Taking The Next Step, Various Questions

[jkeysers]

As I mentioned in a post a week or so ago, i'm going to attempt my first lager, probably this weekend.
Just received some good Saflager yeast and hops plugs in the mail, and was thinking of boiling some hops (first time boiling hops, only ever dry hopped) and adding it to this lager. I'm still doing K&K type brews, nothing fancy, at this stage it looks like i'll do a toucan Mexican Cerveza and Farmland Lager.

I was thinking I would boil the kits in 3 litres of water, with 1 plug for about 10 minutes, then add another plug at flameout (will this be enough hops?) and let the whole lot cool for a while. After that what happens? Do I strain the hops out before I put it into the primary? Pour them into the primary? Or is this part optional (ie. can I do either)?

Also, I think I read somewhere not to dry hop a lager, but I can't find much info on this. Can anyone say why I shouldnt do this? Will it be OK if I add say just one plug to the secondary, or should I not dry hop a lager whatsoever?

:beerbang:

 

[Thirsty Boy]

G'day Chicken.

I will preface this with a disclaimer. I'm not an experienced K&K man so my info might be contradicted by someone who knows better.

It sort of depends on what you want from your lager... if you want one with a bit more hop flavour and aroma, but not really anymore bitterness then your plan sounds about right. Boil a plug for 10-15 mins then add another one at flame out. let it cool. strain them out before you drop them into the fermentor. It wouldn't be a tradgedy if they went into the fermentor, but they also wouldn't do much good, so you might as well take them out while its easy.

I'm speculating here so if it doesn't sound right please ignore me. But I would maybe only add one of your two cans of extract during the bulk of the boil, add the other one right at the end. Boiling a can of Kit extract really can only serve to drive off any hop flavour and aroma that was already in there.

You could try just boiling the hops in plain water and putting both kits in right at the end... but some people think that boiling hops in plain water extracts grassy vegetal flavours... so its probably safer to have some of the malt extract in the water to avoid the problem altogether. 1/2 a can, a whole can... whatever you find easier.

If you want more bitterness, then you will need to boil the hops for a bit longer... maybe 30-40 mins, which will give you a compromise between bitterness and flavour, and then still add one plug at flame out for aroma.

Dry hopping... not usual for a lager. Its not unheard of.. but it would be fairly unusual. Maybe dont do it this time, but then try it next time and see which one you like better. Its your beer afer all.

I will finish with something that you probably already know... temperature control! Its a lager... make sure it stays below 12 degreesC.. thats going to make a hell of a lot more difference than anything you do with a couple of plugs of hops.

Good luck with your lager. I'm sure it will turn out great. Enjoy

Thirsty

 

[blackbock]

My preference with lagers is to use a small quantity of plain old water with the hops, but only boil for about 2 minutes. This always seems to extract the nice aroma I want without too much "grassiness". Of course this will only work well with nice-smelling hops, don't do it with POR!

 

[mika]

Straining hops out os optional, they mostly get left behind in the trub at the bottom of the fermenter, even better if you rack to a second container before bottling/kegging.
I'd tend to go with the hops in some malt extract then add straight to the fermentor. I'm a fan of boiling kits, but lagers are really light so you don't want to darken them, I'd give it a miss this time round.

With beer brewing you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want....want to dry hop a lager...go for it. Want to add 50g of cascade to a pilsner, idulge yourself....just don't expect to win too many awards

I suspect the reason you don't want to dry hop a lager is they're looking for clarity and the small bits of hops left in suspension may cause it to be a little less clear.

 

[jkeysers]

It sort of depends on what you want from your lager... if you want one with a bit more hop flavour and aroma, but not really anymore bitterness then your plan sounds about right.

This is exactly what I want.

I'm speculating here so if it doesn't sound right please ignore me. But I would maybe only add one of your two cans of extract during the bulk of the boil, add the other one right at the end. Boiling a can of Kit extract really can only serve to drive off any hop flavour and aroma that was already in there.

I had considered this, but wasnt sure what to do. I thought the short boild wouldn't drive off too much of the hops from the kits, but I may be wrong.

You could try just boiling the hops in plain water and putting both kits in right at the end... but some people think that boiling hops in plain water extracts grassy vegetal flavours...

I was worried about this, so yeah, maybe i'll just add half a can or something.

If you want more bitterness, then you will need to boil the hops for a bit longer... maybe 30-40 mins, which will give you a compromise between bitterness and flavour, and then still add one plug at flame out for aroma.

I don't really want to add bitterness. I find that the toucans usually get the bitternes about right for the type of beer you are going for. I really just want a bit of a hoppy taste and some aroma. I thought adding hops at 15 minutes and flameout would be about right for that, but wasn't sure. I also wasn't sure of the amounts I should be adding, will 2 plugs have much of an effect?

Dry hopping... not usual for a lager. Its not unheard of.. but it would be fairly unusual.

I had read that people don't do it, but there isn't much mention of why not. I do like the hop smell & taste, but don't wanna overdo it. Which is why I thought I might get away with adding just one plug?? Not srue what to do now...

Good luck with your lager. I'm sure it will turn out great. Enjoy

Cheers mate. Thanks for your advice.

 

[jkeysers]

My preference with lagers is to use a small quantity of plain old water with the hops, but only boil for about 2 minutes. This always seems to extract the nice aroma I want without too much "grassiness". Of course this will only work well with nice-smelling hops, don't do it with POR!

I don't have POR, so it wont be that! It will probly be some Glacier, and maybe some Hallertau too. Not sure yet.

I love the hops aroma, but I also want to get some hops flavour as well. Not bitterness, just flavour. Will 2 minutes be long enough to get a mild hoppy flavour going?

 

[jkeysers]

Straining hops out os optional, they mostly get left behind in the trub at the bottom of the fermenter, even better if you rack to a second container before bottling/kegging.

Thats what I sorta thought, which is why I was considering leaving them in, for a bit of extra flavour/aroma. My only concern was that they would block my tap when I tried to rack it to the secondary.

I'd tend to go with the hops in some malt extract then add straight to the fermentor. I'm a fan of boiling kits, but lagers are really light so you don't want to darken them, I'd give it a miss this time round.

I think what I might do is just boil the hops with half of one of the cans, and add it that way. I'll keep the boil short too, hopefully that keeps the brew lightish in colour.

With beer brewing you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want....want to dry hop a lager...go for it. Want to add 50g of cascade to a pilsner, idulge yourself....just don't expect to win too many awards

It's not that I reallay WANT to do it, i'm just uncertain as to why people don't. Like I mentioned, I just love that hoppy smell/taste, so I thought if I could add just a little dry hops, it might be OK. Might leave it now though...

I suspect the reason you don't want to dry hop a lager is they're looking for clarity and the small bits of hops left in suspension may cause it to be a little less clear.

I do rack to a secondary, so that's not an issue. Plus I have a SS tea ball, so I shouldn't have an issue with little green floaties. It will be a taste issue if anything.

 

[Tyred]

I don't have POR, so it wont be that! It will probly be some Glacier, and maybe some Hallertau too. Not sure yet.

I love the hops aroma, but I also want to get some hops flavour as well. Not bitterness, just flavour. Will 2 minutes be long enough to get a mild hoppy flavour going?

For flavour you would be looking at about 10 minutes. 2 minutes would give you aroma.

 

[jkeysers]

Cool. 10 minutes it is then.

Actually, I think I will put one plug in at 15 minutes, one at 8 minutes and one at flameout. Should give me plenty of flavour and aroma and saves me having to break the "Don't dry hop a lager" rule.

 

[Enerjex]

try that this time, make sure you take detailed notes on what you do, and for the next one try something slightly different, maybe even dry hop it or try a different hop for flavour and aroma, then see what difference it makes.