Sunbeam Kölsch Tasting

I figured a 92°F, humid day was the perfect time to post some tasting notes for my Sunbeam Kölsch (Sonnenstrahl). I brewed this as the companion beer to this year's altbier, using the same yeast, but trying out some Opal hops for the first time.

Appearance - Pretty much crystal clear, yellow-gold with a thin white head that quickly fades.

Aroma - mild, grainy, some fruitiness (not sure if this is from the Opal hops or the yeast).

Flavor - follows the aroma - grainy up front, hint of fruity sweetness and a touch of spice. Bitterness comes through at the end to balance the malt nicely, but doesn't linger. Nice, dry finish makes this extremely easy to drink. I do get a slight touch of astringency towards the end, but it is minor.

Mouthfeel - light body, moderate carbonation (could maybe use a little more).

Overall - perfect beer for a hot and humid summer day, especially after doing some work around the yard. Might actually be my best beer to date from a technical standpoint. It goes down real smooth - in fact, I had to be careful to take my time with this one so I could take some notes. I'm no Kölsch expert, but based on the BJCP description, this could be an award winner. Not sure if I would change anything if I brew this again.

Sonnenstrahl (Kölsch-style bier)

My original idea with this brew was to use a simple Kölsch-style recipe, but ferment it with my local wild yeast. However, the slurry I kept was pretty old and I wasn't sure how great an idea it was to use it anymore. Besides, I liked the idea of brewing up an authentic style I hadn't tried before, So, I ditched the "Wild Kölsch" idea and instead decided to go pretty much traditional with this one. I harvested some WLP036 yeast when I bottled Frühlingstraum, this year's altbier, so this kölsch will be a sort of sister beer to the alt - the Sunbeam for my Dreams of Spring. I was going to use the left-over Spaltz hops I had from the alt, but thought that might make the two beer too similar in flavor profile, especially with using the same yeast. So instead I decided to try out some German Opal hops I picked up from Northern Brewer. These aroma hops are described as spicy with tones of citrus, so I think they'll be good used judiciously in this light hybrid beer.

Sonnenstrahl Kölsch
brewed on 3/7/12

Recipe Specifications
Batch Size: 3.50 gal
Estimated Color: 4.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 30.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 65 Minutes
OG: 1.045
FG: 1.010
ABV: 4.6%

Grist
3 lbs Pilsner malt - 51.4 %
2 lbs Pale Malt - 34.2 %
8.0 oz Munich Malt - 8.6 %
4.0 oz Wheat Malt, Pale - 4.3 %
1.5 oz Acidulated malt - 1.5 % (for mash pH)

Hops
8 g Magnum [13.10 %] - 60.0 min
10 g Opal [6.30 %] - 15.0 min

Yeast
Dusseldorf Alt Yeast (White Labs #WLP036) - reclaimed from 2012 Altbier

Mash Schedule
Single Infusion, 151°F, Batch Sparge