Kölsch is warm-fermented and aged at cold
temperatures (German ale or alt-style beer). Kölsch is
characterized by a golden to straw color and is slightly dry and
sometimes, but not always, subtly sweet. A light fruitiness may
be apparent, but is not necessary for this style. Caramel
character should not be evident. The body is light to
medium-light. This beer has low hop flavor and aroma with medium
bitterness. Wheat can be used in brewing this beer that is
fermented using ale yeast, though lager yeast is sometimes used
in the bottle or final cold conditioning process. Fruity esters
should be minimally perceived, if at all. Chill haze should be
absent.
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1/2 pound Munich malt
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1/2 pound 20ºL German crystal malt
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6 pounds extra light DME
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2 ounces Tettnanger hops
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1 teaspoon Irish moss
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Wyeast 1007 German ale yeast
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3/4 cup corn sugar
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Place the crushed specialty grains in a
nylon hop bag and steep them in 1 gallon of preheated 150º
water for 30 minutes.
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Drain and discard the spent grains.
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Bring at least 3 gallons of liquor to a
boil, remove the brew kettle from the heat source then stir
in the extract and the hops.
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Return the brew kettle to the heat source
and boil for 45 minutes, then add the Irish moss.
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Boil for an additional 15 minutes, then
remove the brew kettle from the heat source, cover it and
drop the temperature of the wort as quickly as possible to
77º F.
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Once the wort has cooled to below 77º F,
take an original gravity reading, pour the wort into a
primary fermenter through a funnel with a strainer and add
enough cool water to create 5 gallons.
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Once the wort has been transferred to the
primary fermenter, pitch the yeast, stir the wort
vigorously, seal the fermenter with an airlock and ferment
at approximately 68-72º F for 2 weeks.
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Rack the beer to a secondary fermenter and
allow the beer to finish fermentation.
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Once fermentation is complete, rack the beer
to a bottling bucket, prime with the corn sugar and bottle
and condition as usual.
