Henry's Fork Trout Kölsch
by @john
Mist lifting off flat water at sunrise
A Kölsch named for Henry's Fork, honeyed and crisp at 4.8%, for long mornings on the river and the evenings after.
Brewed to order
Henry's Fork Trout Kölsch shows a rainbow trout gliding over a bed of river stones beneath dark green lettering. The label is pale gold, with a pine at its edge, a pink stripe down the fish and teal water curling above it.
- ABV
- 4.9%
- IBU
- 26
- Colour
- 14SRM
- OG to FG
- 1.0481.011
- Kölsch, 4.8% ABV, 26 IBU
- Honeyed malt with a crisp, dry finish
- Fermented with Wyeast 2565 Kölsch yeast
- Rainbow trout over river stones
- Pale gold and forest green label
In the glass
Honeyed bread crust, soft caramel, a floral hop lift and a crisp, dry finish
- Serve
- 45°F in a tall, narrow glass
- Alongside
- Smoked trout, soft pretzels, grilled sausages
A rainbow trout cruises over round grey stones, its pink stripe catching the light. Dark green letters sit on a pale gold field, a lone pine stands at the edge, and behind it all the river breathes mist into the trees.
Bread crust and honey come first, then a soft caramel middle and a floral hop note. It finishes dry and clean. Open one when the rods are back in the truck and the light goes long.
Cold conditioning is the step to respect. Three weeks at 34°F lets the Kölsch yeast settle out and polishes the malt into something smooth.
The numbers
4.9%Alcohol by volume
(1.048 − 1.011) × 131.25
26Bitterness, IBU
Bitterness only means anything against the style. This one is a Kölsch.
14Colour, SRM
The swatch above is this number on the standard reference ramp, not an impression of it.
Gravity1.048 down to 1.011 — 77% apparent attenuation.
Named for the Henry's Fork of the Snake
Eastern Idaho · ID
The water it is named for
- Water type
- Spring creek
Details
Details
- River
- Henry's Fork of the Snake
- Style
- Kölsch
- ABV
- 4.8%
- Tasting notes
- honeyed bread crust, soft caramel, floral hops, crisp dry finish
- Colors
- pale gold, forest green, rose pink, river teal, stone grey
Make it yourself
At a glance
- Style
- Kölsch
- Gravity, OG → FG
- 1.048 → 1.011
- ABV
- 4.9%Derived from OG and FG
- Bitterness
- 26 IBU
- Colour
- 14SRMdeep amber
- Difficulty
- Second batchcool fermentation and weeks of cold conditioning need steady temperature control.
- First pint
- 35 daysFrom brew day, including conditioning
- Brew day
- 2 h 10 minKettle on to kitchen clean. The rest is the yeast.
- You supply
- brew kettle, mash tun, fermenter with airlock, temperature-controlled fridge, hydrometer, thermometer, sanitiser, kegging or bottling gear
- Written for
- 5 gal (18.9 L)
- Efficiency assumed
- 72%Brew-in-a-bag, full-volume. House guidance
Grain bill
4 malts · 9.56 lb for 5 gal
Milled grain, weighed for each batch size. The percentage is each malt's share of the grist and stays the same at every size.
| Malt | % of grist | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilsner malt | 68% | 1.63 lb (0.74 kg) | 6.5 lb (2.95 kg) | 19.5 lb (8.85 kg) |
| Munich malt | 20.9% | 8 oz (227 g) | 2 lb (0.91 kg) | 6 lb (2.72 kg) |
| Crystal 80 | 10.5% | 4 oz (113 g) | 1 lb (0.45 kg) | 3 lb (1.36 kg) |
| Carafa Special II | 0.7% | 0.3 oz (7 g) | 1 oz (28 g) | 3 oz (85 g) |
| Total grain | 100% | 2.39 lb (1.08 kg) | 9.56 lb (4.34 kg) | 28.69 lb (13.01 kg) |
Hop schedule
3 additions · 60 min boil
Pellet hops, weighed in grams. Boil times count down to the end of the boil, so 60 minutes means the first thing in the kettle.
| Hop | Use | Time | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallertau Mittelfrüh | Boil | 60 min | 11 g (0.38 oz) | 43 g (1.5 oz) | 128 g (4.5 oz) |
| Tettnang | Boil | 15 min | 7.1 g (0.25 oz) | 28 g (1 oz) | 85 g (3 oz) |
| Tettnang | Boil | Flameout | 3.5 g (0.13 oz) | 14 g (0.5 oz) | 43 g (1.5 oz) |
Yeast and pitch
Wyeast 2565 Kölsch · 1 liquid pack for 5 gal
Wyeast 2565 Kölsch. Pitch at 58°F.
| Yeast | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyeast 2565 Kölsch | 1 liquid pack | 1 liquid pack | 3 liquid packs |
One pack per 5 gal, and one more above 1.060 OG in a batch over 3 gal. Never fewer than one. House guidance
Water
8.02 gal into the mash for 5 gal
Full-volume brew-in-a-bag: all the water goes in at the start and there is no sparge. Volumes are the total to heat, so the kettle has to hold the mash and still leave room to boil: the 12-pack kit sells a 5 gal stockpot and the 12×12 kit a 30 gal kettle for that.
| Water | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Into the mash | 2.09 gal (7.9 L) | 8.02 gal (30.3 L) | 19.55 gal (74 L) |
| Boiled off | 0.5 gal (1.9 L) | 1.25 gal (4.7 L) | 1.25 gal (4.7 L) |
| Held by the grain | 0.19 gal (0.7 L) | 0.77 gal (2.9 L) | 2.29 gal (8.7 L) |
| Left as trub | 0.15 gal (0.6 L) | 1 gal (3.8 L) | 1 gal (3.8 L) |
| Into the fermenter | 1.25 gal (4.7 L) | 5 gal (18.9 L) | 15 gal (56.8 L) |
Boil-off, grain absorption and trub are typical figures for a stovetop pot and a propane kettle, not measurements of your own gear. Brew once, note what you end up with, and adjust. House guidance
Water profile Soft water with low sulfate and a touch of chloride keeps the malt round and the finish clean.
Mash
150°F · 60 min
The mash turns starch into sugar. Hold the temperature steady and the beer finishes the way the recipe intends.
- Rest150°F for 60 minutes
- Strike waterHeat to 160°F; the grain cools it to the rest temperature. House guidance
- Mash-outRaise to 168°F and hold 10 minutes, then lift and drain the bag. House guidance
- Mash ina cooler rest keeps the finish dry and crisp
Boil
60 min · 3 hop additions
Hops go in on a countdown from the end of the boil. Early additions give bitterness; late ones give aroma.
- Length60 minutes
- 60 minHallertau Mittelfrüh
- 15 minTettnang
- FlameoutTettnang
- 15 minA kettle fining (whirlfloc or Irish moss) clears the beer if you have one. House guidance
- Boila full rolling boil drives off harsh sulfur notes from the pilsner malt
- Chillto 58°F before pitchingwarm pitches bring fruity esters this beer does not want
Fermentation
3 steps · first pint in 35 days
The recipe's own schedule, in order. Temperature control matters more than almost anything else on this page.
- 14 days at 60°F
- 2 days at 65°F
- 3 weeks at 34°F
First pint 35 days from brew day.
Packaging and carbonation
2.6 volumes CO₂ · bottle or keg
Target 2.6 volumes of CO₂.
| Bottling | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn sugar to prime | 1.14 oz (32 g) | 4.54 oz (129 g) | 13.62 oz (386 g) |
| 12 oz bottles it fills | 12 | 50 | 144 |
Dissolve the sugar in a little boiled water, stir it gently into the beer, then bottle. The amount is worked out for 65°F, the warmest the beer got while it fermented.
Kegging Set the regulator to 12.3 psi at 38°F.
Kegging instead Skip the bottles with 3 × 5 gal ball-lock kegs, 1 × 5 lb CO₂ tank, 1 × dual-gauge regulator, 1 × gas and beer lines with picnic taps: the kegging upgrade for the 15 gal home brewery, $594.
Brewer's notes
3 tips
- Pitch a healthy starter; this yeast is slow to wake at cool temperatures.From the recipe
- The warm rest at 65°F lets the yeast clean up diacetyl before lagering.From the recipe
- Kölsch yeast stays cloudy for a long time; the cold weeks are where it clears.From the recipe
Every kit size
Ingredients only
Ingredient kit · 12-pack batch
$25.72
$2.14 a bottle
Grain milled, hops bagged per addition, yeast, priming sugar and 12 caps, for 1.25 gal.
Includes Pilsner malt · Munich malt · Crystal 80 · Carafa Special II · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Ingredients
- Pilsner malt$3.72
- Munich malt$1.30
- Crystal 80$0.72
- Carafa Special II$0.05
- Hallertau Mittelfrüh (60 min)$1.50
- Tettnang (15 min)$1.50
- Tettnang (flameout)$1.50
- Wyeast 2565 Kölsch$11.99
- Milling and kitting$3
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$0.44
- Crown capsIncluded
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
Ingredient kit · 12×12 batch
$160.74
$1.12 a bottle
Grain milled, hops bagged per addition, yeast, priming sugar and 144 caps, for 15 gal.
Includes Pilsner malt · Munich malt · Crystal 80 · Carafa Special II · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Ingredients
- Pilsner malt$44.66
- Munich malt$15.54
- Crystal 80$8.67
- Carafa Special II$0.54
- Hallertau Mittelfrüh (60 min)$17.96
- Tettnang (15 min)$11.97
- Tettnang (flameout)$5.99
- Wyeast 2565 Kölsch$35.97
- Milling and kitting$8
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$5.44
- Crown caps$6
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
Complete home brewery
Complete home brewery · 12-pack batch
$219.54
$18.30 a bottle
Bought separately $241.08 · you save $21.54
All the equipment, then the ingredient kit, for 1.25 gal. Works on a kitchen stove.
Includes 5 gal stainless stockpot · Fine-mesh brew bag · 1.5 gal glass fermenter with drilled bung · 3-piece airlock · and 22 more
Every item in this kit · 26 items
Equipment
- 5 gal stainless stockpot$49.99
- Fine-mesh brew bag$9.99
- 1.5 gal glass fermenter with drilled bung$17.99
- 3-piece airlock$2.49
- No-rinse sanitizer, 4 oz$12.99
- Hydrometer and test jar$15.99
- Digital probe thermometer$14.99
- Mini auto-siphon with tubing$13.99
- Spring-tip bottle filler$5.99
- 12 oz amber bottles$16.99
- Wing capper$19.99
- Brewery wash, 1 lb$9.99
- 0.1 g kitchen scale$14.99
- Long stainless spoon$8.99
Ingredients
- Pilsner malt$3.72
- Munich malt$1.30
- Crystal 80$0.72
- Carafa Special II$0.05
- Hallertau Mittelfrüh (60 min)$1.50
- Tettnang (15 min)$1.50
- Tettnang (flameout)$1.50
- Wyeast 2565 Kölsch$11.99
- Milling and kitting$3
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$0.44
- Crown capsIncluded
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
Complete home brewery · 12×12 batch
$1,256.74
$8.73 a bottle
Bought separately $1,378.52 · you save $121.78
All the equipment, then the ingredient kit, for 15 gal. You supply a propane tank and water.
Includes 30 gal stainless kettle with ball valve and thermometer · 72 · 30 gal brew bag · 50 ft copper immersion chiller · and 25 more
Every item in this kit · 29 items
Equipment
- 30 gal stainless kettle with ball valve and thermometer$399
- 72,000 BTU propane burner and stand$99
- 30 gal brew bag$44.99
- 50 ft copper immersion chiller$129
- 7.9 gal fermenting buckets with lids and airlocks$89.97
- No-rinse sanitizer, 32 oz$32.99
- Brewery wash, 4 lb$34.99
- Hydrometer and test jar$15.99
- Refractometer$29.99
- Digital thermometer$24.99
- ½" auto-siphon with tubing$24.99
- Bottling buckets with spigots$55.98
- Bottle filler$5.99
- 12 oz amber bottles (6 cases)$119.94
- Bench capper$59.99
- Mash paddle$24.99
- Digital scale$24.99
Ingredients
- Pilsner malt$44.66
- Munich malt$15.54
- Crystal 80$8.67
- Carafa Special II$0.54
- Hallertau Mittelfrüh (60 min)$17.96
- Tettnang (15 min)$11.97
- Tettnang (flameout)$5.99
- Wyeast 2565 Kölsch$35.97
- Milling and kitting$8
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$5.44
- Crown caps$6
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
The creator
Remixes
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
river beer · made
0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
- kolsch
- henry's fork
- rainbow trout
- trout
- fly fishing
- snake river
- river stones
- pine
- morning mist
- homebrew recipe
- hallertau
- tettnang