Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale Beer Kit

Your Label Peelers Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale Original Beer Kit never sits on a shelf. Your grains are crushed to order. Your ingredients are packed fresh and you don't pay for a flashy box. It's all about providing you with the freshest ingredients for you to make your best beer.

Your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale is a light, crisp, and creamy beer that combines classic Kolsch flavors with a hint of sweetness. This beer kit is the perfect balance of malt, hops, and yeast to create a smooth and enjoyable beer.

The light dry malt extract, carapils malt, and flaked corn provide a light, crisp taste that is rounded out by the Cluster hops, which add a subtle bitterness to the mix. The Willamette hops give the beer its classic flavor and aroma, while the yeast energizer and Irish moss combo packet helps ensure a clean and smooth finish. Finally, the US-05 ale yeast helps to create a smooth and creamy texture that perfectly complements the other flavors.

Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale is a perfect combination of flavors that will make any beer lover happy. The light malt, hops, and yeast create a beer that is light and refreshing, yet still full of flavor. Enjoy this beer with friends and family, or just sit back and relax with a glass. 

• ABV: 5.2%
• IBU: 22
• BU/GU: 0.37
• SG: 1.044
• FG: 1.010
• Degrees Plato: 10.4
• SRM: 3

Ingredients   

- 6 lbs. Light Dry Malt Extract
- 1 lb. Carapils Malt
- 1 lb. Flaked Corn
- 1 oz. Cluster Hops (Bittering)
- 1 oz. Willamette Hops (Flavor)
- 1 oz. Willamette Hops (Aroma)
- 1 Yeast Energizer / Irish Moss Combo Packet
- 1 pkg. US-05 Ale Yeast

Hop Schedule  

- 1 oz. Cluster Hops (Bittering) - 60 minutes
- 1 oz. Willamette Hops (Flavor) - 15 minutes
- 1 oz. Willamette Hops (Aroma) - 5 minutes

Instructions 

1. Bring 2-3 gallons of water to 155 degrees F.
2. Turn off heat and steep specialty grains in the grain sock for 30 minutes.
3. Remove grains and discard.
4. Add 6 lbs. of light dry malt extract and stir until fully dissolved.
5. Turn heat back on and bring to a boil.
6. Add 1 oz. of Cluster Hops (Bittering) and boil for 60 minutes.
7. Add Yeast Energizer / Irish Moss Combo with 1 oz Willamette Hops and boil with 15 minutes remaining.
8. Add 1 oz. of Willamette Hops (Aroma) and boil with 5 minutes remaining.
9. Turn off heat and cool wort to 70°F.
10. Transfer wort to fermenter and add cold water to make 5 gallons.
11. Pitch yeast and ferment at 68°F (slightly colder if possible) for 7-10 days.
12. Bottle or keg with priming sugar and allow two weeks to carbonate.

Beer Making Equipment Kits

If you are making a beer kit for the first time, an equipment kit is a great and low-stress way to get all the equipment you need to make your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale. 

This Brewer's Best Equipment Kit is top of the line and comes complete for a beginner brewer.

• Equipment kit includes: 
• 6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Primary Fermenter with Grommeted Lid 
• 6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Bottling Bucket with Spigot 
• Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser 
• Auto-Siphon 
• 5 Gallon Glass Carboy 
• Plastic Paddle
• Carboy Brush
• Hydrometer
• Liquid Crystal Thermometer
• Bottle Brush
• Black Beauty Capper
• Econolock
• Drilled Bung
• Lab Thermometer
• Bottle Filler
• Siphon Hose with Shut-off Clamp
• IO-Star
• 20 qt. Brew Pot
• Equipment Instructions

Sanitizer and Spray Bottle

Good sanitation practices are absolutely fundamental to good beer making. Five Star San is the premier sanitizer you will need to make your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale beer kit. A great practice for extra protection is to have a spray bottle filled with sanitizing solution so you can re-sanitize everything that touches or goes near your beer. Sanitation is much more difficult with beer than wine because beer has a higher pH. Wine's high acidity makes bacterial infection less likely but with beer, one small mishap can cost you your batch. 

Bottles

When your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale is done, you will need bottles. This standard 12 ounce bottle is a good choice. You will need 54 for a 5 gallon batch. Bottles do not come with caps.

Carboys   

The 5 gallon carboy pictured here is the standard size for any beer kit. If you have never worked with a carboy, it is important to know they should not be moved full without a carboy handle or a carrier. 

Brew Pots

The pot pictured is an 8 gallon pot that is perfect for any beer kit or a standard 5 gallon batch. 

Wort Chillers and Thermometers

Wort Chillers and Thermometers are long term investments. It is important to chill your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale wort quickly. The quicker you chill it the stronger the cold break will be. You also need a good thermometer that reads fast temperature fluctuations.  

Siphons

Auto-siphons are a great luxury item to have in your brew equipment. Once you have one you will never go without it again. Don't forget to use a heavy duty sanitizer to clean it since you don't want to replace it as often as hoses. A good sanitizer for that job is Five Star San. 

Fermenters

The fermenter pictured here is standard for a 5 gallon beer kit.

Hoses

 Many people reuse their hoses for far too long. Replacing your hoses often or even using as single use items is highly recommended with beer making. Hoses are very hard to clean and beer is very susceptible to bacterial infection. You do not want to risk losing your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Aleover a few feet of unsanitary hose. 

Funnels

Pouring your wort into a carboy can be tricky. Use a big funnel made just for the job. They even have different mesh screens to remove particles. 

Airlocks

It is recommended to replace airlocks often. Because they never physically touch the beer, the sanitation risk is too often overlooked. Bacteria can spread without physical contact in a closed environment and plastic stubbornly harbors bacteria.   

Stoppers and Bungs 

Bungs and stoppers should also be periodically replaced. They can dry out and harbor bacteria. 

 Carboy Brush

Keeping your carboy clean before and after use is key to avoid bacterial infection in your beer. A carboy brush is a great tool to get into those nooks and crannies. 

Stainless Steel Carboy and Bottle Washer

Stainless Steel Carboy and Bottle Washer is a convenient way of cleaning your bottles and/or carboys.  This high quality tool will come in handy.  Hooks up straight to your faucet with the bottle washer adapter (#4804) and puts out plenty of pressure to clean those stubborn stains from beer bottles that have been sitting around. 

Capper

When you bottle your Counter Culture Kolsch Cream Ale, you will need to cap your bottles. This capper is inexpensive, easy to use and does not require attaching to a counter. It has a magnet to hold the cap in place.  

 DID YOU KNOW?

Cream ale first appeared in the mid-1800s at breweries in the United States, but variations in style kept it localized until the early 20th century.