Huell Melon Lager

[Bruer]

HeyAll,

Summer is coming up, so i was thinking about putting down a lager. I was thinking of using some of those new interesting hops - Huell Melon. I hear they can give strawberry, stonefruits and melon - summery fruit. While not in the recipe i might even dry hop. Has anyone had any success with Huell melon in lager?

I've made the recipe with a fair bit of rice to give it a good snappy finish, with some carabohemian to give a bit of body and melanoidan malt to give a bit of a decoction impression (cheating i know) and a little wheat to improve the head. The water profile is for a German Pils from my RO water, aiming for a mash pH of 5.2.

Here's the recipe:

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: International Pale Lager
Boil Time: 75 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 32 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.036
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.007
ABV (standard): 5.53%
IBU (tinseth): 20.96
SRM (morey): 5.29

FERMENTABLES:
4.3 kg - German - Pilsner (86%)
400 g - Rice Syrup Solids (8%)
100 g - German - CaraBohemian (2%)
100 g - German - Pale Wheat (2%)
100 g - German - Melanoidin (2%)

HOPS:
10 g - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.7, Use: Boil for 75 min, IBU: 19.28
5 g - Huell Melon, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.2, Use: Aroma for 5 min, IBU: 0.9
5 g - Huell Melon, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.2, Use: Whirlpool for 5 min at 85 °C, IBU: 0.78

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 66 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 16 L
2) Sparge, Temp: 75 C, Time: 10 min, Amount: 23 L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.5 each - Whirfloc, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - Saflager - German Lager Yeast W-34/70
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 83%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 8.89 - 22.22 C
Fermentation Temp: 15 C
Pitch Rate: 1.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: American Pilsner
Ca2: 59
Mg2: 8
Na: 0
Cl: 63
SO4: 89
HCO3: 0
Water Notes:
39.3L total RO water volume.
16L mash
23L sparge

Add 5g gypsum
Add 1.5g Epsom salts
Add 4.5g CaCl

Add 2.13ml of lactic acid 88% to mash water.

 

[wereprawn]

I made a faux lager with them a few months ago. Was a very nice beer but lacked any of the flavour /aroma descriptors . Cutting back on the Magnum and going big ,late with the Huell Melon might give a better show with this one.Very mild.

Edit- one l in melon ,doh!

 

[Blind Dog]

I wouldn't bother. I picked up 300g for some reason, used all of it in 2 blonde ales and got nary a whiff of anything interesting. The first used 50g in total and the 2nd used the rest, mainly in the cube. Nothing. No melon, no strawberry, no fruit of any description in either taste or aroma. Really bland.

That said, I have made a very acceptable saison using a bit of Amarillo at 30 minutes, and 100g of Huell melon in the cube, so maybe it needs to have a base to build from to be noticeable?

 

[Yob]

I have **** all experience with Lagers but Ive done several APA's with Melon and was bloody great..

from memory, Magnum Bittering and ~200g cubed + a keg hop, came through in spades... been hoping I can replicate soon for summer quaffers, it isnt a strong hop, but that doesnt mean it doesnt have inpact.. personally I quite like the gentle nature of it, its different to what I usually produce as far as APA and IPA go and the subtle nature is welcome (particularly to SWMBO) as an alternative to the regular face stomping APA/IPA that usually rule the taps

2.75 Ha'peny