Join BYO for a New England Beer & Baseball Adventure, Aug. 2-7, 2026 Click here for details.

recipe

Honey Kölsch

Honey Kölsch

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048  FG = 1.007 IBU = 23  SRM = 4  ABV = 5.4%

Ingredients

7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) German Pilsner malt (2 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Munich malt (9 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) dextrin malt (2 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) honey (0 min.)
2 AAU Hallertuer Mittelfrueh hops (first wort hop) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 AAU Perle hops (90 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 8% alpha acids)
1.1 AAU Tettnang hops (20 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertuer Hersbrucker hops (15 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 whirlfloc tablet (5 min.)
Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Create a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter in advance of brew day. This is a single infusion mash. Heat 3.16 gallons (12 L) strike water to 162 °F (72 °C) to stabilize the grain bed at 149 °F (65 °C) and hold for 90 minutes. Double-batch sparge with 6.62 gallons (25 L) of water to raise mash bed to 168 °F (76 °C). Toss in the first wort hop during the sparge. Bring the wort to a boil and boil for 90 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. After the 90 minute boil is complete, remove the wort from the heat and add the honey. Quickly cool the wort to 60 °F (15.5 °C), oxygenate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment for 10 days at 60 °F (15.5 °C). Once the primary fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary vessel. Drop the temperature to 50 °F (10 °C) and allow the beer to condition for one month. Bottle or keg as normal.

Honey Kölsch

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.007 IBU = 23 SRM = 6 ABV = 5.4%

Ingredients

3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) honey (0 min.)
2 AAU Hallertuer Mittelfrueh hops (first wort hop)(0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 AAU Perle hops (90 min.)(0.25 oz./7 g at 8% alpha acids)
1.1 AAU Tettnang hops (20 min.)(0.25 oz./7 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertuer Hersbrucker hops (15 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
1 Servomyces® tablet (10 min.)
1⁄2 whirlfloc tablet (5 min.)
Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/ Kölsch) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Create a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter in advance of brew day. Bring 5 gallons (19 L) of water up to about a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the dried and liquid malt extracts as well as the first wort hops. Stir until all the extract is dissolved then return the brewpot to the heat. Boil for 90 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. After the 90 minute boil is complete, remove the wort from heat and add the honey. Quickly cool the wort to 60 °F (15.5 °C), oxygenate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment for 10 days at 60 °F (15.5 °C). Once the primary fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary vessel. Drop the temperature to 50 °F (10 °C) and allow the beer to condition for one month. Bottle or keg as normal. Beer pairs with the Honey Cured Bacon recipe

You might also like…

recipe

Sinebrychoff Porter clone

From simple ingredients comes massive complexity. Robust toasty notes meet and blend with dark fruits and chocolate. The vinous, port-like c

recipe

Kentucky Common

Gordon Strong introduces readers to a Kentucky common recipe, which is one of the few truly indigenous beer styles in the United States, alo

recipe

Cairn 100% Brett IPA

There are many different ways to go with fermenting this recipe from Sacch Trois to Brett Trois or any favorite strain of yours. Either way,

recipe

Subversive Malting & Brewing’s Dark Harvest Clone

Using locally sourced grain, Subversive malts their own grain that is used in Dark Harvest, relying on chocolate and caramel malts and roast