Partial Lager

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paulmclaren11

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Fellow brewers,

I have a tin of Coopers Euro Lager sitting in the brew cupboard and want to use it up. I haven't done a kit in ages since taking up BIAB :beerbang: .
So to help get something decent, I am wanting to do a partial mash with some left over Pilsner malt and I am looking for any improvements to this recipe:

Partial Lager (German Pilsner (Pils))

Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 (P): 11.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (P): 3.1
Alcohol (ABV): 4.52 %
Colour (SRM): 4.9 (EBC): 9.7
Bitterness (IBU): 25 (Average)

1.7kg Coopers Euro Lager Liquid Malt Extract
1.3kg Pilsner
400g Munich I (could be subbed with Vienna?)
175g Carapils (Dextrine)

15g Saaz (3.6% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
20g Saaz (3.6% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)

0.0 g/L Whirlfloc Tablet @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 10C with Saflager W-34/70

Recipe Generated with BrewMate

Thoughts/improvements?

Cheers.
 
Mini- mash is a great way to trick up a tin of extract and BIAB has made it so much more achievable for beginners. Some of my most memorable beers have been partials like this too, it really opens the door to fantastic brewing beers at home.
Personally I wouldn't tear the fork out of the hops in most European lagers, however that tin might benefit from small late hops additions like you've done. WRT Munich malt in that beer, 400g isn't really that much but should at least reinforce the malt character. I'm more inclined to minimise the number of ingredients if at all possible, it gets too hard to get your head around what each one does, bear in mind that the mash itself should really improve the beer out of sight. I'd mash lower than 66C though, IIRC that tin seems to be mashed a bit higher and leaves a moderately sweet beer, you want some crisp dryness in a Pils so mash low and long.
Hope its a cracker, good luck! :icon_cheers:
 
To lighten the body but still get plenty of grainy goodness, I'd seriously consider upping the base malt to 1.5k and instead of the Munich, mash with .5k polenta boiled to a mush and allowed to cool to mash temp - A lot of Non reinheitsgebot Euro lagers such as Dutch, Belgian and Austrian use maize or rice to good effect.

Tickle it up with just a few aroma hops.

I did that with a tin of Cerveza I'd been given a couple of years ago and it turned out almost like "why do I bother with AG if I can make stuff like this" sort of beer. :p
 
Mini- mash is a great way to trick up a tin of extract and BIAB has made it so much more achievable for beginners. Some of my most memorable beers have been partials like this too, it really opens the door to fantastic brewing beers at home.
Personally I wouldn't tear the fork out of the hops in most European lagers, however that tin might benefit from small late hops additions like you've done. WRT Munich malt in that beer, 400g isn't really that much but should at least reinforce the malt character. I'm more inclined to minimise the number of ingredients if at all possible, it gets too hard to get your head around what each one does, bear in mind that the mash itself should really improve the beer out of sight. I'd mash lower than 66C though, IIRC that tin seems to be mashed a bit higher and leaves a moderately sweet beer, you want some crisp dryness in a Pils so mash low and long.
Hope its a cracker, good luck! :icon_cheers:

Thanks for the tips, so a Mash temp of say 63 degrees for 90 mins would be better?

I can up the Munich too?

Cheers.
 
You could do, but I wouldn't bother- Munich is one of those grains that can easily get lost in the malt character, many times I used it and wondered why I bothered, common exceptions being Munich Dunkel and Schwartzbier with loads of it (i.e. the majority of the grain bill). Unless you're using it to make up the base malt bill, perhaps just drop it and replace with base malt and see how you go. Alternatively, Bribie's suggestion has merit too.
Oh, yes, 63C is fine for 90 minutes, go for it!
 
Thanks much appreciated, I am using it to make up the base malt due to left over Pils malt. Anyways, I will give it a crack it's all learning and I am certain it will be better than the tin itself which when I did it ages ago was lacking a lot of flavour.

Cheers :beer:
 

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