Midwest Cologne Kölsch - best yeast?

[JehovahsWitnessProtection]

I'm planning to brew the "Cologne Kölsch" extract kit from Midwest, and will use liquid yeast. I haven't bought the kit yet. They recommend either Wyeast 2565 or White Labs 029. I don't plan to alter the recipe, and want to get it as close to the authentic style as possible. Which of those yeast strains would be better for this style, or are they too close to call?

My fermenter will sit in the finished crawlspace of my house, which stays between 57-60F this time of year. I have heard WL029 doesn't do well below about 62F, though I understand the actual fermenter temp can be several degrees above ambient. The instruction sheet doesn't give much specifics and it just looks like a copy-paste of their other instruction sheets.

Anyone have experience with this kit? Any helpful tips would be appreciated!

 

[R2-D2]

I just brewed a Kolsch a few weeks ago using the WL 029 yeast. My fermenting chamber is also a crawlspace that is at 65 degrees. I am very pleased with what I racked to lager for two more weeks. From what I've read you should be find with either yeast at low 60s fermentation temperature. I'd have some patience with the 029 at the lower temp but it will turn out fantastic.

 

[cbehr]

I LOVE WL029, I've used it on numerous styels of beer and it has always turned out fantastic.

 

[Upthewazzu]

I used the Wyeast on my Kolsch (also from Midwest) and it turned out pretty good. It's been carbing for 2 weeks but it's pretty much ready.

 

[pjj2ba]

I have not had a problem with WLP 029 fermenting below 60F. My last batch was overcooled to 50F. I pitched into that and it warmed up at most to 61F while it was fermenting. Tasting great going into the keg.

 

[Bulls Beers]

+1 for 029..I always use this strain..It's great..

 

[splashmike]

I have used both and prefer the wyeast at version. the White Labs version produced some significant sulfer and left a wine like taste. It did clear up after several weeks of cold conditioning, but I found the wyeast at much easier to work with.

 

[crushingblackdoom]

I have used both and prefer the wyeast at version. the White Labs version produced some significant sulfer and left a wine like taste. It did clear up after several weeks of cold conditioning, but I found the wyeast at much easier to work with.

I'm experiencing the same thing with my current brew, a WLP029 Kolsch. Definately sulfur stinky while fermenting and just a hint now, and a dry almost wine like character. But it IS warm & flat...
Crazy attenuation, too.
1.056-1.005 in a week at 65*F
Tastes good but I know it'll get awesome!

 

[paraordnance]

I have tried all three. And I like them exactly in that order: Wyeast 2565, Wyeast 2575 Kolsch II, WLP 029.
For some reason I didn't care for WLP029 all that much, it had less Kolsch specific white-wine esters that you usually want to see in Kolsch. It was almost too boring and clean.

 

[R2-D2]

I have one more week of lagering my Kolsch. Looking forward to sampling at bottling time. I used the Kolsch yeast cake for an American Wheat recipe. It was fermenting like crazy when I checked last evening. I may follow up that by brewing a Dark IPA or Motueka Red Ale on that yeast cake. Three is my personal yeast cake reusing limit.

 

[signpost]

I have a Kolsch in secondary right now and used the Wyeast 2565. As far as flavor, I've only had the gravity sample from when I transferred it. It tasted nice, but yeasty, because it still needed to clear quite a bit. In terms of fermentation/attenuation though, it did just fine. It got to 1.008 while spending more of the primary fermentation around 60-62 F and then dropping as low as 55 F after the fermentation slowed down (and the water leaking through the walls of the basement turned the t-shirt protecting the carboy from light into a swamp cooler).

The main reason I transferred it was because I wanted to wash the yeast while it was still pretty fresh, and I was planning on letting it clear and age/lager for a good while before bottling.