew day from mashing grains, to full hour boils, cooling/chilling the wort (not that you no-chillers would understand that! Haha! ), through to pitching the yeast & clean up. A good 4-4½ hours to produce a great malted & hopped wort. Then if the yeast fails it's all been for nothing. I can see this 2565 yeast becoming my goto strain when I wish to brew lager-like ales. Cheers & good brewing, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I had no problem with BRY-97 but it didn't really excite me much. Wasn't much different to US-05 to me. S-04 I've ditched though after those bottle bombs in that batch of porter. The starter method should really see more certainty of activity after pitching into the wort, so you shouldn't have any worries there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I might have just been unlucky with my timing using the BRY-97, given that soon after there was a recall on some release batch numbers by Danstar. I'm in no hurry to try it again though. Damn BRY yeast! Ahhh...a bit of brewing therapy there. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Opened up the FV on this recent Kolsch brew earlier today/yesterday & scooped most of the top cropping yeast off the surface of the wort so I could effectively add the dry hop parcels. It appears to be clearing ok, colour is looking good, & it smelled really good from the late hop boil schedule. I'm also interested in the little malt grist tweak I gave this version too by adding in some Vienna malt & upping the rye malt slightly. The 75gms of Galaxy & 25gms of Ella dry hop should finish it off nicely. I don't get excited with many of my brews these days, but I am with what this one could end up being. 1 week dry hop, then probably one week cold conditioning, then keg/bottle. I'll update down the track. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 A rip snorter of a day weather-wise here in Adelaide today. Sun shining, nice breeze, about 25°C. Just the sort of weather for a nice Kolsch! I have the a fore mentioned recipe on the pour right now. Beautiful aroma/flavour from the Galaxy hops predominantly, nice clean malt bill, nice spicy undertones from the Rye malt & Ella hops. It's quite cloudy atm (not that that bothers me), & has a touch of that astringency I've spoken of before, but apart from that, YUM! If I could bottle today, I would. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Sounds like you've made a very tasty beer there Lusty. Enjoy the perfect weather and the rest of your afternoon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quadricorn Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Sorry for the old thread revival but there is a kolsch as ROTM that I am going to have to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Yup, it's a great style of beer to be drinking now the warmer weather is here. I haven't brewed the Canadian Blonde kit as yet, & haven't used the relatively new AUS Helga hop yet, so this is a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. I just finished ordering the ROTM pack. I've got some 4th gen Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast stored in the fridge, so will attempt to use it on this brew. Good one Coopers! Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuznut Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Hey guys, Using what ingredients I already had lying around the house, I decided to put a pseudo extract Kolsch on last night using US-05 as the yeast. For those of you who have already made the Helga's Cool Kolsch or any other Kolsch with US-05, what temperature did you ferment at? The Helga's recipe recommends fermenting at 16-18deg, though I've noticed that Coopers sometimes tends to recommend a degree or 2 higher than what other people on here usually think it should be at. I've currently got it set at 15deg, though I'm wondering if it'd be worth raising it to 16deg, or even lowering it a bit more? Cheers Blake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beeblebrox Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Hey guys' date=' Using what ingredients I already had lying around the house, I decided to put a pseudo extract Kolsch on last night using US-05 as the yeast. For those of you who have already made the Helga's Cool Kolsch or any other Kolsch with US-05, what temperature did you ferment at? The Helga's recipe recommends fermenting at 16-18deg, though I've noticed that Coopers sometimes tends to recommend a degree or 2 higher than what other people on here usually think it should be at. I've currently got it set at 15deg, though I'm wondering if it'd be worth raising it to 16deg, or even lowering it a bit more? Cheers Blake[/quote'] Thanks to the weather & lack of brew fridge, I brewed my Helga ROTM at around 18 -20c. Having sampled it yesterday, I can honestly say it was fine, so you shouldn't have any probs at your current temp. That said, I've still got the pack here from the yeast (Safale US - 05), & it says the range is 12 - 25c, Ideally 15-22c. I wouldn't take it lower, but a bit warmer won't hurt it. It's such a good beer I'm going to make it again with ingredients from my LHBS! (Though I'll have to sub the Helga hops, as they don't stock it - you can sub a noble hop like Hallertau without too much difference I understand). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 I fermented the ROTM Kolsch @ 18°C, & am drinking it from one of my kegs atm & it drinks lovely. I experimented with US-05 down lower once, & I didn't like the way it behaved below 16°C, so that is now as low as I go with it. Each to their own though. Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuznut Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Thanks guys. I might just put it back up to 16° for now and see how it turns out. If I do it again down the track, I can experiment with a warmer version and a colder version to see the differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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