Bierkeller Columbia’s Kellerbier clone

Bierkeller Columbia’s Kellerbier clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.054  FG = 1.013
IBU = 24  SRM = 6  ABV = 5.4%

As a lover of kellerbier from my decade of living in Bamberg, Germany, when it came time to create the flagship beer at Bierkeller Columbia (Columbia, South Carolina), I modeled it after my favorite: Mahrs Ungespundet. It is an unfiltered Franconian lager with a bready malt character that is balanced by soft carbonation and clean Perle hops.

Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Weyermann Munich II malt
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann acidulated malt 
5.6 AAU German Perle hops (60 min.) (0.9 oz./25 g at 6.2% alpha acids)
2.1 AAU German Perle hops (15 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 6.2% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrients (10 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
1⁄2 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step
Mash in with 4.2 gallons (16 L) of strike water at 144 °F (62 °C) for 40 minutes. Target a mash pH between 5.2 and 5.6. Raise to 154 °F (68 °C) for 20 minutes. Raise mash temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C), then recirculate and sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water. Transfer to your brew kettle slowly, collecting 6.5 gallons (24.6 L).

Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops and yeast nutrient at times indicated. At the end of the boil conduct a whirlpool for 15 minutes, then cool to 48 °F (9 °C) and transfer to your fermenter. Pitch rate is 2 million cells/°Plato/mL (about 500 billion cells). Aerate wort well if using a liquid yeast strain.

Let temperature free rise to 56–58 °F (13–14 °C) over the first seven days and hold there for three days or until active fermentation has ceased. Over the course of several days, drop temperature to 32 °F (0 °C) and hold for one week. Keg and force carbonate or add priming sugar and bottle condition. 

Bierkeller Columbia’s Kellerbier clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.054  FG = 1.013
IBU = 24  SRM = 6  ABV = 5.4%

Ingredients
4.5 lbs. (2 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich dried malt extract
1 tsp. lactic acid, 88% 
5.6 AAU German Perle hops (60 min.) (0.9 oz./25 g at 6.2% alpha acids)
2.1 AAU German Perle hops (15 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 6.2% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrients (10 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
1⁄2 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step
Starting with 5 gallons (19 L) of water in your brew kettle, heat to 180 °F (82 °C) then turn off the heat. Stir in the dried malt extract. Once completely dissolved, turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. 

Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops and yeast nutrient at times indicated. At the end of the boil conduct a whirlpool for 15 minutes, then cool to 48 °F (9 °C) and transfer to your fermenter. Top up fermenter to 5.25 gallons (20 L). Pitch yeast at a rate of 2 million cells/°Plato/mL (about 500 billion cells). Aerate the wort well if using a liquid yeast strain.

Follow the remainder of the all-grain instructions.