Kucumber Kölsch
Brewed: 7/31/2016 Kegged: 8/21/2016
At some point, the SheppyBrew Beer Model became convinced that she likes cucumber flavor in Kölsch style beers. Not sure which brewery (or breweries) it was, but some at some brewery (or breweries) we tasted cucumber beers. I needed something to brew late July/ early August of 2016, and I thought a Kölsch style beer would be a good summer brew. It wasn't a huge leap to add the cucumbers.
As far as the recipe, I simple took Bad Lands Kölsch and added cucumbers to the secondary.
The only modifications were less hop flavor to let the cucumber come through and a higher mash temperature to add some body to counteract any water added through the cucumber.
I was not sure how much cucumber to add, but I used the interwebs to find a recipe someone else had posted using cucumber in a Saison. I decided just to take that amount ... 3 pounds.
The rest is history.
It is an easy drinking refreshing summer ale. Low in alcohol. Not a whole lot of hop flavor. Nice delicate malt flavor complimented by cucumber.
Pretty good.
For more about Kucumber Kölsch see Sheppy's Blog: Kucumber Kölsch
For more about Bad Lands Kölsch seeSheppy's Blog: Bad Lands
| Kucumber Kölsch --- Batch 1 |
| Style | Kölsch | Batch Size | 5.50 gal | |||
| Type | All Grain | Boil Size | 7.76 gal | |||
| Brewhouse Efficiency | 70.00 | Boil Time | 90 minutes |
Recipe Characteristics
| Recipe Gravity | 1.047 SG | Estimated FG | 1.013 SG | ||||
| Recipe Bitterness | 24.6 IBUs (Rager) | Alcohol by Volume | 4.4 % | ||||
| BU : GU | 0.521 | ||||||
| Recipe Color | 3.8 SRM |
|
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| Measured OG: | 1.047 | Measured FG: | 1.012 | ||||
| ADF: | 74 | Measured ABV: | 4.6% |
Ingredients
| Amt | Name | Type | # | %/IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.00 g | Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | 1 | - |
| 9 lbs | Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 2 | 69.2 % |
| 1 lbs | Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) | Grain | 3 | 7.7 % |
| 0.500 oz | Hallertauer [2.70 %] - First Wort 90.0 min | Hop | 4 | 5.8 IBUs |
| 0.250 oz | Columbus (Tomahawk) [16.20 %] - First Wort 90.0 min | Hop | 5 | 17.4 IBUs |
| 1.00 Items | Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) | Fining | 6 | - |
| 0.500 oz | Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 15.0 min | Hop | 7 | 1.4 IBUs |
| 1.00 tsp | Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) | Other | 8 | - |
| 1.0 pkg | Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) [124.21 ml] | Yeast | 9 | - |
| 3 lbs | Cucumber (1.0 SRM) | Adjunct | 10 | 23.1 % |
Mash Profile
| Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mash In | Add 12.50 qt of water at 168.2 F | 156.0 F | 45 min |
Batch sparge with 2 steps
(1.95gal, 3.88gal) of 168.0 F water
Make a starter a day or two before brew day.
4g gypsum in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=59,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=116,Cl=23,HCO3=104
Mash and boil as instructed.
Cool to below 60 degrees F. Maintain this temperature for a day or two, then let the yeast rise as it wants.
Ferment for 2 weeks.
Add Cucumber to secondary fermentor and rack beer on top. Let sit for another week.
Keg and carb to about 2.5 volumes.
Brewing Record
| Brew Date: | 8/31/2016 | Strike Temp: | 170 | |||
| Mash Temps: | 156 consistent whole time | |||||
| Pre-boil OG | (1.038 SG) | Pre-boil Vol | (7.76 gal) | |||
| Actual Mash Efficiency | Pitch Temp | 56 | ||||
| Fermentation | ||||||
| Day 1: Going strong 64 | ||||||
| Day 2: Stronger 66 | ||||||
| Day ... | ||||||
Brewing Notes
8/14/2016 Gravity check. 1.012. Clean. Malt forward. Nice golden color. Ready to add cuccumbers.
8/14/2016 Cut up cuccumbers, put them in carboy, and racked beer on top. Will let sit for awhile.
8/24/2016 Kegged Sunday. Carbonating in the keggerator now.
9/4/2016 Decent carbonation. Beautiful gold color. Decent clarity. Perhaps a bit much on the cucumber skin, but it is refreshing and tasty.
9/6/2016 Thinking about doing a small blending batch to reduce the cucumber skin flavor. Maybe I should get the Beer Model to try it and weigh in.
9/9/2016 The beer model says she likes this, but I have decided to blend this down a bit. 2 gallons of base beer.
9/11/2016 Brewed 2 gallons of the base beer yesterday.
9/14/2016 The blending beer doesn't seem active anymore, but there is still thick kraussen on top. Guess I'll leave it for another week and see what happens.
9/27/2016 Racked the blending beer on the kumcumber. There really wasn't much kucumber, so it is mostly just Kölsch now.
9/27/2016 Collected yeast for X-Mas Ale.
10/7/2016 Beer has cleared some since putting the blending beer in. Still tastes like cucumber. Good.
10/14/2016 Tonight the Kucumber Kölsch is tasting really good.
10/17/2016 Killed the keg last night. Now I can keg up Falling Leaves.
8/14/2016 Gravity check. 1.012. Clean. Malt forward. Nice golden color. Ready to add cuccumbers.
8/14/2016 Cut up cuccumbers, put them in carboy, and racked beer on top. Will let sit for awhile.
8/24/2016 Kegged Sunday. Carbonating in the keggerator now.
9/4/2016 Decent carbonation. Beautiful gold color. Decent clarity. Perhaps a bit much on the cucumber skin, but it is refreshing and tasty.
9/6/2016 Thinking about doing a small blending batch to reduce the cucumber skin flavor. Maybe I should get the Beer Model to try it and weigh in.
9/9/2016 The beer model says she likes this, but I have decided to blend this down a bit. 2 gallons of base beer.
9/11/2016 Brewed 2 gallons of the base beer yesterday.
9/14/2016 The blending beer doesn't seem active anymore, but there is still thick kraussen on top. Guess I'll leave it for another week and see what happens.
9/27/2016 Racked the blending beer on the kumcumber. There really wasn't much kucumber, so it is mostly just Kölsch now.
9/27/2016 Collected yeast for X-Mas Ale.
10/7/2016 Beer has cleared some since putting the blending beer in. Still tastes like cucumber. Good.
10/14/2016 Tonight the Kucumber Kölsch is tasting really good.
10/17/2016 Killed the keg last night. Now I can keg up Falling Leaves.