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Author Topic: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch  (Read 3593 times)

Offline willm85

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Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« on: February 06, 2018, 02:15:50 pm »
I have a Kölsch nearing the end of primary fermentation. I do not have kegs and so I'm wondering if I'm better off bottling conditioning the beer and then lagering the bottles to clarify the beer or if I should bulk lager the beer and add a small amount of yeast at bottling?

Any insight would be appreciated.

Offline coolman26

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 02:40:31 pm »
I would bottle condition/Lager in the bottle. Bottle, let carb at room temp, and Lager in the fridge.


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Offline skyler

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2018, 08:14:35 pm »
I would chill it as cold as I could and fine it in the fermenter, then bottle it 3-4 days later. Kölsch yeast is really hard to get out of solution. There will still be enough to carbonate the beer.

Offline 802Chris

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2018, 07:51:40 am »
I agree with Skyler. If you used a true Kolsch yeast, its quite powdery. You are probably best to chill and fine, then bottle and condition a few days later.

Offline willm85

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2018, 12:54:21 pm »
Thanks all.
I used WLP029 in it. My concern was getting proper conditioning if I lagered it for an extended period before bottling (>3 weeks).

I'm going to cool it down for a day or 2, fine with gelatine and the bottle. I'll the let bottles sit at room temp for 2 weeks and then I'll put them into cold storage.

Offline el_capitan

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2018, 07:39:22 pm »
Thanks all.
I used WLP029 in it. My concern was getting proper conditioning if I lagered it for an extended period before bottling (>3 weeks).

I'm going to cool it down for a day or 2, fine with gelatine and the bottle. I'll the let bottles sit at room temp for 2 weeks and then I'll put them into cold storage.

I just kegged a Berliener Wiesse in which I used WLP029.  I had it cold-crashing for 4-5 days and it was crystal clear at kegging.  Beautifully light and clear.  So, give it some time in the cold-crash and you'll be fine.  I did a yeast test a few years back with the Wyeast vs. WL Kölsch strains, and preferred the WL quite a bit.  Give it plenty of time to cold crash.  You won't regret it.

Offline willm85

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2018, 05:59:13 am »
I just kegged a Berliener Wiesse in which I used WLP029.

Interesting. Was that a kettle sour? If so I didn't know that WLP029 was tolerant of the lower pH environment. I've been meaning to make a Berliener for a while and using the Kölsch yeast has me intrigued.

Offline el_capitan

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Re: Bottle Conditioning Kölsch
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2018, 07:24:07 am »
I just kegged a Berliener Wiesse in which I used WLP029.

Interesting. Was that a kettle sour? If so I didn't know that WLP029 was tolerant of the lower pH environment. I've been meaning to make a Berliener for a while and using the Kölsch yeast has me intrigued.
Yep. Kettle soured with the Omega lacto blend.  It dropped to just under a pH of 3.2 in 48 hours. I watched a podcast with Michael Dawson talking about brewing Berliener Weiss, and he recommended a German Ale yeast. I fermented it at 57 to get some of the fruitiness.

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