I love that idea, Keith. I may steal it next summer - hard to imagine a better hot weather beer.
A local brewery here brews a Pils with hull melon. I could pound pint after pint on a hot day.
Well thanks all. I am picking up grains today. I have not decided to just leave it alone or go 100% pils. I will probably just make up my mind at the shop. One pureed cantaloupe once fermentation has slowed.
Jon and/or majorvices, what mash temp do you use for your kölsch? Assuming pretty low for that crisp dry finish? Not brewing this anytime soon, but will likely be on the schedule for next spring
This time I went 150F/75 mins. I think it ended up at 1.009ish (with 2565) . Was crisp,dry, and tasty.
Edit - I’ve step mashed it before, but I like this temp/time for kolsch. Quick and easy.
150 for about 60 minutes. The key to making it crisp is to make sure you pitch plenty of yeast and start out cool. 58 for the first 72 hours seems to work well, then bump up 2 degrees per day afterward.
Thanks guys, sounds like what I thought. Will put it to use next spring
Pretty much the same fermentation schedule for me. I held 58 for 2 days, then bumped up a couple dF/day.
I’d love a Kolsch about now. I always did Pils with 8% Vienna. Bitter with Perl and Crystal at FO. I really like the yeast from Giga. Really hard to beat a Kolsch IMO.
At Last week’s Vancouver Beer Fest I had a kolsch with key lime that was very good.
Went with 100% Schill Pilsner and imperial g03 dieter which is supposed to be the same as wlp029. I was preferring 2565 but now I find myself liking 029 better. Will be using a portion of the yeast cake for an imperial kolsch which I assume will come off similar to a Helles bock.
My last Kolsch was WLP029 with some Galaxy hops at flameout. Added a nice subtle twist without dominating.
I’ve bounced around between both and preferred the WLP029 for most of that time as well. It seemed to have more of that “white wine” characteristic. I use WYEAST though almost exclusively for my yeast now though so haven’t used that strain in a couple years.
A local brewery here in Denver changed their yeast to inland island 571. Completely changed the whole beer IMO. I would not recommend this yeast if you’re looking. Came out closer to a hefe with that banana/Clove character. Brewer said he might switch back to 2565.
Banana and clove have zero business being in a kolsch.
That’s why I felt obligated to speak up. I actually believed they served me the wrong beer.
Is is a good brewery? I live in Denver and it seems that about half of the opening breweries are making solid beer. Just my opinion and maybe it has something to do with the particular breweries that I actually visit. I know of one brewery in particular that brews a horrible kolsch. These days; if you build it, they will come. Quality is secondary…
I think so. not all the beer is great but not all breweries can be broken compass either. I’ll just say it’s by sloans lake. It was the first kölsch I’ve ever had and it got me hooked.
I agree on quality, that’s why I stay away from colfax breweries besides fiction
Funny. Pretty sure that’s the kolsch I am thinking of. Not sure it has anything to do with their yeast…
They changed the yeast a few batches back to inland island. Brewer said he might go back to 2565. That’s the brewery next to C2 ciders?