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Author Topic: kolsch grain bill  (Read 11009 times)

Offline juggabrew303

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kolsch grain bill
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2016, 10:04:01 pm »
I didn't feel like typing.  The crystal was added only because it was just sitting in my freezer.   



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« Last Edit: August 18, 2016, 10:05:43 pm by juggabrew303 »

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2016, 03:47:54 am »
Jon,  is that 23.5 all in a FWH charge like I've seen mentioned on here a lot for Kolsch?

Yep, sure is.


Edit - I love Mittelfrueh, so I usually use it. Other German varieties would obviously be fine, too.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2016, 05:48:35 am by HoosierBrew »
Jon H.

Offline majorvices

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2016, 06:14:31 am »
I like 100% pilsner - it has plenty of malt character on its own. Wheat malt adds a nice softness but I get haze from it. Small amounts of Munich and Vienna get lost in the pilsner malt in my opinion. I haven't tried kolsch malt yet

My kolsch is 100% Pilsner malt, and I have won awards with it. I hop it with noble hops: 60 minutes for bittering and 20 minutes for flavoring, no aroma hops. It is malty yet very crisp. I don't feel the need to add any specialty grains.

Yep. 100% pils for my (award winning ;) )kolsch as well. You can obviously add Munich or Vienna or Wheat but there's simply no need to clutter the recipe up. I do like a flame out addition of hops for mine so that it has a balanced hop aroma.

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2016, 07:22:44 am »
I like 100% pilsner - it has plenty of malt character on its own. Wheat malt adds a nice softness but I get haze from it. Small amounts of Munich and Vienna get lost in the pilsner malt in my opinion. I haven't tried kolsch malt yet

My kolsch is 100% Pilsner malt, and I have won awards with it. I hop it with noble hops: 60 minutes for bittering and 20 minutes for flavoring, no aroma hops. It is malty yet very crisp. I don't feel the need to add any specialty grains.

Yep. 100% pils for my (award winning ;) )kolsch as well. You can obviously add Munich or Vienna or Wheat but there's simply no need to clutter the recipe up. I do like a flame out addition of hops for mine so that it has a balanced hop aroma.

Didn't you do a small batch with melon added? I am thinking about adding a cantaloupe post fermentation since they are in season.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2016, 08:01:12 am »
Yes I did a batch with hull melon hops and a pureed honey dew mellon secondary carboy. One melon purees down to almost nothing (compared to the bulk size) but the combination gave plenty of melon character

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #20 on: August 19, 2016, 08:03:44 am »
Yes I did a batch with hull melon hops and a pureed honey dew mellon secondary carboy. One melon purees down to almost nothing (compared to the bulk size) but the combination gave plenty of melon character



I love that idea, Keith. I may steal it next summer - hard to imagine a better hot weather beer.
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Offline Stevie

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2016, 08:19:45 am »
A local brewery here brews a Pils with hull melon. I could pound pint after pint on a hot day.

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #22 on: August 19, 2016, 08:30:49 am »
Well thanks all. I am picking up grains today. I have not decided to just leave it alone or go 100% pils. I will probably just make up my mind at the shop. One pureed cantaloupe once fermentation has slowed.
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Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline 69franx

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #23 on: August 19, 2016, 11:27:58 am »
Jon and/or majorvices, what mash temp do you use for your kölsch? Assuming pretty low for that crisp dry finish? Not brewing this anytime soon, but will likely be on the schedule for next spring
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #24 on: August 19, 2016, 11:41:50 am »
Jon and/or majorvices, what mash temp do you use for your kölsch? Assuming pretty low for that crisp dry finish? Not brewing this anytime soon, but will likely be on the schedule for next spring


This time I went 150F/75 mins. I think it ended up at 1.009ish (with 2565) . Was crisp,dry, and tasty.


Edit - I've step mashed it before, but I like this temp/time for kolsch. Quick and easy.   
« Last Edit: August 19, 2016, 11:45:50 am by HoosierBrew »
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Offline majorvices

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2016, 12:03:14 pm »
150 for about 60 minutes. The key to making it crisp is to make sure you pitch plenty of yeast and start out cool. 58 for the first 72 hours seems to work well, then bump up 2 degrees per day afterward.

Offline 69franx

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #26 on: August 19, 2016, 12:07:18 pm »
Thanks guys, sounds like what I thought. Will put it to use next spring
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #27 on: August 19, 2016, 12:13:11 pm »
Pretty much the same fermentation schedule for me. I held 58 for 2 days, then bumped up a couple dF/day.
Jon H.

Offline coolman26

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #28 on: August 19, 2016, 03:30:42 pm »
I'd love a Kolsch about now. I always did Pils with 8% Vienna. Bitter with Perl and Crystal at FO. I really like the yeast from Giga. Really hard to beat a Kolsch IMO.


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Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: kolsch grain bill
« Reply #29 on: August 19, 2016, 04:19:11 pm »
A local brewery here brews a Pils with hull melon. I could pound pint after pint on a hot day.

At Last week's Vancouver Beer Fest I had a kolsch with key lime that was very good.
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