What to make with Kolsch Yeast

Beer Recipes
1

So I will have a yeast cake of WY2565 kicking around in a couple weeks, and I’m not sure what I should make next with it.  One things I’m curious about is if it would work with a bunch of American hops, specifically cascade and Columbus.  I have a pile of those that I need to use up (2lb or so), and my keg of hoppy APA is almost gone.

The obvious choices would be a cream ale or a blonde ale, but I’ll already have a pilsner and a kolsch on tap so I don’t need to fill that void.

Any thoughts on using a kolsch yeast on something totally different, maybe a baltic porter or a brown ale?

2

How about an Alt?

3

An Alt would work.  I haven’t made one of those in many years.  To possibly complicate (or simplify depending on the perspective) the issue, I have half a sack of Maris Otter that needs to get used up.  It is still crisp/crunchy, but the sack has been open for about 7 months now and the clock is ticking (it is in the original bag sealed up in a big container, so it is aging slowly).

Just “thinking out loud”, would a scottish 70/- fermented with Kolsch be like a sweet Alt?

4

I believe you could use the MO as a sub for 2 row base.

“8. Experimentation
Brew at home and you’re in charge. You can experiment in avenues that never make it to the commercial shelves…”

I’ve brewed Denny’s Milo Alt and though I have read some reviews questioning Horst D. Dornbusch’s writings, I have my eye on this one: Sticke Alt - Beer Recipe - American Homebrewers Association

5

2565 works well in an IPA. Takes forever and a day to clear, but it’s good.

6

Yeah, even crashing @ 32F, 2565 takes forever to clear. Never tried making an IPA with it.

7

I’m not averse to using gelatin to make things clear, so getting the yeast out isn’t likely an issue.

8

I’m not either, but 2565 is still stubborn after crashing and using gelatin. Really powdery strain.

9

I have done this and I agree.  Might make for a perfectly hazy east coast IPA actually.

10

I’m kinda surprised by all the variety in the recommendations.  IMO 2565 has such a distinctive taste that kolsch is about the only thing I could see using it for.

11

I too have heard that it works well for a classic IPA. I have also used it successfully in a lighter blond version of biere de garde.

12

My thoughts as well, though I did use it in a gose recently. I tried to brew an “Imperial” kolsch one time and did not care for the results.

13

Yeah, it’s pretty distinctive to me, too.

14

For clarity, I guess I’m looking for suggestions about what would be interesting to make with it.  As far as adhering to style, that doesn’t matter to me.  My main concern is problems with the kolsch yeast flavor clashing with whatever else I’m doing and making an unpleasant brew.

15

Here’s what Wyest says. I agree with their suggestion except, perhaps, the alt (depending how you handle the yeast)

American Wheat or Rye Beer
  Berliner Weisse
  Bière de Garde
  Cream Ale
  Düsseldorf Altbier
  Fruit Beer
  Kölsch
  Northern German Altbier
  Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

16

I would add blonde ale to the list (ie, US hopped blonde)

17

I personally think it works really well in a lot of American styles. Hard to go wrong if you not worried about something traditional.

18

I had a similar situation a couple of months ago. I intended to make a Kolsch with 2565 and then didn’t, but tried out the yeast in the recipe below on a whim (going for that area around West Coast Blaster).

I like the way the beer turned out and felt like it played fine with the hops. My only complaint is that even after a 6 weeks at 34F I have enough yeast in suspension that it’s not as clear and crisp as I’d like.

Fermentables
Amount  Fermentable                          PPG  °L    Bill %
5 lb    United Kingdom - Golden Promise      37   3     32.8%
5 lb    United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale    38   3.75  32.8%
2 lb    Wyermann Vienna                      36   3.4   13.1%
1 lb    American - Caramel / Crystal 40L     34   40    6.6%
1 lb    Avangard Munich                      40   10    6.6%
0.5 lb  American - Caramel / Crystal 120L    33   120   3.3%
0.5 lb  American - Victory                   34   28    3.3%
1 oz    United Kingdom - Pale Chocolate      33   207   0.4%
3 oz    United Kingdom - Coffee Malt         36   150   1.2%

15.25 lb   Total            

Hops
Amount   Variety    Type                    AA     Use   Time     IBU
21g      Magnum     Pellet                  12.4   Boil  60 min   31.12
14g      Cascade    Pellet                  6      Boil  10 min   3.64
14g      Centennial Pellet                  9      Boil  10 min   5.46
14g      Cascade    Pellet                  6      Boil  0 min   
14g      Centennial Pellet                  9      Boil  0 min   

Fermented with 2 packs of WY2565 Kolsch at 64F.
19

Yeah, that stuff takes forever to clear. I fined my kolsch this summer with gel and it took 2 weeks @ 31F to get it mostly clear. Another 2 weeks and it was crystal.

20

So I pulled the first pint of this in a week or so and it has definitely cleared up.

When I brew this again I’d like to do the same thing but maybe with Saaz hops or something a little more on the spicy side to help cut through some of the maltiness. I do like the way the Kolsch yeast plays with the MO/GP though.