Kellerbier Recipe Help

[voota]

I'm trying to take advantage of this cool weather and clone a traditional Franconian kellerbier, information on the internet about brewing this style is pretty scarce. Has anyone given it a go? I've seen one in Kooks 'on tap' list, surely he's not the only one...

At the moment I've only got a very loose idea about what its going to take to reproduce one of my favorite styles of beer. The grain bill, as far as I can gather will be around 70/30 weyermann pilsener/weyermann light munich... Aiming for about 5.5%abv. I also want the hops to be pretty strong, and I plan to use only Hallertau Herbrucker, can anyone shed any light on addition times, weights, mash hopping perhaps (not traditional as far as I can gather)?
Probably not going to worry too much about water treatment unless I can be convinced otherwise.
Yeast... Bavarian Lager?.. or any of the other 3 Bavarian yeast available?
Other stuff I'll be interested to hear about, mash temps, fermentation temps, addition of oak, other ideas?

Thanks

 

[kook]

I used 62.5% Pils, 25% Vienna and 12.5% Light Munich. Then ~ 30 IBU worth of Hallertau at 60 mins, and around 1g/L at 10 and 0 minutes.

Mine is nowhere near as hoppy as I'd like. Infact, if anything it's more like a malty helles. When I brew it again, I'll keep the same grist but will find a higher alpha hop, and use a lot more of it for flavour and aroma.

I was originally planning on using DME in the keg, but ended up force carbonating (got lazy).

I used Munich Lager rather than Bavarian, and it seemed to work well. I wouldn't bother adding oak. In most cases where it is served or stored in wood the barrels are pitch lined.

 

[Tony]

http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/Kellerbier.html

you may have already seen this

cheers

 

[Trent]

In germany when I was there at xmas, the only kellerbiers I could get tasted like megalagers. When I went on a brewery tour, I discovered that they use their regular megalager, and blend in 10 to 15 percent of their hefe weizen to give it a cloudy appearance. Whatever you make will doubtless taste better than this beer does in bottles, and nobody I met had ever heard of it being available in casks, as the BYO article had suggested it was. There was a recipe IIRC in the BYO edition, maybe have a look on their website?
All the best
Trent

 

[kook]

Where (in Germany) was this Trent?

I found it available in casks a few times in Bamberg. Usually on draught though. It certainly didn't taste like there was any wheat in it, and it was usually clear (not cloudy).

 

[voota]

The stuff is everywhere in the towns surrounding Bamberg, more often than not I found it to be cloudy. Not sure about the wheat thing, doesn't taste very wheaty to me.

 

[voota]

As this topic falls towards the abyss... I'd like to thank everyone for their input.
Just as I'm about to fire this one up, the weather forecast comes in for a 20deg Friday. Anyway, next week I'll be brewing one with my original malt bill, a Munich lager yeast, 40gm Hallertau 60mins, 40gm at 20mins, 30gm at 5... I think that should be enough to satisfy the hoppiness requirement.

I'll try and remember to update the thread on how it turns out.

 

[Zwickel]

In germany when I was there at xmas, the only kellerbiers I could get tasted like megalagers.

What a pity, youve missed a great chance to try out one of our most popular beers.

When I went on a brewery tour, I discovered that they use their regular megalager, and blend in 10 to 15 percent of their hefe weizen to give it a cloudy appearance.

Im really doubting about that, since its not allowed under the German purity law, would like to know what brewery has done it, anyway, this would be deadly for a German brewery.

Whatever you make will doubtless taste better than this beer does in bottles, and nobody I met had ever heard of it being available in casks, as the BYO article had suggested it was.

hmmm....Trent, Id like you to come over to my place next time when youre in Germany, you are most welcome to spend a few days at my place and then we will do a beer safari
If youre going to drink only one glass of beer of each brand well find, youll need a very long holliday stay.

Prost Trent :beer:

 

[voota]

Well its been almost 2 months in conditioning now and the kegs about half full, this turned out excellent... my best lager effort but a long way, the hops are strong and fresh, sweetness is perfect, maybe a tiny bit more diacetyl than I'd hoped, but it's dangerously drinkable.

Drinking out of my pewter mug, with it pouring rain outside, its almost bringing back Franconian memories.