DnC Kolsch All Grain 5.25g 1.045 og 1.010 fg 4.6% ABV 3.7 SRM 22.3 IBU 75% Efficiency 7.5 lbs. Best Malz Pilsner Malt 1 lb. Weyermann Munich Malt 1 oz. Tettnang [5.2%] @ 60 mins - 20.2 IBUs 1 oz Saphir [3.4%] @ 5 mins. - 2.1 IBUs Wyeast 1007 German Ale Yeast (use a 1 liter, decanted starter) I cut my water with 50% distilled and add back a bit of Gypsum and Calcium Chloride to achieve a water profile of Ca: 95, Mg: 20, Na: 4, Cl: 69, SO4: 73 (according to Bru'n Water) Single infusion, 150°F for 75 minutes. Boil for 90 mins, chill wort to 55°F, rack to primary fermentor, oxygenate, let tempt rise to 58°F and ferment for 2 weeks at 58°. Cold crash in primary to 32°F over a couple day period and lager for 3 weeks (no secondary required). I then rack to a purged keg and continue lagering/drinking. I've had good success using other kolsch yeast strains as well, such as WLP029, Wyeast 2565. The medals listed below were fermented with German Ale 1007 though, and to be honest, 1007 is my favorite strain to use. I brew this every couple months, it's petty much in constant rotation in my kegerator. The wife loves it, as do most people that I offer it to, including BMC drinkers. Gold Medal in Schooner Homebrew Comp 2011 Gold Medal in BABBLE Brew-Off 2012
I have not personally fermented over 60°F, although other people have, and report good success. I don't believe you really want to go much over 65°F, though. The recommended temp range for the 1007, for instance, is 55-68°F.
Thanks. I do have a keezer to control temperature, but I usually have other beers lagering in it. It's a little difficult to find a place in the house that's at 58F, but I do have somewhere where I can keep it at about 65F plus or minus.
Changed this one up a bit...for the better IMO. I switched to Dingeman's Pilsner, I've started substituting the German Pilsner for Dingemans, as I think it is a little more characterful, and more reliable, I find it has a very nice saltine cracker flavor and gives a beer a really nice "beery" flavor for lack of a better term. I also decided to try Vienna malt rather than Munich, and then a hopped it closer to a Pivo Pils Clone recipe that I brew often. I used the same hops but a slightly less hopping rate than the Pivo clone. Personally I think this is the best kolsch I've brewed yet. Very well balanced, with just enough hop character but without overwhelming the pilsner flavor, but still makes it interesting. The Vienna definitely reduces the SRM, giving the beer a very pale yellow/gold color. I think when I brew my kolsch from now on, this is the recipe I'll be using. 8 lbs. Dingeman's Pilsner Malt 8 oz Best Malz Vienna Malt .75 oz. Spalt Select [4.6%] @ 60 mins - 13.7 IBUs .5 oz Saphir [3.4%] @ 10 mins. - 2.4 IBUs .5 oz Saphir [3.4%] @ Flameout - 2.6 IBUs .25 oz Spalt Select [4.6%] @ Flameout - 1.8 IBUs Wyeast 1007 German Ale Yeast
What do you mean by this? Do you reduce the temperature gradually and periodically by a certain amount over a couple of days? Or do you mean you put the carboy in a chamber at 32F and it takes a couple of days to drop to 32F?
Sorry for the confusion. My ferm chamber is an old chest freezer with a temp controller attached, so I ferment in the freezer, then after a couple weeks I drop the temp a couple degrees per day till it is at 32°F. Since I only ferment it for 2 weeks, I think it helps the yeast finish cleaning up, if needed, rather then shock them and have them flocc out right away if I were to drop to 32° over a couple hours.
I'm glad I asked! Although others are likely to disagree, I personally agree that it's much better for the yeast when the temp is dropped a couple of degrees per day until lagering temperature is achieved, rather than "cold-crashing" it (although this alone might make an interesting discussion on the Homebrew thread). I always do just that with all my lagers/pilsners.
Hey @Soneast , thanks for posting this recipe. Just wondering why you rack to a purged keg after the 3 week lagering period. Do you siphon from the top or do you have a cut diptube in order to leave any junk left behind after you transfer into the serving keg? Thanks again!
I use a SS Brewtech Brew Bucket, which has a racking arm that allows me to leave behind most of the trub in the cone. After three weeks at lager temps, the trub is pretty compact, I get very little gunk into the serving keg.
