This recipe was designed to be a traditional Kôlsch that lends itself to the addition of fruit, or enjoyed as-is. If using packaged yeast, remember to activate your yeast 3 hours prior to pitching. Cheers!
Batch Size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
• OG (Original Gravity): 1.045 - 1.050<br />
• FG (Final Gravity): 1.008 - 1.012<br />
• ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 4.5% - 5%<br />
• IBUs (Bitterness): 19 - 24<br />
• SRM (Color): 3 - 5 (Pale Straw to Light Gold)<br />
Brewing:
1. Mash: Heat 3.5 gallons (about 13.2 liters) of water to 152°F (67°C). Mash the grains at this <br />
temperature for 60 minutes. This moderate temperature will help produce a fermentable wort that retains a light malt character.
2. Sparge: Sparge with 4.5 gallons (about 17 liters) of water at 170°F (77°C). Collect about 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort to account for boil-off.<br />
3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil and add hops and whirlfloc according to the schedule. Boil for 60 minutes.<br />
4. Chill: After the boil, quickly chill the wort to about 65°F (18°C), which is within the ideal fermentation range for Kölsch yeast.<br />
5. Ferment: Transfer the wort to a sanitized fermenter. Pitch the Kölsch yeast once the wort is at the fermentation temperature. Ferment at 65°F (18°C) for about 7-10 days, or until fermentation activity appears to have stopped.<br />
6. Cold Crash: If possible, cold crash to clarify the beer before adding fruit.<br />
Fruit Addition (Optional):
• Choose a fruit that complements the Kölsch’s clean profile. Raspberry, cucumber, peach, or apricot work well.<br />
• Preparation: For fresh fruit, use about 1 lbs per gallon (0.45 kg per 4 liters). Freeze and thaw the fruit to break down cell walls and sanitize with a Campden tablet or by pasteurizing.<br />
• Addition: Bag and add the prepared fruit to the fermenter after primary fermentation has completed and allow an additional fermentation phase to incorporate the fruit flavors. This usually takes an additional 5 days.<br />
• Bottling: Proceed with bottling or kegging as usual, being mindful of the additional sugars from the fruit that may affect carbonation.
