Opening Day — German Kölsch
This beer might be a little late for Opening Day, but its clean, crisp finish makes it great for any occasion. MCM Bavarian Pilsner malt is the backbone of this recipe, and is quickly becoming one of my favorite malts for lager-style beers. For this batch I also tried a new yeast strain — Fermentis K-97, yes, dry yeast. Having only used liquid yeast in my beers I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better fermentation. Activity started quickly and stayed steady throughout. The beer itself is extremely clean and crisp with a subtle fruity aroma and a slightly bitter finish. Check out the recipe below!
16 gallon batch · 90 min boil · Single decoction mash
OG 1.051 · FG 1.012 · ABV 5.1%
Water Profile
Ca 52 · Mg 4 · Na 11 · Cl 51 · SO₄ 50 · HCO₃ 42 · pH 5.21 (all ppm)
Grain Bill
19 lb / 8.6 kg — MCM Bavarian Pilsner Malt
2 lb / 907 g — Chit Malt
2 lb / 907 g — Munich Malt
Hops
1.2 oz / 34 g — Magnum — 60 min
2 oz / 57 g — Saphir — 10 min
2 oz / 57 g — Tettnang — 10 min
2 oz / 57 g — Saphir — 1 min
2 oz / 57 g — Tettnang — 1 min
Mash Schedule
122°F / 50°C — 15 min
146°F / 63°C — 30 min
160°F / 71°C — 30 min
Decoction — 15 min
170°F / 77°C — 15 min
Yeast
Fermentis K-97
Scaled down to 5 gallons
5 gallon batch · 90 min boil · Single decoction mash
OG 1.051 · FG 1.012 · ABV 5.1%
Water Profile
Ca 52 · Mg 4 · Na 11 · Cl 51 · SO₄ 50 · HCO₃ 42 · pH 5.21 (all ppm)
Grain Bill
5.9 lb / 2.7 kg — MCM Bavarian Pilsner Malt
0.6 lb / 272 g — Chit Malt
0.6 lb / 272 g — Munich Malt
Hops
0.4 oz / 11 g — Magnum — 60 min
0.6 oz / 18 g — Saphir — 10 min
0.6 oz / 18 g — Tettnang — 10 min
0.6 oz / 18 g — Saphir — 1 min
0.6 oz / 18 g — Tettnang — 1 min
Mash Schedule
122°F / 50°C — 15 min
146°F / 63°C — 30 min
160°F / 71°C — 30 min
Decoction — 15 min
170°F / 77°C — 15 min
Yeast
Fermentis K-97
More about the strain:
K-97 is a German ale yeast ideal for brewing typical German ales, Kölsch, Belgian Wits, and session beers. It was selected for its ability to form a large, firm head during fermentation and is well suited for ales with low esters. Depending on conditions, it tends to present a floral and balanced fruity character, and is also capable of handling heavily hopped beers like IPAs.
Learn more…
By Justin T, Grounders Brewing
Stay up to date on Instagram
Check out more great content!
Inside White Labs: Yeast Tour with Oil Creek Brewing!
Did you know White Labs has its own brewery along with its famed yeast propagation laboratory? White Labs is well known for its yeast. Since its early origins in California in 1995 but what you maybe didn’t know is that it has a very interesting approach to their brewery. I was fortunate enough to meet…
More Than Grain: Why Great Beer Starts with Montana’s Local Malt
In craft beer, people often talk about hops, yeast, and brewing techniques, but every great beer starts with malt. Over the last several years, Montana Craft Malt has built a reputation that goes beyond simply supplying grain. They have become a trusted partner for brewers who value quality, consistency, and a connection to where their…
CellarScience Instant Water: Simplifying One of Brewing’s Most Confusing Starting Points
Water chemistry is one of those things almost every homebrewer eventually gets told they need to learn. So you start reading about it, and before long you’re staring at water reports, sulfate and chloride ratios, mash pH targets, and calculators that make your head spin. At least that was my experience. Brewfather has helped a…
Leave a Reply