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“Brewing kölsch brings many of the same challenges as with a helles or pilsner,” says Springdale cofounder Jack Hendler.
“Brewing kölsch brings many of the same challenges as with a helles or pilsner,” says Springdale cofounder Jack Hendler. “Namely, how do you create a full-flavored beer using mainly lightly colored malts while also achieving high attenuation? Creating malt intensity without body or too much residual sweetness requires excellent process control from the brewer.”
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.044
FG: 1.008
IBUs: 28
ABV: 4.8%
“Brewing kölsch brings many of the same challenges as with a helles or pilsner,” says Springdale cofounder Jack Hendler. “Namely, how do you create a full-flavored beer using mainly lightly colored malts while also achieving high attenuation? Creating malt intensity without body or too much residual sweetness requires excellent process control from the brewer.”
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.044
FG: 1.008
IBUs: 28
ABV: 4.8%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
6.5 lb (2.9 kg) German pilsner
12 oz (340 g) Vienna
12 oz (340 g) wheat malt
2.4 oz (68 g) acidulated malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.33 oz (9 g) Perle [7% AA] at 60 minutes
2.7 oz (77 g) Hersbrucker [4% AA] at 15 minutes
YEAST
Kölsch or German ale yeast, such as Fermentis SafAle K-97
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 150°F (66°C) for 30 minutes. For the single decoction: Move about 25% of the mash to a separate burner, bring it to a boil, and stir, being careful not to scorch the bottom; boil and stir for 15 minutes. Transfer the decoction back to the main mash and mix thoroughly. (If you can’t do a decoction, just mash at 150°F/66°C for 60 minutes.) Vorlauf until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get 6 gallons (23 liters) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 58°F (14°C), aerate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 60°F (16°C). At terminal gravity, lower the temperature to 50°F (10°C) for a few days. Optionally, add fresh kräusen to carbonate before lagering (see “Brewer’s Notes”). Otherwise, crash to 32°F (0°C) to lager for at least 2 weeks before packaging and force-carbonating.
BREWER’S NOTES
Kräusening after primary fermentation will provide more traditional flavors (see “Breaking the Sugar Habit with Kräusening,” beerandbrewing.com). To do this, cool the beer to 50°F (10°C). Separately, boil a wort made of 12 oz (340 g) of light dry malt extract and enough water to get a gravity of 1.044. Add lager yeast for 8–24 hours, then blend into the main fermentation. Be careful to control the pressure in this vessel to no more than 15 psi (about 1 bar). After the secondary fermentation is complete, cool to 32°F (0°C) for at least 2 weeks.
