Maggie Kolsch - Friday, July 19, 2024
Conical. I thought about using Mr. Robobrew along with this, but no need to do that now.
I have made a decision to make Kolsch beers for the immediate future. May change and
brew something else, but for now at least I can keep this yeast going for at least 4 brews.
After that? Undecided. No UK beers though. I checked my history and it is not good.
I tossed a lot of them out. This is a simple recipe so why change?
CHANGE OF PLANS
Well, since my Helles is questionable, I had to get this going now. Made a starter
earlier just to keep the yeast viable. Now I had to punch it up now just to be able
to brew a Kolsch now. Hate being rushed. At least it will be almost done by the
time we get back from glamping. Better be worth it.
Ingredients
22 lbs. Pils Malt or Rahr 2 row * NOT SURE WHICH ONE * MP moved them.
1 lb. Munich I
18 g Magnum at 60 min. ( didn't want to open a new sachet )
85 g Hallertau at 60 min.
Escarpment Labs Kolsch
My starter quit early. Maybe because it was very warm when I made it, or it is dead
because of when it got hot in our mailbox. I will take a gravity reading before I
put it in the fridge. If still high, it is dead. There was foam, not much but it was there.
No bubbles though. If it is dead, I will order from Chris and get them to deliver it to
Bobcaygeon Brewery so it won't sit in a hot mailbox. It is fine. He delivers to the
brewery every Tuesday. Good to know.
Mash - 10 gallons
Sparge - 10 gallons
Mash and Boil salts
Gyp - 2.9 g
CI - 2.0 g
Eps - 2.6 g
Lactic Acid in Mash - 5.5 ml
Lactic Acid in Sparge - .4 ml
O.G. - 1.044 ( down 2 points )
F.G. -
% -
BU - 20
SRM - 3.4
PH - 5.30
BREW DAY NOTES
I had a boil over. Happens every time you look away.
At least I was cooling the wort by 8:10 am. I think I lost more than I
thought. About 3 inches or so. Fine, I always have some left over in the Conical. The
level in the Conical was pretty well where it usually is even after the boil over. Took
longer to cool down than usual. I guess my ground water isn't as cold as I thought.
When I kegged it I did have enough to fill both kegs even with the boil over. Watching
it always is the best thing to do.
FERMENTATION NOTES
Next Morning - Aerate and pitch the yeast. I had to take the Conical lid off to
pitch the yeast. It is the best thing to do.
FROM BAD TO WORSE
I ran out of oxygen and drove into HD to get another tank. It would not fit my
regulator. I had a lot of trouble getting it to screw on. Taking it back. Every
time I want to do something, it goes horribly wrong. It did work for a min
or 2, but nothing after that. I put the lid on and am now looking to buy another
regulator. OBK doesn't even sell it. Amazon does. $56. Will buy one next time
I dare to even brew something.
If my Helles still has diacetyl by the end of July, I can keg this around Aug. 5th.
I will have to filter it though for the Aug. 9th weekend. I can do that if I have
the time. Going to the 100 Acre brewery on Aug. 7th so that day is tied up.
AFTER THE JAYS GAME - JULY 20
Day 1 - Activity going on. Kind of surprised by that.
Day 2 - Still going good. 62F. I think I will leave it there. I set the controller for 15.5C.
Now I can just set it and forget it. Way better than bloody lagers.
Day 3 - Same. Picked up the pace a bit.
Day 10 - Just got back from camping. Still going but slow. Turned up to 17C to finish.
AUGUST 1ST
Seems to be done but I am letting it finish for a few days. It is done. No activity that I
saw on Aug. 2. Not sure when to keg it. Nope, just checked it on Aug. 7 and saw
bubbling. May as well wait until after the Rib Fest Weekend.
Finally kegging this on Tuesday, August 13. This is day 24. Never let a Kolsch go
that long as of yet. Who knows, it may of done some good.
TASTE ON KEGGING DAY
Taste is fine. Hope it stays that way. Low on the bitterness. Aroma seems fine. I
will up the Magnum hops to around 25. I have around 3 tries to get it where I
want it. I have to do a Conical brew just because it is summer and I always
brew out in the garage in the summer.
TASTE AFTER CARBING
I have been getting off flavours after carbing up. I know C02 is acidic and changes
beer but supposedly in a good way. I may tear out the gas lines, ( all of them ) and
install all new ones. They have been down there for a long time. May have picked
up something along the way. I will need around 20 feet or so.
I am tasting like a green beer. No previous off flavours, just not ready to drink yet.
We are having Krista and Graham on Sept. 6 for dinner and that gives me this
around 2 weeks to age. Not a lot, but as usual it will have to do. I plan on brewing
lots of beer and will definitely age it well. Not taking any to Bells Corners either.
TASTE ON AUGUST 27
The odd taste is almost gone now. Of course this style will be aged way longer than
now since I plan on making it until I can't make it in the garage. I can make it now
but I don't really need to at the moment. Maybe tomorrow. Elsie is going away so
that may be a good time to make it. Today is too late, but tomorrow is fine. Maybe...
FINAL TASTINGS
Today is October 1st. Sampled which I thought was kicked, but still some left.
Actually the best Kolsch I have ever made. Clear, carbed and absolutely no off
flavours. This kind of shocked me. I do have 2 kegs which are almost cleared
from Aug. 31. So, this will stop me from brewing a lager which I was thinking on.
Now, I can brew a Kolsch for next July when we will have company. Until then,
UK beers for the fall, winter and spring.
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