Double Decoction Kolsch

It's been a hot minute since I have had the chance to brew anything.  New job and life is keeping me down.  So I had originally planned on doing this batch a month or so back but just got around to this on Memorial Day.  I wanted to basically do the same batch of Kolsch I did the previous year, but do a decoction to see if I can pull some extra flavor out of the mash and also just to do one since I have never attempted anything like that before.  I do have to say that I love the way the decoction brews up.  I got super efficiency (82%) out of my grain and the finished wort dropped super clear after chilling.  Instead of using German Tradition this time around I went for Saaz, for a better hop profile.  I repitched the same yeast used last year from Gordon Biersch.  Surprised that the yeast actually kept for that long in the fridge.  Took it a few days for it to wake up, but now its rocking in the beer.

Mash Schedule:

Initial Mash in:
- Protein Rest: 122 for 15 min (thin mash 1.5 q/lb)

1st Decoction:
- Pulled 1.25 gallons thick mash
- Sacc Rest @ 150 for 15 min
- Boiled for 15 min
- Added back to main mash

Sacc Rest in Main Mash
- 150 for 15 minutes

2nd Decoction
- Pulled 1.2 gallons thick mash
- Boiled for 15 min
- Added back to main mash

Mash Out:
- Mashed out @ 168 for 15 minutes
- Sparged as normal


Summer Kolsch

Malt:
9 lbs: Weyermann Floor Malted Pilsner
1 lb: Weyermann Munich
.5 lbs: Flaked Wheat

Hops:
2.0 oz: Saaz 5.5aa @ 60 min
.5 oz: Fuggles 4.9aa @ 5 min

Misc:
1 Whirlfloc @ 15 min

Target OG: 1.044
Target FG: 1.011
IBU: ~34

Actual OG: 1.052
Actual FG: 1.010
Apparent Attenuation: 80%

ABV: 5.6%
ABW: 4.4%

Yeast:
Weihenstephan Kolsch


Hopville Recpie

Update 6.10.2011: This one is a slow fermenter it seems.  After almost 2 weeks in primary it still has a nice thick krausen and still bubbling away, fermenting at 62 degrees.

Update 6.18.2011: Just recked over to a keg for lagering.  Beer finished around 1.010 which is nice, but being that my OG was kind of high the abv is on up there around 5.3%.  I was hoping to keep this beer around 4.4abv.  Ill check back in 4-6 weeks and see how this beer is looking.

Update 9.1.2011: Beer is drinking quite nice right now.  I plan on submitting 2 bottles of it to the Brewmasters Open, to see how it came out.