How to Brew an Award Winning Kolsch: An Interview with the 2025 Kolsch Cup Grand Champion, Robert Abbott
Release Date: 06/12/2025
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In case you missed it, we just wrapped up our annual Kölsch Cup competition (link below) and we had A BLAST! So many exceptional entries made it very difficult to pick a winner, but we did. Which is why I'm so proud to present today's episode to you - an interview with our Grand Champion!
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If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! -- https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today's Show:
How to Brew an Award Winning Kolsch: An Interview with the 2025 Kolsch Cup Grand Champion, Robert Abbott
Links for this episode:
Kolsch Cup 2025 Video: https://youtu.be/gcnM1zvxjm8?si=h1-dowLkzn2hPk_g
Rob's award winning kolsch recipe: https://web.brewfather.app/share/WWYLrq4imHlHYN4WhKEdVmJosXktav
2025 GRAND CHAMPION RECIPE BELOW
Brewtools B40pro
70.6% efficiency
Batch Volume: 16 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Mash Water: 25.67 L
Total Water: 25.67 L
Boil Volume: 23.81 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.041
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.011
IBU (Tinseth): 18
BU/GU: 0.38
Color: 3.2 SRM
Mash
Strike Temp — 156.6 °F
Temperature — 152 °F — 60 min
Malts (7 lb 11.9 oz)
7 lb 2 oz (92%) — Stone Path SPM Pilsner — Grain — 2 °L
5 oz (4%) — Blue Ox Vyenna — Grain — 2.9 °L
5 oz (4%) — Blue Ox Wheat Malt — Grain — 2.3 °L
Hops (72 g)
48 g (17 IBU) — Hallertauer Mittelfrueh 2.5% — Boil — 60 min
24 g (1 IBU) — Tettnang 2.1% — Boil — 5 min
Miscs
1.8 g — Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) — Mash
0.6 g — Epsom Salt (MgSO4) — Mash
0.6 g — Gypsum (CaSO4) — Mash
2 ml — Lactic Acid 88% — Mash
1 items — Whirlfloc — Boil — 15 min
1 tsp — Yeast Nutrients (WLN1000) — Boil — 15 min
4 ml — Biofine Clear — Bottling
Yeast
2 pkg — White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch 78%
Fermentation
Pitch temp — 60 °F — 3 days
Primary — 66 °F — 7 days
Crash — 34 °F — 7 days
Carbonation: 2.4 CO2-vol
Water Profile
Ca2+
31Mg2+
2Na+
0Cl-
45SO42-
22HCO3-
0
1st place 2025 Homebrew Happy Hour Kölsch Cup 3rd place 2024 Homebrew Happy Hour Kolsch Cup this one's for my grandmother, Pooh, who would always ask me two things: 1. do you run your company yet? & 2. how's the beer coming? this is the first win since she left. brew this one to share with family and friends & be sure to raise a glass for Poohie! Cheers 🍻
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cheers,
joshua
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Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Hops Direct! Family owned and operated, Hops Direct provides a wide variety of hop selection and ships directly to your door. Learn more by visiting https://hopsdirect.com/?utm_source=HHH&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=HHH+link
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