[bigmunchez]

I've got a couple of experiments on the go with this yeast.  I've got a spilt batch kolsch cold crashing right now - 2565 (the incumbent favourite) vs Koln.  Early visuals suggest Koln is a significantly better flocculator.
The other experiment is a using Koln in a NEIPA based on the biotransformation blurb on the website.
I'll report back with further findings.

[4dogbrewer]

From what I have read so far, I will need 2 sachets of this yeast for 5.5 gallons of wort. Cheaper to use liquid yeast.

[tommymorris]

From what I have read so far, I will need 2 sachets of this yeast for 5.5 gallons of wort. Cheaper to use liquid yeast.

Why two packs? The specs seem the same as all dry yeast.

[majorvices]

From what I have read so far, I will need 2 sachets of this yeast for 5.5 gallons of wort. Cheaper to use liquid yeast.

You want (approx) .75 to 1.5+ million cells per mil per degree plato - the lower end would be the spectrum for ales and the higher end the spectrum for lager. For a kölsch you *may want somewhere in the middle since it will ferment on the cooler side. I have not looked at the specs on this dry yeast yet but generally speaking dry yeast has more viable cells than a pack of liquid yeast so, depending on the beer you are brewing you may very well need more than one smack pack or tube/vial of yeast if you aren't making a starter or growing yeast.

[tommymorris]

One thing about dry yeast: it ships in the summer without ice.

Another thing: it easier to store than liquid so more shops sell it. My LHBS (just a corner in a health food stores sells dry but not liquid).

All that to say, I think the manufacturers of dry yeast are recognizing they have a value proposition and are starting to charge accordingly.  They also have lower costs (they don’t need to refrigerate either). So, hopefully they stay lower priced in general.

[bigmunchez]

So, I’ve had a chance to evaluate my split batch kolsch yeast comparison. 

I brewed 38L (10gal) of a simple kolsch - 97% pils malt, 3% wheat, 1.048, 24 IBU magnum at 60 mins.  The wort was split evenly between 2 fermenters, one got WY2565 from a 2L (decanted) starter, the other got a pack of rehydrated Lallemand Koln yeast. 

They were pitched at 14°C (57F) and received 2 mins of oxygen.
The 2565 kicked off with visible krausen at around 12 hours, the Koln took a good 36 hours to show similar activity. (in retrospect, was under pitched a wee bit). 
Both beers were slowly ramped up from around day 5, and both finished out at 1.011.
They were then cold crashed and fined with gelatine.
Closed transfers to purged kegs, carbonated and ready for initial tasting at 4 weeks.



2565 on the left, up to its old tricks, refusing to clear. 
On initial tasting at two weeks post kegging, I was reasonably easily able to tell them apart on triangle testing, the Koln was a little sharper/crisper and had less ‘kolschy-ness’.  I preferred the 2565.  It reminds me of Paffgen kolsch, the Koln strain seemed cleaner, more like Fruh.

At 4 weeks post kegging, the beers were much harder to differentiate, there was still a clarity difference but it was less obvious, and I failed as many triangle tests as I passed. My wife failed 4 out of 4 triangle tests at both 2 and 4 weeks.  (Interestingly, both kids picked it on aroma alone)

The second usage of the Koln strain was to try to make use of its purported biotransformation skills.  I brewed a NEIPA with a recipe I had used several times in the past with different yeast strains.  I used the somewhat unoriginal but delicious citra/mosaic/galaxy combo.



It came out really well, deep saturated citrus hop character, possibly the best one I’ve made so far.  Its now been in the keg for 2 weeks and is still hazy and very enjoyable.




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[tommymorris]

So, I’ve had a chance to evaluate my split batch kolsch yeast comparison. 

I brewed 38L (10gal) of a simple kolsch - 97% pils malt, 3% wheat, 1.048, 24 IBU magnum at 60 mins.  The wort was split evenly between 2 fermenters, one got WY2565 from a 2L (decanted) starter, the other got a pack of rehydrated Lallemand Koln yeast. 

They were pitched at 14°C (57F) and received 2 mins of oxygen.
The 2565 kicked off with visible krausen at around 12 hours, the Koln took a good 36 hours to show similar activity. (in retrospect, was under pitched a wee bit). 
Both beers were slowly ramped up from around day 5, and both finished out at 1.011.
They were then cold crashed and fined with gelatine.
Closed transfers to purged kegs, carbonated and ready for initial tasting at 4 weeks.



2565 on the left, up to its old tricks, refusing to clear. 
On initial tasting at two weeks post kegging, I was reasonably easily able to tell them apart on triangle testing, the Koln was a little sharper/crisper and had less ‘kolschy-ness’.  I preferred the 2565.  It reminds me of Paffgen kolsch, the Koln strain seemed cleaner, more like Fruh.

At 4 weeks post kegging, the beers were much harder to differentiate, there was still a clarity difference but it was less obvious, and I failed as many triangle tests as I passed. My wife failed 4 out of 4 triangle tests at both 2 and 4 weeks.  (Interestingly, both kids picked it on aroma alone)

The second usage of the Koln strain was to try to make use of its purported biotransformation skills.  I brewed a NEIPA with a recipe I had used several times in the past with different yeast strains.  I used the somewhat unoriginal but delicious citra/mosaic/galaxy combo.



It came out really well, deep saturated citrus hop character, possibly the best one I’ve made so far.  Its now been in the keg for 2 weeks and is still hazy and very enjoyable.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks. That’s encouraging.

[BrewBama]

I agree. Good comparison.


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[tommymorris]

I have now brewed two beers with this yeast. The first was a Kolsch with 97% Pilsner malt, 3% Wheat malt. 27 IBU at 60 minutes. This beer was kegged 5.5 weeks ago. It took about 4.5 weeks to clear. It is is definitely a Kolsch with fruity flavors dominant. The flavors are a mix of white wine and bubble gum. Aroma is mostly white wine. The beer is well carbonated but doesn’t have much head.

The Kolsch.


I brewed a hoppy amber ale after this one. That beer is excellent. I used the slurry from the Kolsch for the amber. That beer cleared faster than the Kolsch and is almost gone. The yeast does seem to add some fruity flavors but they go well with the other flavors.

Overall, I think this a good dry yeast alternative for a Kolsch.