TRUEBRÜ German Kölsch | All Grain Beer Kit | 6 Gal
TRUEBRÜ German Kölsch brings a classic Cologne-style ale to your home brewery: pale gold, delicately fruity, softly malty and refreshingly crisp. This is a beer built on balance, with gentle noble-hop character and a clean, dry finish.
Brewed with 100% imported German malts. Salzgitter Pilsen malt provides the light, grainy foundation. Salzgitter Vienna adds a restrained touch of bread, while a small addition of Weyermann Carafoam supports body and foam. Hallertau Mittelfrüh provides smooth bitterness; late Tettnang additions contribute delicate floral, herbal and spicy notes. A dedicated Kölsch yeast supplies the subtle fermentation character that ties everything together.
Patience Makes a Crispy Kölsch
Kölsch is often described as a hybrid style: it is brewed with an ale yeast fermented on the cooler side of its recommended range, then treated much like a lager after fermentation. A little extra cold-conditioning time compared with a typical ale helps it clear and develop that smooth, crisp finish.
Your patience will reward you. Let fermentation finish, give the beer time to carbonate and settle, and enjoy it when it tastes ready. Additional cold time can refine the clarity and finish, but a full month of lagering is not a requirement.
Kegging? Once fermentation is complete and gravity is stable, gently transfer to a sanitized, CO₂-purged keg. The beer can carbonate, condition and clear in your kegerator, so a separate cold crash is optional. A closed transfer where possible and minimal splashing help protect its delicate flavor from oxygen.
Bottling? Once fermentation is complete and gravity is stable, prime and bottle as usual. Allow the bottles to carbonate at a suitable temperature for your yeast before refrigerating them. Some extra time cold after carbonation helps the beer settle and develop its crisp finish.
Recipe Targets — BJCP 5B Kölsch
- 6 gallons into the fermenter; approximately 5 gallons packaged, depending on losses
- 68% brewhouse efficiency
- OG 1.045; FG 1.009; approximately 4.7% ABV
- 20 IBU (Tinseth estimate); 3.3 SRM
- Carbonation target: 2.5 volumes CO₂
The gravity, alcohol and bitterness targets fall within BJCP 5B Kölsch guidelines. The recipe's color estimate is 3.3 SRM, close to the style's pale edge. OG is near the low end of the style range, so lower efficiency can put it below the guideline. Check your system's expected gravity and adjust your brewing plan if brewing specifically for competition.
Grain Bill — 10.75 lb
- 9 lb Salzgitter Pilsen malt
- 1.25 lb Salzgitter Vienna malt
- 0.5 lb Weyermann Carafoam
The source recipe specifies Vienna malt without a brand and allows Carapils/Carafoam. This kit uses Salzgitter Vienna and Weyermann Carafoam.
Mash and Hop Schedule
- Mash water: 5.20 gallons; sparge water: 3.34 gallons; total water: 8.54 gallons
- Suggested strike temperature: 157.6°F; adjust for your grain temperature and equipment
- Mash at 150°F for 60 minutes
- Boil for 60 minutes
- 60 minutes remaining: 1 oz Hallertau Mittelfrüh, recipe assumes 3.8% alpha acids
- 15 minutes remaining: 1 oz Tettnang, recipe assumes 3.6% alpha acids
- 5 minutes remaining: 1 oz Tettnang, recipe assumes 3.6% alpha acids
- No hopstand or dry hop
All three supplied hop packs are used; there are no planned hop leftovers. Actual bitterness depends on the alpha acids printed on your hop packages. The source equipment profile targets 7.82 gallons pre-boil at 1.039 and 6.82 gallons post-boil. Adjust water volumes for your own absorption, boil-off and transfer losses.
Suggested Fermentation and Conditioning
- 65°F for approximately 7 days
- 68°F for approximately 3 days, or until fermentation is complete and gravity is stable
- For kegging or bulk conditioning, the recipe suggests approximately 10 days at 38°F; this can take place in the keg
- For bottling, allow the bottles to carbonate before cold conditioning
Use this schedule as a guide. Let fermentation progress, carbonation, clarity and flavor determine when the beer is ready. Extra cold conditioning is an option for further refinement, not a fixed waiting period.
This 65–68°F fermentation plan is within Omega's current 64–72°F range for Kölsch II. Follow the current guidance for the yeast you choose; another strain may require different handling or timing.
Yeast — Sold Separately
YEAST IS NOT INCLUDED AND IS SOLD SEPARATELY.
Recommended liquid yeast: Omega OYL-044 Kölsch II. This is the strain specified in the recipe, selected for its lightly fruity, crisp character and compatibility with delicate noble hops.
Dry alternative: SafAle K-97 German Ale. A practical German-ale alternative with subtle floral and fruity character, but not an identical replacement for Kölsch II. Attenuation, fermentation character and clearing time can differ. Allow sufficient conditioning and follow the manufacturer's pitching guidance.
Water Profile
Built from reverse-osmosis water: Ca 34, Mg 6, Na 20, Cl 41, SO₄ 80 and HCO₃ 16 ppm. Estimated mash pH: 5.35.
Recipe mash additions: 1.2 g calcium chloride, 1 g canning salt, 2 g Epsom salt, 3.2 g gypsum and 3.78 mL of 88% lactic acid. These amounts are specific to the source water and equipment profile; check your own water and mash pH before applying them.
Kit Includes
- 10.75 lb freshly measured grain
- 3 sealed 1 oz hop packages: 1 Hallertau Mittelfrüh and 2 Tettnang
- Complete recipe sheet and downloadable printable PDF
Yeast, water salts, lactic acid and priming sugar are not included. No clarifier or yeast nutrient is specified in this recipe, so neither is included.
Freshly assembled and packaged to order by TrueBrü Homebrew Supply. Select your required grain preparation in the cart before checkout: standard crush, BIAB fine crush or the available unmilled options.