Malty Kolsch ?

[killer]

I'm keen to brew a lager style beer for the end of the summer. I had some top brewpub blonde beers in Berlin and would like something similar.
I don't want to do a proper lager brew with cold conditioning (yet) and like the idea of brewing a Kolsch and have bought some WLP029 (I have a cellar that sticks at 18°C all year round). Due to a recent serious Kolsch tasting session (and BJCP guidelines) I know that Kolsch's typically are not too malty, nor hoppy and for me are "Good Lagers". I want to have a go at a slightly maltier and noble-hoppier version - more akin to the beers I drank in Berlin.

Here is my provisional recipe.

----------------
Batch Size (L): 23.0
Total Grain (kg): 4.700
Total Hops (g): 35.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.048 (°P): 11.9
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (°P): 3.1
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 4.72 %
Bitterness (IBU): 25.7 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 75
Boil Time (Minutes): 75

Grain Bill
----------------
3.000 kg Pilsner (63.83%)
0.750 kg Munich I (15.96%)
0.750 kg Vienna (15.96%)
0.200 kg Torrified Wheat (4.26%)

Hop Bill
----------------
35.0 g Hallertau Mittlefrueh Leaf (6.3% Alpha) @ 75 Minutes (Boil) (1.5 g/L)


Single step Infusion at 66°C for 75 Minutes.
Fermented at 18°C with WLP029 - German Ale/Kolsch

Any suggestions are welcome. Also - I have conflicting water profile data for Cologne - and of course this may or may not be treated by the breweries - so if anyone has some info or ideas I'd appreciate it.

Cheers,

Cillian

[seymour]

That looks nice, I think you're good to go. Definitely maltier than a true-to-style German Kölsch, which are more commonly along the lines of 75-90% Pale, 7-15% Wheat, 3-10% Vienna or Munich. I bet if you stick to a English-style single temperature mash (as opposed to a traditional, much more efficient German multi-step or decoction mash) you'll keep the extra sweetness and body you're hoping for. You're wise to stick with German noble hops and a true Kölsch yeast strain. Those are key.

[killer]

So I brewed this last July.
It did not go well. The yeast spent 5 days in the post office and was pitched on the day of collection without a starter. It didn't ferment well and spent 3 weeks in primary then 3 weeks in secondary. After bottling the yeast went dormant and took 6 weeks to carbonate. It then tasted coarse for months. So I left it alone....

Cracked 3 bottles last week. What a difference - it's now a fantastic beer. Blind taste tested this against Pilsner Urquell and Budvar and everyone preferred this. I know time changes all but I'm very surprised to see such a change. Will definitely recover some of the yeast from one of the bottles to reuse/ reculture
Still have about 10L left !

[seymour]

That's great news, so glad to hear it. Many commercial Kölsch brewers lager their beer after primary fermentation, which is essentially what you did. Bet you're glad you didn't dump it early.

[mozza]

So I brewed this last July.
It did not go well. The yeast spent 5 days in the post office and was pitched on the day of collection without a starter. It didn't ferment well and spent 3 weeks in primary then 3 weeks in secondary. After bottling the yeast went dormant and took 6 weeks to carbonate. It then tasted coarse for months. So I left it alone....

Cracked 3 bottles last week. What a difference - it's now a fantastic beer. Blind taste tested this against Pilsner Urquell and Budvar and everyone preferred this. I know time changes all but I'm very surprised to see such a change. Will definitely recover some of the yeast from one of the bottles to reuse/ reculture
Still have about 10L left !

Judging by the time it took to carbonate you might be better off buying some new kolch yeast as it should go off like a rocket

[killer]

So I brewed this last July.
It did not go well. The yeast spent 5 days in the post office and was pitched on the day of collection without a starter. It didn't ferment well and spent 3 weeks in primary then 3 weeks in secondary. After bottling the yeast went dormant and took 6 weeks to carbonate. It then tasted coarse for months. So I left it alone....

Cracked 3 bottles last week. What a difference - it's now a fantastic beer. Blind taste tested this against Pilsner Urquell and Budvar and everyone preferred this. I know time changes all but I'm very surprised to see such a change. Will definitely recover some of the yeast from one of the bottles to reuse/ reculture
Still have about 10L left !

Judging by the time it took to carbonate you might be better off buying some new kolch yeast as it should go off like a rocket

Yes maybe, but I risk the same post office issue again !

I also realised that my 18° cellar is really a 14° cellar for long periods... And that's what I'm putting the slow carbonation down to. When I brew again I'll make up a series of starters and pitch when it's already going like a rocket.

@ Seymour - I had read that it's often lagered. That confused me a bit as Whitelabs say it pretty much shuts down below 17°- which was my observation. A minikeg I had at 13°C for 3 months (small brewfridge) didn't carbonate - it was still sweet from the sugar/ carbonation addition when I tasted it. It did carb up when left at 18°though. I know that the yeast doesn't actually "switch off" over a 1° temp change but goes into a lower gear - but at real lagering temps this must be ultra slow.

[Jocky]

That's great news, so glad to hear it. Many commercial Kölsch brewers lager their beer after primary fermentation, which is essentially what you did.

I presume you'd lager after bottling/priming and allowing it to carb for a few days?

[Matt12398]

@ Seymour - I had read that it's often lagered. That confused me a bit as Whitelabs say it pretty much shuts down below 17°- which was my observation. A minikeg I had at 13°C for 3 months (small brewfridge) didn't carbonate - it was still sweet from the sugar/ carbonation addition when I tasted it. It did carb up when left at 18°though. I know that the yeast doesn't actually "switch off" over a 1° temp change but goes into a lower gear - but at real lagering temps this must be ultra slow.

Yeah but a lager yeast will shut down at lagering temperatures as well.