American Kolsch

I love beer. I think it helps to love beer to be a homebrewer. I don’t understand people who don’t love beer. Unfortunately my wife is one of those people. The only beer (and I use that term loosely) that she drinks is Corona, or more accurately, Corona Light. Well, I’m not putting rice or corn in my beer, so I’m certainly not trying to make a Corona clone, but I was looking for something accessible to her.

On the day of the big unveiling, she took one sip and remarked “it tastes like beer, I don’t like it”. Well no sh*t, of course it tastes like beer, it is freaking beer. Needless to say, it’s the last time I’ll brew to please her, because I don’t really like it either, although it’s refreshing after mowing the lawn (now I know what a Lawnmower beer is). The other neighbor ladies love this beer, even those who actually appreciate beer (yes, I have a couple of those, believe it or not).

Brew Date: 4/24/2010
Beer Number: B10
Beer Name: American Kolsch
Type: Kolsch-style
Primary Fermenter: 6 gal. glass carboy (15 days)
Secondary Fermenter: 5 gal. glass carboy (20 days)
Volume: @5 gal. wort
OG: 1.043
FG: 1.004 (target 1.009)
Expected IBU: 22
Expected SRM: 4
Expected Alcohol %: 4.4%

Ingredients:
6.5 lbs. American 2-row malt
1 lb. white wheat
1 lbs. Weyerman light Munich (@6-8L)
.75 oz. Hallertau pellet hops (3.8%AA) FWH
.75 oz. Hallertau pellet hops (3.8%AA) 60 min.
.75 oz. Hallertau pellet hops (3.8%AA) 30 min.
1 vial WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch yeast (removed from fridge @6 hrs. before pitching)

You’ll notice that I used 2-row, where Kolsch typically uses German Pilsner malt. I had 2-row available, so that’s what I used. It took about 2 ½ days for fermentation signs to show up. I have come to realize that this German Ale yeast is a very slow starter, but it sure does make a clean lager-like beer. I fermented @60F and then lagered in the mid-30s for 2 ½ weeks.