Horst’s Kölsch
One of Germany’s summer session beers, Kölsch is a fairly recent development by beer-historical standards. The style has no exact birthday, but instead emerged gradually as a beer style in Cologne shortly after World War I. Frequent contributor Horst Dornbusch provides BYO readers with a recipe for this style of beer.
Kölsch, All-Grain
(5 gallons/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
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming
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, Extract
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
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 lb. (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
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming
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.
