DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and conduct a step mash: Mash in at 142°F (61°C) and rest 30 minutes; slowly ramp to 154°F (68°C) over 60 minutes, then rest 20 minutes; then raise to 168°F (76°C) and mash out. Lauter and sparge as necessary to get about 6.5 gallons (25 liters) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil 70 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. Chill the wort to 58°F (14°C), aerate well, and pitch plenty of healthy yeast. Ferment at 60°F (16°C). When fermentation is complete, chill to 29°F (-2°C) and lager for 2–3 weeks. Then package and carbonate to about 2.7 volumes.
BREWER’S NOTES
Water: For Kölsch you want a soft water profile. We add a small amount of calcium chloride twice—at mash in and when the kettle’s full. For this recipe, the equivalent would be 1 g for each addition.
Clarification: At pFriem, we centrifuge and filter Kölsch-Style Ale. You could consider adding Irish moss or Whirlfloc to the boil, or whatever methods you prefer for getting brilliantly clear beer at home.
FIRST MADE 6/6/26
Slightly increased grain bill to 8 lb Pils and 7 oz Wheat, as round numbers are easier!
Mashed in at 142 and left for 30 mins. Then raised basket and increased temp to 154 and started recirc. It got to 154 in about 10 mins, so left it there for full 60 mins, raising basket once at 45 mins. Pump stopped working at some point, so had to clean it out.
Gravity was 1050 after 60 mins at 154 and pH was 5.84, so added 2 ml lactic acid. Raised temp to 168 for mash out and sparged with 1 gallon of 168 water.
Hops were only 3.3 AA vs. target of 4.5, so IBU's were only 11.6 vs. 17 goal. Therefore added 0.25 oz of Magnum at 20 mins to bring IBU target to 17.
Added yeast nutrient and whirfloc at 15, and then Jaded after the Magnum had been there for 20 mins. Then cooled to 68, which was as low as I could get it, and moved to fermenter. Used glycol to lower temp to 63 and then pitched yeast, as smack pack was bulging!
Starting gravity was 1050, which is much higher than target of 1044. It might be because I boiled for a bit too long, as only had about 5 gallons of wort left.
Temp lowered to 60 overnight. Gravity after 12 hours was 1048, and fermentation had just started.
Kept fermentation at 59 for a few days, then raised to 60. It fermented well at a steady pace, and after 9 days was 1012, with no more signs of fermentation, so kegged and put into kegerator for 2 weeks of storage.
