Kolsch recipe reddit

I do so as they are the easiest way to make all grain beer, the equipment cost is much less, clean up is a breeze and they make as good or better beer than any system I have brewed on.

You can learn about these systems here: Electric BIAB everything you need to know.

I have also put together a post that goes over all of the other equipment you need to homebrew beer, you can check that post out here if you like: What do I need to brew a beer?

There you have it my friend, you now know exactly how to homebrew a Kolsch.

I prefer dextrin in this case, but would keep it to no more than 0.5 lb per 5 gallon batch.

What Hops You Should Use

As stated earlier this is not the beer to be experimenting with by loading it up with hops. It is not like a pale ale where hops are sometimes used in abundance to experiment with new flavors. We include a little bit of Vienna malt (approximately 10%) that provides just the right grainy or malt flavor.

Additionally, brewers often cold-crash the beer to achieve further clarity.

Yeast and Fermentation

Kölsch-style can be brewed with several yeast strains, but some are more traditional and should be considered. Experiment with this if you like. A brewer should aim for about 25 IBUs or less of bitterness, and the hopping should focus more on achieving the desired aroma and flavor, while still maintaining a delicate approach.

White labs and Wyeast all have good liquid yeasts you can use however being the dry yeast fan I am I use Safale K-97 that does a great job with this style of beer.

Home Brew Kolsch Recipe

Alright the time has come to actually homebrew a Kolsch for yourself. This may be the way it’s filtered and pasteurised for bottling.

They may go as high as 50/50, but it is usually more Pilsner-heavy, with a ratio of 70-30 or higher. It is a tall, lightweight and narrow German beer glass that has been traditionally used to serve Kolsch. In fact the name Kolsch in local dialect actually means “of Cologne”. I have seen some brewers recommend no more than 5% Vienna while others go for a full 50/50 split between it and Pilsner.

And than of course you can add a little bit of dextrin or even wheat for a little better head retention and body.

White Labs has a specific strain called WLP029 German Ale/Kölsch, and Wyeast has Wyeast 2565 Kölsch. I believe it’s cultured from a brewpub in Cologne and is said to accentuate hop flavours. Otherwise very clean with no diacetyl or fusels.

A clean, crisp, delicately balanced beer usually with very subtle fruit flavors and aromas.

You can also explore their full library of online brewing courses here.

👉 Explore the Craft Beer & Brewing membership

Kölsch in the American Craft Scene

In American craft beer, the local beer of Cologne has inspired many Kölsch-style beers, making it easy for homebrewers to create these light and refreshing beers at home.

Kolsch became a very popular beer in Germany and as a result many other parts of the country wanted to cash in it’s popularity. Sometimes you might catch an aroma from the hops that are used and while that is fine when you are homebrewing if you get the chance to try a Kolsch in Cologne the hop aroma will not be present.

How Should it Taste (Flavor)

The taste could be described as being soft.

It is exceptionally well-balanced and light. On the side of the blog you can sign up to get instant access to them now. The beer is not a hop-forward style.

To add some stability in the keg and lighten the color, some brewers like to add a very small amount of acidulated malt. And, for convenience, a homebrewer can drop the “style” from “Kölsch-style” and just call it “Kölsch”, as I am pretty sure the European Union is not going to come after them over 5 or 10 gallons of beer they are sharing with their friends.

If you enjoy this recipe, share it with your friends or let us know how it goes in the comments!

Try These Helpful Brewing Tools

Author: Benjamin Stange
Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Kölsch
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)

STATS

• Original Gravity: 1.047
• Final Gravity: 1.011
• ABV (standard): 4.73%
• IBU (tinseth): 22.45
• SRM (morey): 4.2

FERMENTABLES

• 5 lb – Pilsner
• 3.5 lb – Vienna
• 3 oz – Acidulated Malt

HOPS

• 1.25 oz – Hallertau Mittelfruh, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 60 min
• 0.75 oz – Hallertau Mittelfruh, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 15 min

OTHER INGREDIENTS

YEAST

• White Labs – German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast WLP029

INSTRUCTIONS

Mash the grains at 147°F for 60 minutes.

Subdued maltiness throughout leads to a pleasantly refreshing tang in the finish. The effect on the flavor will be subtle, but it will help your Kölsch-style beer “pop”.

Water Chemistry

For water, the Cologne water has a distinct mineral taste in the water, which may be fine if a brewer’s water is generally mildly hard at home.

Freshness makes a huge difference with this beer, as the delicate character can fade quickly with age.