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Helles and Kölsch: Germany’s Session Beers

With apologies to George Gershwin: “Summer time; and the livin’ is easy; Kölsch’s a’quaffin’; and the helles is fine.” There’s just nothing like one of those lazy, hot days, when you kick back and purvey all that you behold . . . with a crisp, clear brew of summer in your glass. That’s when life’s good…but to get there, you’ve got to brew it first…and there are no better brews to match the occasion than the delicate and sublime, super-blond, clean-tasting quaffing brews of Bavaria and the Rhineland. That is, nothing goes with summer like the bottom-fermented helles from Munich and the top-fermented Kölsch from Cologne — two beers that epitomize like no other the art of session beer-making, the haute école of “lawnmower” beers.

Though helles is a typical Bavarian lager and Kölsch a typical Rhenish ale, in many ways, these two German brews are very similar . . . except of course for the yeast. Compared to some of the more robust beers of the Belgian and British traditions, these two German blondes could not be easier to make in terms of ingredients. However, they are among the most difficult beers to brew in terms of process, because if you make a mistake you can taste it. If you under-pitch yeast or fail to aerate properly, the acetaldehyde (green apple flavor) will become noticeable immediately; if you fail to control the fermentation temperature, the butterscotch notes from too much diacetyl will quickly become overbearing; if your mash temperature is too low, the beer will lack body and head; if you overdo your hops, you may taste bitter astringency, but nothing else. However, if everything comes together just so, the reward will be heavenly!

In the world of clichés, Germans do not necessarily cut a good figure — certainly not when it comes to joie de vie. While the Italians, for instance, are considered artful and enthusiastic, the French amoureuse, the Spanish passionate, and the Russians full of somber melancholy, the Germans are often portrayed as hardworking, precise, meticulous and sincere — even dour and lacking a sense of humor. Like all stereotypes, however, this is only partly true. In fact, there are pockets of Germany where the local character is anything but German. Just visit the Rhineland and Bavaria, where beer drinking is not just a pastime, but an indispensable part of the fabric of life, natural sociability and general conviviality. There is nothing like the unhurried attitude of a Bavarian just hanging out in a beer garden on a summer afternoon. Likewise, there is nothing like the backslapping joviality and camaraderie of a Rhinelander having a few in a Kölsch pub in the old town of Cologne, just a stone’s throw from the 800-year old cathedral, which is the city’s landmark . . . and the beers these vivacious folk people drink are the most sublime in the world — a straw-blond lager and an almost equally straw-blond lagered ale.

Interestingly, both helles and Kölsch are fairly recent developments by beer-historical standards. Helles was first introduced by the style’s inventor, the Spaten Brewery of Munich on March 21, 1894, as a Bavarian competitor to the Pilsner from neighboring Bohemia. Hell or helles is German for “light,” in color, not in calories or alcohol. Helles has an ABV of 4.7 to 5.4 percent, with versions above 5 percent usually called export helles. Its hop loading is very restrained with IBU values in the low 20s and a lingering malty, rather than hop-aromatic, finish. Kölsch, by contrast, has no exact “birthday.” Instead, it emerged gradually as a beer style in Cologne, shortly after World War I. It is usually brilliantly straw-blond like the Munich helles, but just a touch more hop-accented with IBU values more in the mid- to upper 20s. While helles was traditionally always decocted and Kölsch just step-mashed, both beers are nowadays usually just
step-mashed.

A Kölsch is always served in a cylindrical 0.25-liter glass, roughly 0.525 pints) called a “Stange” (meaning “rod”or “pole”).

The parameters of the modern Kölsch style were formally codified only as recently as 1986, when some two dozen brewers from in and around Cologne got together to form the so-called Cologne Convention (“Kölner Konvention”). After that date, only members of the Convention were permitted to call their beers Kölsch. The European Union recognized the uniqueness of this beer style by granting it the status of a “Protected Geographical Indication.” This put Kölsch into same name-protected category as, for instance, Roquefort cheese, sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France, and brandy from Cognac, which is named for the French town by the  same name.

Helles and Kölsch Grain Bills

The key to making such delicate pale beers well is brewing with top quality malt. The base malt for both beers is usually quality Pilsner malt of approximately 2 °L, an extra pale Pilsner malt of only 1.5 °L, or a mix of the two. In the case of Kölsch there is also a special Kölsch malt on the market that is made by GlobalMalt. With a Lovibond rating of 3.8 to 4.8 °L, this malt is slightly darker than the Pilsner malts and is available in the United States through Brewer’s Supply Group. To give the beer some body for a firm head and plenty of lacy foam, you can also add a small portion of very pale German caramel malts to the grist, such as Carafoam® and Carahell®. This addition should not exceed about 10%. In addition, the Kölsch grist may have just a few percentages (perhaps 5%) of pale wheat malt, which is a hold-over from Kölsch’s historic roots in the late-medieval Keutebier — a barley-and-wheat ale from the lowlands of northwestern Europe — and in the Wiess ale of Cologne of the 19th century, which may have had as much as 20% pale wheat malt in the mash.

Yeast

The yeasts for these beers are generally clean-fermenting. For an optimum, crisp beer flavor, they should be kept at or near their lowest temperature tolerance, to keep ester and diacetyl production low. Modern commercial breweries of these beers do not always adhere to this rule, probably to speed up throughput in the cellar tanks, but a homebrewer ought not to abide by such bean counter considerations. The yeast of the Kölsch is a top-fermenting specialty yeast, for which there is really no substitute. Readily available Kölsch yeasts are the low-flocculant Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch I), which the producer states is a good fermentation agent at 55 to 60 °F (13 to 16 °C); as well as Wyeast 2575-PC (Kölsch II), which ferments well at 55 to 70°F (13 to 21 °C). From White Labs, there is also the medium-flocculant WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch), which has an optimum fermentation temperature of 65 to 69 °F (18 to 21 °C). For helles, any classic Bavarian lager strain is appropriate. Among these are Wyeast 2206 with a temperature range of 46 to 58 °F (8 to 14 °C) and Wyeast 2308 with a temperature range of 48 to 56 °F (9 to 13 °C). I personally also like the very clean-fermenting Wyeast 2042 (Danish Lager) for Helles. It has a temperature range of 46 to 56 °F (8 to 13 °C). From White Labs, suitable yeasts for Helles are the appropriately named WLP860 (Munich Helles) with a temperature range of 48 to 52 °F (9 to 11 °C) and WLP835 (German Lager X) with a temperature range of 50 to 54 °F (10 to 12 °C).

Hops

The hop choices for these two brews are no surprise: German and noble varieties. Subjectively, I prefer the midly critrus-like Tettnanger for the Kölsch at about 25 IBU and a mix of Hallertauer Tradition and Mittelfrüh at about 20 IBU for the more malt-dominant Helles.

Water

The natural brewing waters of both Cologne and Munich are moderately hard, which makes them theoretically not very suited for use in blonde beers . . . yet, both mighty fine Kölsch and helles brews are made from them. Depending on your local water characteristics, therefore, your brewing water could benefit from some mild acidification. Here is why: critical in the effect of hardness on beers, especially delicate ones, is not the total hardness, but what is called residual alkalinity, which is the relationship between total hardness, on the one hand, and carbonate (as well as bicarbonate) hardness, on the other. High levels of carbonate hardness tend to neutralize acids produced during mashing. This happens through chemical bonding, which causes the mash to become more alkaline, that is, the mash pH-value moves away from the optimum of roughly 5.2 to 5.4 in the direction of neutral, which is pH 7. This carbonate “buffering,” in turn, leads to less enzyme efficiency in the mash; it leaches more acrid phenols from the grain husks; and it accentuates hop bitterness. German hardness statistics are always given in “degrees German hardness” (°dH), whereas English texts usually give hardness values in “parts per million” (ppm), which stands for mg of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) per liter. The conversion formula between the two units of hardness measurement is: 1 °dH = 17.848 ppm. The relationship between the different types of hardness in brewing water is usually expressed by the following rough formula: Residual alkalinity (aka “permanent hardness”) equals carbonate hardness minus a quotient of total hardness divided by 4. The example for calculating residual alkalinity in Cologne, for instance, is: 12.4 °dH – (18.8 °dH/4) = 12.4 °dH – 4.7 °dH = 7.7 °dH. See Table 1 (above).

For a perspective on hardness magnitudes, it is generally accepted that water of 50 ppm or less of total hardness (such as Plzen’s) is extremely soft; water of 50 to 100 ppm is soft; water of 100 to 200 ppm is medium soft/hard; water of 200 to 400 ppm is moderately hard (see values for Munich and Cologne); water of 400 to 600 ppm is hard; and water of 600 ppm is extremely hard (such as Dortmund’s). Note that mineral-poor Plzen water, which is ideal for pale brews, has extremely low hardness values for all three measurements (carbonate and total hardness, as well as residual alkalinity), whereas Cologne and Munich waters, with which Kölsch and helles are made, are comparably much harder.

Harder waters tend to be more suited for highly acidic darker malts because of their buffering potential. However, when they are used for paler brews they tend to benefit from some form of acidification — a phytase rest in the old days, an addition of an acid additive nowadays, or adding some acidulated malt to the mash. To reduce the residual alkalinity of a mash by 10 °dH (or almost 180 ppm), for instance, you need about 6.25 grams of an 80% lactic-acid preparation or 247 grams of acidulated malt per 5-gallon (19-liter) batch of homebrew. As an aside, as the Table 1 shows, Dortmund water is an odd-ball, because it has an extremely high degree of total hardness but a low degree of non-carbonate hardness, which makes it still suitable for pale brews, such as Dortmund Export, without “doctoring“ it. Because Kölsch and helles are pale brews, the recipes presented here use small amounts of acidulated malt from Weyermann. Acidulated malt contains about 1% to 2% lactic acid. If your water is naturally soft, you can replace the acidulated malt with more base malt.

Tips for Extract Brewers

First, there appear to be no specialized, pre-formulated liquid malt extracts (LMEs) on the market for Kölsch and helles. Therefore, if you wish to brew these styles with extracts only, you are stuck with a compromise: Get the best Pilsner-type LME available und use the correct yeast to ferment the brew. If you are an extract-plus-grain brewer, use Pilsner LME as a base malt replacement and then steep the specialty malts from the all-grain recipes as you normally would. The Pilsner malt that I prefer for German-style beers is the Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner LME. It comes in an 8.8-lb (4-kg) canister, has between 72% and 79% fermentable extract, and has a color value of 6.2 °L to 7.3 °L (15 to 18 EBC) at OG 1.052 (13 °P). It is unhopped and made from a step-infusion-mashed mixture of Weyermann Pilsner Malt and Weyermann Carafoam®. Less authentic alternatives for this German LME are appropriate amounts of extra light dried malt extract (DME). Also, for the wheat portion in the Kölsch recipe, extract brewers can add about 0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) of wheat DME.

Kölsch

(5 gallon/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.045 FG = 1.008
IBU = 27 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.7%

Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Weyermann Extra Pale Pilsner (or similar continental Pilsner malt) (1.5 °L)
8 oz. (0.24 kg) pale wheat malt (2 °L)
6 oz. (0.17 kg) Weyermann Carafoam® (or similar dextrin malt) (2 °L)
3.7 oz. (0.1 kg) Weyermann acidulated malt
4.4 AAU Tettnanger hops (1.1 oz./31 g of 4% alpha acids) (60 min.)
4.4 AAU Tettnanger hops (1.1 oz./31 g of 4% alpha acids) (10 min.)
Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) yeast

Step by Step
Step-infusion. Mash-in at around 110 °F (43 °C). Stir thoroughly then raise temperature to 151 °F (66 °C). Rest mash for 30 minutes. Raise temperature to 158 °F (70 °C). Rest for 15 minutes. Raise temperature for mash-out to 172 °F (78 °C) to begin lauter process. Boil for 70 minutes. Add bittering hops 10 minutes into the boil. Add aroma hops 60 minutes into the boil. Remove from heat, whirlpool 30 minutes. Cool wort to recommended temperature for the yeast strain, approximately 55 to 70 °F (13 to 21°C). Primary ferment about two weeks. Rack to a secondary fermenter. Lager for about four to six weeks, allowing pressure to build up. Filter; note that an unfiltered beer is officially not considered a Kölsch, according to the Kölsch Convention. Prime or adjust CO2 to about 2.5 to 3 volumes (about 5 g/L) or bottle condition with 1 cup of corn sugar. Bottle or keg.

Kölsch

(5 gallon/19 L, extract)
OG = 1.045 FG = 1.008
IBU = 27 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.7%

Ingredients
5.7 lbs. (2.6 kg) Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner liquid malt extract (2 °L)
0.5 lbs. (0.2 kg) wheat liquid malt extract
4.4 AAU Tettnanger hops (1.1 oz/31 g of 4% alpha acids) (60 min.)
4.4 AAU Tettnanger hops (1.1 oz/31 g of 4% alpha acids) (10 min.)
Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) yeast

Step by Step
Add water to fill to kettle to 6.0 gallons (22.7 L) and bring to a boil. Stir in malt extract away from the heat to avoid scorching. Boil for 70 minutes. Add bittering hops 10 minutes into the boil. Add aroma hops 60 minutes into the boil. Remove from heat, whirlpool 30 minutes. Cool the wort to recommended temperature for the yeast strain, approximately 55 to 70 °F (13 to 21°C). Primary ferment about two weeks. Rack to a secondary fermenter. Lager for about four to six weeks, allowing pressure to build up. Filter; note that an unfiltered beer is officially not considered a Kölsch, according to the Kölsch Convention. Prime or adjust CO2 to about 2.5 to 3 volumes (about 5 g/L), or bottle condition with 1 cup of corn sugar. Bottle or keg.

Helles

(5 gallon/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.011
IBU = 20 SRM = 4 ABV = 4.8%

Ingredients
4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt (or similar continental Pilsner malt) (2 °L)
4.3 lbs. (1.9 kg) Weyermann Extra Pale Pilsner (or similar continental Pilsner malt) (1.5 °L)
4 oz. (0.11 kg) Weyermann Carahell® (10 °L)
4 oz. (0.11 kg) Weyermann Carafoam® (2 °L)
4 oz. (0.11 kg) Weyermann acidulated malt
3.9 AAU Tradition (60 min.) (0.7 oz./20 g of 5.5% alpha acids)
1.3 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh (10 min.) (0.3 oz./9 g of 4.25% alpha acids)
0.9 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh (0 min.) (0.2 oz./6 g of 4.25% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) yeast or White Labs WLP838 (Southern German Lager) yeast

Step by Step
Step-infusion (or a traditional step-decoction). Mash-in at around 122 °F (50 °C). Rest mash for 20 minutes. Raise temperature to 151 °F (66 °C). Rest mash for 30 minutes. Raise temperature to 147 °F (64 °C). Rest for 20 minutes. Raise temperature to 162 °F (72 °C). Rest for 20 minutes. Raise temperature for mash-out to 172 °F (78 °C) to begin lauter process. Add bittering hops 15 minutes into the boil. Add flavor hops 60 minutes into the boil. Remove from heat, whirlpool for 30 minutes. Add aroma hops at the beginning of whirlpool. Cool wort to recommended temperature for the yeast-strain, approximately 46 to 58 °F (8 to 14 °C). Primary ferment about 1 week. Rack. Secondary-ferment about 10 days. Reduce temperature to 34 °F (1 °C) or lower. Lager at that temperature for about three to four weeks, allowing pressure to build up. Filtration optional. Prime or adjust CO2 to about 2 to 2.75 volumes (about 4 to 5.5 g/L) or bottle condition with 1 cup of corn sugar. Bottle or keg.

Helles

(5 gallon/19 L, extract with grain)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.011
IBU = 20 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.8%

Ingredients
6.5 lbs. (3.0 kg) Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner liquid malt extract (2 °L)
4 oz. (0.11 kg) Weyermann Carahell® (10 °L)
3.9 AAU Tradition (60 min.) (0.7 oz./20 g of 5.5% alpha acids)
1.3 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh (10 min.) (0.3 oz./9 g of 4.25% alpha acids)
0.9 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh ) (0 min) (0.2 oz./6 g of 4.25% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) yeast or White Labs WLP838 (Southern German Lager) yeast

Step by Step
Place the crushed grain in a grain bag and steep in 2 gallons (7.5 L) of 156 °F (69 °C) water for 30 minutes. Rinse the grain bag with 2 quarts (1.9 L) hot water. Add water to fill to kettle to 6.0 gallons (22.7 L). Stir in malt extract off heat to avoid scorching. Add bittering hops 15 minutes into the boil. Add flavor hops 60 minutes into the boil. Remove from heat, whirlpool for 30 minutes. Add aroma hops at the beginning of whirlpool. Cool wort to recommended temperature for the yeast strain, approximately 46 to 58 °F (8 to 14 °C). Primary ferment about 1 week. Rack. Secondary ferment about 10 days. Reduce temperature to 34 °F (1 °C) or lower. Lager at that temperature for about three to four weeks, while allowing pressure to build up. Filtration optional. Prime or adjust CO2 to about 2 to 2.75 volumes (about 4 to 5.5 g/L) or bottle condition with 1 cup of corn sugar. Bottle or keg.

Issue: July-August 2013