French Lager Recipe

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chovain

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I picked up a Tardif de Bourgogne rhizome this year, and I know it's a long way off, and that I am counting my hop cones before they flower, but I wanted to find a killer recipe for my Tardif for winter '08. I can find very little information on this cultivar, and little information about "French-style" lagers.

There's quite a bit of detailed info on the chemical composition of Tardif here: http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/perso...chem/21169.html. Based on the composition, it seems it should behave pretty similarly to Strisselspalt (if you ignore the freaky 1991 batch, which is bound to be a typo).

I figure I'm going to be using the Tardif as an aromatic, and I'll primarily be using Pilsener malt. Does anyone have any thoughts on what kind of body I should be going for if I want to do a "French"? What bittering hops would work? Should I be boiling or dry-hopping the Tardif?

Does anyone have any killer lager recipes from last year's crop?
 
You might prefer a Biere de garde to a French lager.

Kronenbourg 1664 is a lager from France, and is much like any Euro-pils.

That's all I have for you atm

Les out :p
 
I don't think there's exactly a different French lager style, but the closest is really Biere de Garde which is a French style, sometimes brewed as a lager, sometimes an ale, malty, with some Strisselspalt/Hallertau hops usually used sparingly for flavour and aroma. Have a look at my recipe in the recipe database for a starting point to that. Or a Biere de Mars which is similar, usually a bit less malty, more hops. More info on that style in the BJCP style guides, click here. :D If you want to go this way, use some Munich/Vienna and some caramunich is nice. Bittering hops would ideally be Brewers Gold, Fuggles is another suggestion you're more like to find, or something low alpha like Hallertau or EKG. If you're really interested in this style (and saisons) have a read of Farmhouse Ales.

But those hops would be nice for a number of beers. You could do a German pils recipe, but sub the Tardif for the flavour and aroma hops in the recipe you use.
 
Aside from Kronenburg, which as said is kind of like any Euro 'premium' lager, the French do a lot of mass lagers, very popular with ferry loads of Poms trotting over to warehouses for cheap booze. Often available in throwdown size, 250ml...
They are nothing special.
I would follow suggestions from earlier posts, go the farmhouse etc. route, or else do a nice pilsner/pale lager and sub in your hop.
If you really want one then I would go pilsner malt with more carapils than you would think necessary, to add a sweetness, and then use your hop.
 
Thanks heaps for the suggestions! I think I'll go with something similar to Stuster's "The Guardian", but will probably drop the Melanoidin, Amber and sugar, and pump up the Cara. I'll report back if/when I've given it a shot! She's looking healthy at the moment - hopefully it'll translate to a good harvest.
 

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