WL 029 Kolsch for an Alt?

[soccerdad]

Anybody done it?

Thinking of doing a starter with 029 and splitting between a honey Kolsch and an Altbier. Kolsch yeast work well in Alt?

 

[dmtaylor]

WLP029 is a good yeast... but not as good as real altbier yeast WLP036/Wyeast 1007. If you can't get the latter ones though then WLP029 will work pretty good.

 

[helibrewer]

If you are from Cologne or Dusseldorf then the answer is no! Otherwise, it shouldn't be a problem

 

[ba-brewer]

When I look at the old 2008 BJCP requirements they had a northern Alt and Düsseldorf Alt with the northern alt being less bitter. When I look at the different yeast, Dusseldorf Alt yeast appears to be the more malt than WLP029.

Is there something about the Dusseldorf Alt yeast that is not mentioned in the description.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

You can actually use any yeast for any beer. Would it taste right? No. Would it be beer? Yes. Would it taste good? Maybe. You might even create a new style

 

[tgolanos]

I used 029 in my last Alt and it turned out fine. It didn't win any comps, but I was more than happy with it.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/346103/norddeutsches-altbier

This was what I did. I have to get more Kölsch yeast so I can make it again...

 

[soccerdad]

I used 029 in my last Alt and it turned out fine. It didn't win any comps, but I was more than happy with it.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/346103/norddeutsches-altbier

This was what I did. I have to get more Kölsch yeast so I can make it again...

Tell me more about late addition for the roasted barley .. late in the mash?

 

[tgolanos]

Tell me more about late addition for the roasted barley .. late in the mash?

I steep the roasted barley separatley to the rest of my mash. I find whenever I mash with dark grains, I have massive efficiency problems, so this seems to solve it for me.

All I did was collect my mash water for the Munich and Carapils, reserving 1L to steep the roasted barley in. I added the steeped barley-water to the wort just before turning the flame on, so everything got boiled together.

 

[Rhaop]

I’ve heard the guys on the brewing network speak highly of the wlp036 before, I’ve wanted to try it for awhile it was described as leaving a great mouthfeel, possibility a lower attenuating yeast?

I’ve used wlp029 a lot always turns out a great beer, have used it for kolsch styles and i’ve used it for american wheats

Edit: wow forgot to add i have a starter of 029 going right now, brewed up a 6 gallon batch with 10 lbs of weyerman’s kolsch malt and 2oz of hallertau’s should be tasty

 

[Northern_Brewer]

You can actually use any yeast for any beer. Would it taste right? No. Would it be beer? Yes. Would it taste good? Maybe. You might even create a new style

The whole concept of beer styles being unique indivisible things may be a convenient fiction for the BJCP guidelines, but the reality of European brewing is far messier - you get commercial lagers being made with ale yeasts, whilst British bitters are made with saison yeast and ale/lager blends. Given that Dusseldorf and Cologne are only 20 miles apart, it's inevitable that over the course of history some alts will have been made with kolsch yeasts and vice versa. So it's not creating a new style, it's just being true to the complicated history of European beer.

So just do it - don't ferment too warm, but just do it.