First Lager + Crystal Worried

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Gout

Bentleigh Brau Haus
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Ferntree Gully - Melbourne
hi all,
last night i though i better lay a lager down
- to use up some kits
- nothing better to do
- try crystal
- and i am very short of beer (aged for x-mas / summer)

anyway

its a coopers lager kit (1.7Kg)
coopers light LME (1.5Kg i think)
half a handfull of hallertau hop pellets 20 min boil

50g caraamber crystal
40g carapils

Wyeast munich lager

I steeped the grain in ~50-60 deg water for 25min, then pored this liquid off, added more water for 5min and this all went into the boil + hops and LME. Boiled for 20-25 min, and added the Lager kit 5 min before the end of boil

Got good hot break, and then cooled it (good cold break)

The water was filtered (and i knocked it spilling water everywhere - i learnt some new words)

and airated for about 1 hour


this all went to 20Lt total volume and out to the shed. I then had to try and cool it, i used water and ice and over 1 day its now at 13deg.

Is this ok for this yeast?
48deg - 56deg F ??

Now i am worried can cara pils be steeped? (reading a book it made it sound like it needs a mash???

Is this to much Crystal?


Also the Gravity was 1070.... took it again 12hrs later and its 1072(at about 11deg)

this sounds crazy, maybe the sugars are on the bottom of the fermentor?




comments?
 
ben
i calculate that at 1.052 in 20 l.
if you shook it to airate it you would think you would get a good reading.

anyway thats not too much crystal.
you can used up to and around $250 cara pils if you want for a german lager.
 
Ben

Answers to Questions.

Crystal Malt should usually be steeped.
Light crystal can be steeped or mashed.
Carapils - dont know- when you post questions about crystal include their category eg carapils 90-120 - refering to the roast.
It's late and i cant remember the corect term.
But the higher the temp and the longer it is roasted for - the darker it is and therefore, mashing doesn't do anything for it and steeping is better.

The malt should give extra body, make it slighter darker and give the lager a better, thicker head.

I dont think this is too much crystal.

When you take Gravity readings, the higher the temp the lower the gravity. eg 1040 at 30 degrees = 1050 at 20 degrees (approx).

There is a formulae that compensates for the difference in temp between the SG and FG readings.

13 degrees is ok for this yeast...but leave for 10 days in primary and do a diacetyl rest for the next 2 days.

Then rack.
As you added some malt - might pay to Dry Hop in the secondary to aid balance.
I would use 50 gms of Hellertae, Cascade, Saaz (stela now uses Saaz instead of POR) or POR. :D

Hope this helps
 
I was going to dry hop with hallertau half a handfull in the hot water in a mug trick as per every brew i do these days for aroma / flavour


The Carapils is 3-5 colour thats about all i know... bit worried it may be mostly proten in the beer?

will know in about 2 months
 
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