Kolsch Kit or Extract Recipe

[PuggledPrune]

Does such a thing exist? Think a Kolsch would be great for the summer. Fancy dipping my toe in the extract world so would make sense for this to be my first attempt.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
:

 

[RobWalker]

isn't a kolsch practically a lager, brewed at ale temps, and then put into cold storage like lager is? if so, you could probably order any lager kit and use that really. the problem is to be pretty true to style, you'd need decent temperature control. otherwise you're just brewing a bland pale ale, or a lager that hasn't been lagered properly...it would be fine, maybe even good, but it's not quite true to style. it's also pretty hard to get extra pale dme at a good price. i'd think you might be better with a lager kit for it, use ale yeast, then cold store for a while...that practically is a kolsch.

alternatively you could try a wheat beer for the summer - side by side they're very close to lager, and go down an absolute treat in the warm weather! they're served very fizzy too, and easy to brew from a kit, although again, wheat dme is expensive if you want an extract recipe. :

 

[Titus A Duxass]

Correct- Kölsch is a warm top erment cold lagered brew.
They drink it out tall narrow 0,2lt glasses and I get absolutely ******ed in no time at all.

 

[PuggledPrune]

Thanks Rob, that does make sense... maybe a wheat beer is a good idea. Are the wheat beer kits decent??

Really think it's time I invested in some gear to control temps...

 

[PuggledPrune]

Correct- Kölsch is a warm top erment cold lagered brew.
They drink it out tall narrow 0,2lt glasses and I get absolutely ******ed in no time at all.

That's pretty much all I did for a week a couple of years ago from Cologne, down the Mosel valley. Absolutely loved it.

 

[pittsy]

i can't recommend a good wheat beer kit and not sure which (if any) lager kits are good , however with the right yeast you could brew a good weiss and a good kolsch ( my mrs 2nd fav ) , a weiss extract recipe is around 3kg of muntons dried wheat malt and around 200g of something like carahell or crystal grains to steep and some hallertau hops around 30g approx and yeast either wb06 dried yeast or liquid wlp380/300 ( both are good) , and the kolsch some extra light dried malt with some crystal malt around 200g again with some saaz hops (maybe 40/50g plus around 30g for dry hopping ) and kolsch liquid yeast (don't know if they make dried yeast ) have fun

 

[RobWalker]

Coopers Heritage Wheat is in our fridge outside at the moment, it's very nice.

 

[Brycey]

I also brewed the coopers wheat but i used wb-o6 yeast and added 1kg of wheat dme.

Tried some at the weekend with some freinds and everyone loved it.

I would say it' a good base to tinker around with,next time though i will have a go at an extract.

B

 

[zgoda]

I would try with some extra pale extract, brew to 1.046, 20 gms German noble hops for 10 mins from the end, bittering to about 27 IBU with any German hops, preferably noble or Perle. Then goes the fermentation with kölsch or Altbier yeast and finally lagering for 3-6 weeks.

If looking for kit, I'd choose any extra pale with no to very small content of wheat. Perhaps a lager kit? Coopers Aussie Lager seems promising.

 

[RobWalker]

zgoda, I agree - I think you could get away with an ale yeast if you're not too picky too providing the attenuation etc are in the right place. Kolsch is brewed quite technically but with little input ingredient.wise really, so it's entirely possible to brew something pretty close from a lager kit. When you're chucking them down your neck at a BBQ, the differences just melt away :lol:

 

[zgoda]

I find a kind of blonde ale moderately hopped with Centennial as better BBQ companion than overly bland Kölsch. Heck, even basic pils like Perlenbacher from Lidl has more character.

But as usual, ymmv.