Grolsch Premium Lager

[maltedhopalong]

According to BJCP, Grolsch comes under the heading "European Light Lager" and the sub-style Scandinavian-Dutch Pilsner.

Scandinavian-Dutch Pilsner
Similar to German pilsners but with somewhat lower original
gravities, a drier flavor, and a lighter palate. The hop character in
flavor and aroma is considerably lower. Usually paler than
German pilsners. Rice or corn may be used as adjuncts.
Commercial Examples: Grolsch, Heineken, Christoffel, Brand.

http://www.bjcp.org/1997_Style.pdf


Looking to make a Grolsch clone and found this to be the only thread with relevant info: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9497 ://http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/for...showtopic=9497

Two recipes offered:

.35kg Munich
4.5kg Pilsner
Northen Brewer for bittering 24IBU from menory I think 17g 60mins
Halertau 7g for 10mins
Saaz aroma (no weight/boiltime offered)

Mash 60mins @66C
OG 1.053
21L
FG 1.010

Danish lager Yeast 2042

20% vienna malt
95% pilsner malt
5% carapils
~note: 120%

Bittered with Halleratu to 27 IBU

Danish lager Yeast 2042

And finally I'll add this relevant comment:

Here some advice from a Dutch homebrewer. The grain bill of Grolsch pils uses pilsner malt and a small amount of caramunich 120 EBC. This sounds weird, perhaps, but I have this information straight from the brewery. A pilsner/munich combination will also do the job.
The bitterness of Grolsch is 30 IBU, that is well known over here in the Netherlands. I am not sure of the hops but I don't think Northern brewer is used. I will look this up tonight (it is now (9:30 in the morning and I'm at work

So how would YOU do this recipe? In particular, I'd be interested to hear what your hops schedule would look like.
Also, how would you do this as an all extract brew? (i.e. could you replace the pilsner malt with pale malt extract
and use caramunich specialty malt?)
And for extra credit: How would you most closely recreate this in a k&k recipe?

 

[rough60]

The one below is what a mate and I made not long ago, haven't tasted it yet but FG 1.004 abouts so it should have that dryness. Extract would use morgans extra pale extract, haven't made a K&K for years and can't reminber any kit that would work.

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 kg Pilsner Malt (3.5 EBC) Grain 62.5 %
1.00 kg Pale Malt (JW) (5.0 EBC) Grain 25.0 %
0.50 kg Munich Malt (17.7 EBC) Grain 12.5 %
24.00 gm Northern Brewer [6.60%] (60 min) Hops 19.8 IBU
10.00 gm B Saaz [6.70%] (20 min) Hops 5.1 IBU
14.00 gm Mt. Hood [4.20%] (20 min) Hops 4.4 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Danish Lager (Wyeast Labs #2042) [Starter 1Yeast-Lager


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 4.00 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 10.42 L of water at 73.3 C 65.0 C 75 min


Notes:
------
Check Alpha % and adjust to get approx 27 IBUs. EBC about 8.
Use only this yeast, WLP830, or swiss lager.

 

[maltedhopalong]

So how many kilos of LDME or LME would you use to replace the 3.5kg of pils and pale malt? And is there a specialty grain that could replace/imitate the Pils malt?

 

[rough60]

I can't recomend any dry extract, never used it as the bulk of the ingredients, If you wanted liquid extract, I'd use about 3.5ks of extra pale morgans, make sure its the extra pale, and maybe a little bit of light crystal (200g).

 

[rough60]

I mean I'd drop the pale as well and just leave the munich if I added the liquid extract.
Cheers.

 

[maltedhopalong]

I mean I'd drop the pale as well and just leave the munich if I added the liquid extract.
Cheers.

Sorry, not sure if I follow... :unsure:

 

[rough60]

No prob, I wasn't real clear.
The above is an AG recipe, to make a similar extract brew I would take out the 2.5kg of pils and 1kg of pale grain, and replace it with 3kg of morgans extra light liquid malt extract. I would leave the munich grain but.
It won't be the same, but fairly similar.
Cheers.

 

[maltedhopalong]

Update: Brewed a Brewcraft Dutch Lager kit with 1kg of DME plus 250g dex and some hop additions for bitterness and aroma/taste

I have a problem though...

the malt profile is nothing like grolsch. Ok, yes I didn't add any specialty malts to try and get it there, true.

But i figured the malt profile of the kit would be pretty similar. Instead the malt profile came out the same as every other kit (lighter than a porter) that I've done. It's like an English bitter, like dark in flavour (ignoring colour). But not roasted either, just sharp and heavy. Compared to what I was looking for, smooth, even bready (well, that's how I would describe it :unsure: ) and sweet.

I better point out at this point, the OG was 1042 and this observation comes from a tasting of the wort at 1025 so it's not finished yet, but I don't think it's going to get any smoother, sweeter or even breadier from here.

Surely there must be some difference in the flavour of malt used in kits from one style to another...??? Surely if a company puts out two different kits that happen to have the same EBC and IBU attributes they wouldn't be the same thing???? SURELY THIS IS MY FAULT????

 

[rough60]

Tried my above recipe on the weekend, it was a nice beer but a bit off a grolsh, just slightly darker and i would reduce the bittering addition and increase flavour and aroma to get the same IBU.