Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Kölsch update
I bottled the Kölsch after 15 days. I fermented in the low 70's for 3 days, then I moved it to the garage where the fermentation temperatures were upper 50's to mid 60's. Who'd have thunk that we'd have consistent 80º days in March?! I was worried about getting too much Ester character from the higher fermentation temps, so I bottled. Fermentation had slowed to a crawl. I took a final gravity (FG) reading of 1.007 adjusted. With an OG of 1.052 and a FG of 1.007, I calculate a 5.9% ABV. (OG-FG)*133. I sampled during bottling, as any good homebrewer would. Delicious!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Homebrewed Honey Kölsch.
I decided to brew a five gallon batch this time in hopes that I will have a good session ale for just in time for spring. This is my first attempt at a Kölsch. I am planning to ferment in my fermentation closet for two weeks at 165 or so ( I have no temperature controller ). Then, I am moving the carboy to my garage for cold fermenting. Hopefully, the temperature will stay near the low 50s. I will insulate the carboy to help cut down on temperature fluctuations.
I modified a recipe from Northern Brewer is:
Grain Bill - fermentables:
7# Rahr 6-Row Malt
1# Rahr White Wheat Malt
1# Gambrinus Honey Malt
1# Costco Clover Honey
Hops schedule:
60 minutes 1oz. Vanguard Hop Pellets.
Yeast:
Safale US-05 Ale Yeast ( dry )
I pitched a single packet of yeast with no starter.
My projected OG was 1.052 and measure OG was 1.053 ( I used a bit more honey )
My brew day was Sunday, March Fourth. I started heating my strike water at 9 am. I calculated a temp of 165º F for 1.5 qt. / 1b. mash ratio to achieve a 153º F mash temperature. After adding my grains the temperature came out dead on. I immediately began heating my Mash Out/ Sparge water to 168º F. I left the grains in the mash tun for 60 minutes. I batch sparged until I had a 6 gallon boil volume. I split the wort into a 2 gallon and a 3 gallon boil and simultaneously boiled them. I split the hops 60/40 and added as soon as the wort reached a rolling boil. I cooled the wort to 75º F and pitched my single packet of Safale US-05 Ale Yeast.
I modified a recipe from Northern Brewer is:
Grain Bill - fermentables:
7# Rahr 6-Row Malt
1# Rahr White Wheat Malt
1# Gambrinus Honey Malt
1# Costco Clover Honey
Hops schedule:
60 minutes 1oz. Vanguard Hop Pellets.
Yeast:
Safale US-05 Ale Yeast ( dry )
I pitched a single packet of yeast with no starter.
My projected OG was 1.052 and measure OG was 1.053 ( I used a bit more honey )
My brew day was Sunday, March Fourth. I started heating my strike water at 9 am. I calculated a temp of 165º F for 1.5 qt. / 1b. mash ratio to achieve a 153º F mash temperature. After adding my grains the temperature came out dead on. I immediately began heating my Mash Out/ Sparge water to 168º F. I left the grains in the mash tun for 60 minutes. I batch sparged until I had a 6 gallon boil volume. I split the wort into a 2 gallon and a 3 gallon boil and simultaneously boiled them. I split the hops 60/40 and added as soon as the wort reached a rolling boil. I cooled the wort to 75º F and pitched my single packet of Safale US-05 Ale Yeast.
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