Kolsch - Protein Rest or Not ?

[majorvices]

@pjj2ba

I do a protein rest for my Kolsch, Alt, and all of my lagers (all have a fair bit of pilsner malt).  I find I get a bit more body than if I don’t, which is my main reason for doing it.  Sometime this winter I’ll do back to back German lager brews (exact same ingredient list) with and without a p-rest to really help me decide.

Funny, because, at least theoretically, you should be getting less body and less head retention since you are breaking down the protein even further. Really, with todays 2 row pils malts p-rests could be doing more harm than good.

[k4df4l]

@majorvices

@ndcube

I brewed it yesterday.  Mashed at 152F (150F after an hour, 0deg out). The wort was clear going into the fermentor (not sure if that means much.

Probably means you nailed you pH and had a good hot break which will most likely give you a very clear bveer. One thing I think I should mention though, kolsch yeasts are notoriously hard to drop and are very low flocculators, kind of a “dusty” strain. The White Labs strain clears a lot faster than the Wyeast strain - however often times both are fairly hazy, which is why the style is traditionally filtered in Germany. I use gelatin and a secondary bright tank to get my kolsch clear.

I’ll second that observation on the White Labs vs Wyeast strains.  WLP029 has been significantly more flocculant in my brewing than 2565.  After a couple weeks of lagering though, both are plenty clear for me.

[karlh]

I have never used a protein rest for kolsch.  My recipie uses  5% wheat malt.  I have never had clarity issues.

[beertracker]

Fix says, “YES”… so that’s good enough for me. 

[majorvices]

Hate to say this, but his book is based on slightly outdated brewing principals… most of the current information I have read (including that coming from professional brewers) says no p-rest needed, and that a p-rest on highly modified malts can cause more harm than good. Even Noonan suggests on in his book … but again, those were written a while ago and have not been updated.

In the end, try it yourself. I started out using it. Read it wasn’t necessary (I believe actually it was Denny who pointed it out) tried skipping it and haven’t gone back since. YMMV … but I doubt it. 

[denny]

@beertracker

Fix says, “YES”… so that’s good enough for me. 

Fix would also have you make an Ofest with pale malt and large amounts of crystal, too.  The fact is that things have changed a lot since his great books were written.  It’s too bad we don’t have his insights today with all the great new ingredients and techniques that are around.

[beertracker]

@denny

… It’s too bad we don’t have his insights today with all the great new ingredients and techniques that are around.

You said a mouthful there! It certainly would’ve been interesting to see how he’d of weighed in on ‘modernization vs. tradition’ because that’s really what we’re talking about here. 

[majorvices]

It was only “tradition” because at one point in time it was needed. With today’s 2-row pilsner malts it is not needed any longer.  ;)

[beertracker]

@majorvices

It was only “tradition” because at one point in time it was needed. With today’s 2-row pilsner malts it is not needed any longer.  ;)

I’ll agree to disagree with you on that point major, as my reason for still utilizing a step is just as valid as yours for not. I’m just sayin’!  :)

[majorvices]

What? You mean you don’t want to debate this for another 6 pages?  ???

;D

[bret]

c’mon guys I need an answer here.  Making a Kolsch with Organic Gambrinus pilsner malt. Wondering if I need a rest or not.  Anybody ever use this malt?

[majorvices]

I’ve never used the malt before but I highly doubt it needs a protein rest. Very, very few malts available to homebrewers need protein rests. Perhaps if it is 6 row it would need it - but if it is 2 row you should be fine with a single infusion.