Homebrew Summer: The Kölsch

They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but this is the second year that Lightning Brewery owner and Brewmaster Jim Crute (pictured above, at left) has taken local homebrewers under his wing to bring one of their amateur creations to life on a professional scale as part of our Homebrew Summer program. This time around, it’s Luis Bojorquez and Roxy Garcia that spent a day at Crute’s Poway brewery, summoning to life their lagered ale, which they so directly refer to as “The Kölsch“. That beer is currently on tap at Lightning’s tasting room, and the recipe for it is ready for you to download right here!

Luis Bojorquez
Homebrewer

This recipe has been with me for a few years. It was the first style I decided to brew, stepping away from the more popular American pale ales, stouts, IPAs and the like. I’ve been tinkering with it for the better part of a decade, with varying results. Now that it’s been chosen for a larger-scale brew, it’s incredibly exciting but also a little nerve-wracking to hand my recipe over to a pro brewer with tons of experience and awards. Working with Jim made me realize that sometimes less is best. Lately, my recipe had evolved in ways that might not have even been necessary. The takeaway? Keep it simple! The whole experience was invaluable, and helped me reevaluate my process and approach to my own recipe.

New homebrew recipes and pro-am beer release information will be posted to our site throughout the summer, so check back with San Diego Beer News on a regular basis (or subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter and we’ll send all the recipes and release information straight to your inbox). Cheers and happy homebrewing!

Lightning Brewery is located at 13200 Kirkham Way in Poway