kolsch made from extract?

Q1-Do you have temp controlled fermentation?
Q2-Do you have access to Wy2565?
Q3-Can you oxygenate your wort?

 

A typical Kolsch grain bill doesn't include any specialty grains.

 

Yes, it will taste super generic without grains. You MUST do a partial mash IMO. But, that's not a big deal! Follow approximately the recipe and instructions in the following link, except don't add rice or other simple sugars, bump up the pilsner malt instead, and use Wyeast 2565 for 5 weeks, then add gelatin to get rid of the yeast (otherwise it might never settle out on its own).

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=114017&p=1005496&hilit=+bud+light#p1005496

 

WLP029 is a fine yeast, but doesn't turn out tasting as awesome as the 2565. It works just fine though. It's very clean (and kind of bland IMHO).

 

Kolsch is a delicate style to nail. But anything off the mark, as long as it's close, will still make a fine beer. An award winning recipe can make horrible beer if not executed, at least adequately. WLP029 will make a fine kolsch. And I think a touch of Munich can give an otherwise all pils extract some malty bready complexity.

 

Kolsch can be made with nothing other than pilsner or pale ale malt. A little Munich is also common, but it sounds like you plan to mini-mash some munich, so you're covered there. So no, it shouldn't taste "generic," if by that you mean flavorless. Fresh is a different question...make sure you're using fresh extract.

 

What do you mean by generic?

 

Not my own choice of words, I was just parroting the OP. But true nonetheless. If you want an extract beer to taste great, it will taste great if you add some grains. Otherwise you run the risk of your extract beer tasting like.... every other extract beer.... a.k.a., "the twang".

 

Just BIAB for the partial mash portion. Any amount of grains will do. It's just a glorified steep. You can use software to calculate how much grains to add to your extract or vice versa. Assume 70% efficiency your first time if you haven't done much mashing in the past, that's fairly typical.

 

Not every extract beer has a twang off flavor. With fresh extract, IMO the only disadvantages to using it are the inability to control attenuability (sugar/dextrin profile), the inability to control mineral profiles, and the lack of available extracts for certain grain types (thus forcing at least a partial mash if you want those grains). For me personally, those reasons are enough to always do All Grain.

For those beers that do have off-flavors from stale extract, the wort from a partial mash isn't going to eliminate them...it could hide them partially, but if the extract is old, I wouldn't use it at all.

 

@DVoors, a Kolsch can ‘technically’ be brewed using extract but it will taste differently from a Kolsch as brewed in Cologne, Germany. For example Briess makes a Pilsner malt extract (both LME and DME) but that malt extract is very neutral as compared to German Pilsner Malt. I suspect that you could indeed make a tasty beer using Briess Pilsner Malt Extract but it would not be exactly the same as an all grain beer using German Pilsner Malt.

Cheers!

 

I concur that I think Briess Pilsner Malt Extract would not make a good Kolsch. It can make good beer, but not a Kolsch. I don't think the issue is extract per se but that the Briess Pilsner malt that is used to make the extract is not a good match for a German pilsner malt. My own all grain experiences with Briess Pils support my opinion that it is a mediocre substitute for continental pils malt. I have never used Williams Brewing's extracts, but they sound interesting to me, and there is a German Pilsner extract made from Moravian Pils malt. I might give it a try if I were brewing an extract Kolsch.

 

Peter, I am extremely familiar with the German Pils malt extract from Williams Brewing. The best that I can say is that it is a 'step in the right direction' but it will not reproduce the same character that you obtain from brewing all grain with German Pilsner Malt. I would not discourage you or @DVoors from using Williams German Pils malt extract but it really is not the same.

It really comes down to your expectations on what it is you are trying to achieve.

Cheers!

Jack

 

I recommend a 75-25 split between Pils and Munich extract. It may not win any metals but will be a tasty beer. Have fun!

 

Not sure why people are suggesting using Munich malt/extract. I know of no Koelsch brewed with Munich malt.