Wyeast's classic Kölsch yeast combines the clean character of a lager with notes of fruitiness usually reserved for ales. A wide temperature range that borders on the cool side ensures this yeast will be sufficiently active at low temperatures, enabling it to produce beers with a lager-like cleanliness when fermented on the low end. However, ale characteristics are preserved on the warm end, with little to no diacetyl produced under standard fermentation conditions. This yeast has been described as "powdery" and, as a low flocculator, will require an extended clarity rest or other clarification practices, such as fining or filtration, to produce clear beers. That being said, this yeast produces extremely fine examples of its namesake style, as well as many other German and American ale styles.
| Brand | Wyeast |
| Beer Styles | Rye Beer, American Wheat, Berliner Weisse, Biere de Garde, Cream Ale, Dusseldorf Altbier, Fruit Beer, Spice/Herb or Vegetable Beer, Kolsch, Northern German Altbier |
| Alcohol Tolerance | 10% ABV |
| Attenuation | 73-77% |
| Flocculation | Low |
| Cell Count | 100 Billion |
| Temperature Range | 56-70 F |