60-62...and use the wyeast if it's available...I've used both and like the 2565 more even though I usually use White Labs for most other styles.
It's been a few years since I did kolschs, but the 3 or 4 I did, I also used wlp029 at 60 with great results. I didn't lager any of the batchs because I couldn't wait, but I did find some bottles I filled half way through the keg and it was really much better than young from the keg.
I like Wyeast 2565, I think it's both cleaner and maltier. I fermented at 58 at almost real lager temps.
I do exactly what GreenKrusty101 posted: Wyeast 2565 at 60-62°F. The aspect that I enjoy from 2565 is that it provides a very subtle winey taste that I think complements the malt flavors nicely. Cheers!
Wyeast 2565 always. I get a lot of candy off either yeast in the high 60s and low 70s. There's something about WLP that doesn't taste like a lager to me. If you can, do as Harsley has recommends.
I've used both, as well as German Ale Yeast 1007, at 56-58°F and they have all preformed great. Can't honestly say I prefer one over the other, although when I brew my saphir kolsch with 1007, it always scores better at comps for whatever reason.
I typically always use Wyeast 2565 for my Kolsch and keep fermentation temp around 60 - 65F. Word of caution that I have for this yeast is to have a blow-off tube ready as this one can get very vigorous with fermentation. I have had 2 batches completely blow off the air lock. 2565 also tends to give the "wine-like" background flavor that I taste in commercial Kolsch's when I travel to Germany.
I've got Kolsch II going as well, been sitting in secondary for two weeks. Two more weeks of "lagering" and it's time to bottle
i saw a wyeast rep comment on this and say that the flavor profile is nearly the same; however the II will flock a bit stronger (which still isnt saying much!) and the winey character in II will be slightly lower relative the I. I've brewed with both, but at different temps, so hard to compare. Either way they are fantastic strains.
