How to Brew an Award Winning Kolsch: An Interview with the 2025 Kolsch Cup Grand Champion, Robert Abbott

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!

With that being said, it is time for another episode of our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!... THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!

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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^-
 45SO₄^2-
 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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Let us know what you think and enjoy the show!

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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