Falcons, get ready for the next Club Shop Brew Session on Sunday, April 19, as Kale Bittner leads the crew in brewing a Kolsch!
Kölsch is a clear, bright, straw-yellow ale with a prominent but not extreme hoppiness, that is less bitter than the standard German pale lager with a soft malty flavor, first brewed by the Sünner brewery in 1906 as a variant of the similar but cloudier Wieß ("white" in the Kölsch dialect). Kölsch is usually warm fermented at around 55 to 70 °F, then lagered. "Kölsch" is a protected geographical indication under European Union law, like Champagne, and to be called Kölsch, a beer must be brewed within 50 km of Cologne, Germany. American commercial brewers have to label them "Kolsch-style" but we're homebrewers so we can call it whatever the hell we please! Kölsch! Kölsch! Kölsch! Kölsch! Kölsch! Kölsch! Kölsch! Kölsch!
Kale Bittner - "Kölsch has been my go-to style as a brewer for almost a year. Most of my friends like easy drinking sessionable beers and I've made this beer for several weddings and parties. It is an easy drinking summertime lawnmower beer that will be perfect come end of May. I've won a 1st, two 2nd, and a 3rd place medal with this beer in the last year. I keep the recipe mostly traditional with just base two-row, a splash of wheat malt and a pinch of Crystal. For hops
we're shaking things up and using Triple Pearl Hops which have only recently become available. I have a Gallon yeast starter prepared for the beer already, and we'll use a soft water profile with half municipal water, half distilled water."
Sunday, April 19
8:00 am
Home Beer Wine and Cheese Making Shop
22836 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills
There are 7 spots on the brew crew, including the crew leader, and we need one crew member to step forward to ferment the Falcon's Share which will be poured at club events and fests. All Brew Crew members will be brewing on the Falcons' 40-gallon all-grain brew system at the shop. Crew members will participate in all aspects of the brewing process from measuring and crushing the grain to clean up and fermentation. Each participant will pitch in for the cost of ingredients (usually $10-$15), and take 5 gallons of wort to ferment at home. So it's very economical and a great opportunity to get some hands-on brewing experience on a larger, more sophisticated brewing system than most homebrewers have access to, learn new recipes, and, of course, a chance to hang out with your fellow Falcons and share brews and snacks. Remember to bring some cash for your share of the ingredients and a carboy or a bucket for your wort.
To participate, you must be an up-to-date, dues-paid Maltose Falcons member. Your membership status will be verified prior to your spot being confirmed on the brew crew. You must sign up here by clicking the "Sign up for March Club Shop Brew" link below. Please email me your FULL NAME and CELL PHONE NUMBER at publicity@maltosefalcons.com so I can confirm your membership and contact you if there is any problems with your membership or with the brew day itself. No exceptions.
We welcome new members, or members who have not yet been on a Brew Crew, to sign up for this event. If you have been on a Brew Crew within the past 3 months, you are not eligible to be on this crew unless spots are left empty by brew day. Signups are at the end of this event posting. No sign ups will be accepted via the yahoogroups or email to the crew leader or the publicity director.
Signups are on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the crew is filled, there may be a waiting list in case a crew member can't make it on brew day. Brew Crew Members, please arrive on time and be prepared to stay until brew day is over, which includes cleaning and stowing all equipment, utensils, work area, and classroom. That may be after 4:00 pm. The Leader of the Brew Crew is responsible for making sure that the equipment is properly handled and cleaned up, although the whole process is participatory and everything is ok to discuss and debate, and the Brew Crew Leader must provide a write up and a few photos for the newsletter.l All participants must sign a liability waiver.
Of course anyone who is interested in observing and learning the all-grain brewing process is welcome to come by the shop to hang out and chat with the Crew. Beer and snacks to share are always welcome.
Cheers!
Matt Myerhoff
Publicity Director, Maltose Falcons Board