Just about a year ago I did a write up on my new favorite Kolsch yeast, Wyeast 2565.
The beer I brewed at that time, May The Kolsch Be With You, was my second iteration of a Kolsch homebrew recipe. That beer was delicious! Probably one of the better beers that I brewed, but it still wasn’t quite where I wanted it to be.
Not one to be content, I decided to tweak things ever so slightly to get it just right. The result is now my go to Kolsch recipe.
May The Kolsch Be With You
I wanted to share this recipe because I think it’s so damn good. If you’re looking for a homebrew Kolsch recipe, give this one a shot. You won’t be disappointed.
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2 gal | 60 min | 26.5 IBUs | 2.8710639 | 1.047 | 1.009 | 5.1 % |
| Actuals | 1.05 | 1.007 | 5.7 % | |||
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Pilsner Malt (Avangard) | 6 lbs | 96 |
| Wheat - White Malt (Briess) | 4 oz | 4 |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Form | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tettnang | 1.5 oz | 60 min | First Wort | Pellet | 2.7 |
| Tettnang | 0.5 oz | 15 min | Boil | Pellet | 2.7 |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolsch Yeast (2565) | Wyeast Labs | 75% | 56°F - 64°F |
Notes
Water Profile Ca 52 | Mg 5 | Na 0 | So4 53 | Cl 68 |
This is a very simplistic homebrew recipe. Pilsner and Wheat malt make up the grain bill. Tettnang is the sole hop, and of course you’ll want to use a Kolsch yeast.
I like my Kolsch was some mild fruity esters, so I use Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast.
Fermentation
In my opinion, the key to brewing the perfect Kolsch is using the proper yeast and the right fermentation temperature.
I fermented this batch at 60 degrees Fahrenheit in my fermentation chamber for 5 days before slowly ramping up the temperature. Once it hit 65 degrees Fahrenheit, on day 7, I let it sit for another 3 days before kegging.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
Unfortunately with this batch I wasn’t able to cold crash before kegging. Kind of lost my fermentation chamber to something called Covid-19 before I was able to finish up this beer.
As you can see by the picture, it cleared up rather nicely after a few weeks.
So what was the final verdict?
A very clean and refreshing beer, that was perfectly balanced. Just the right amount of fruity esters that gave it that classic Kolsch taste.
Hope you give this Kolsch homebrew recipe a shot.
Cheers.
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