Kölsch-Style Ale

This recipe is based on Charlie Papazian's Rocky Raccoon Honey Lager. I'm sure purists would roll over in their Stammkneipen to see me calling this a Kölsch-Style Ale, mainly because of the large percentage of honey that's used. But when brewing extract, this is extremely acceptable way to keep the colour of the beer nice and light, without suffering some of the possible side-effects of using too much corn sugar. The honey can give slight fruity notes, which are present in a good Kölsch anyway. This is an extremely versatile recipe which could just as easily be classified as a North American beer, by changing the hops to something distinctly North American, like Cascade or Chinook.8 oz. It can also be made with straight extract, completely eliminating the grains.

Ingredients for 20 litres :

• 8 oz Organic 2 Row
• 8 oz Malted Wheat
• 3 oz Flaked Maize
• 1.3 kg John Bull light unhopped extract
• 1 kg Billy Bee honey
• 1.0oz Hallertauer
• 0.5oz Perle 6.7%

Method

• grind grains, mash them and Flaked Maize 150F-155F for 75 min, sparge 20 min in sieve with 3 litres hot water
• 10l cold water in pot, begin to heat
• add 1.3kg John Bull light unhopped
• add spargings from mash
• add 1.0oz Hallertauer when boil commences
• 20 minutes later add 0.5oz Perle 6.7%
• 40 minutes after that, turn off heat.
• add 1kg honey to pasteurize
• cut plastic away from 2 frozen 2 litre pop bottles and carefully add the ice directly to the brew pot to chill
• add to carboy

OG 1.034 @ 32C == 1.038
98.03.28 rack 5l into jug, keg 18l. add 1T gelatine in 200ml water and shake in while force carb. Put into fridge.

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