To Lager Or Not To Lager, That Is The Question

[fergiej]

I would like to try brewing my first lager, I have heard this could be frustrating to get right.:wacko:

What experiences with brewing lagers have you had?

What special equipment will I need (to keep brew cool)?

Anyone got any good lager recipes?

 

[GMK]

I have an excelent Munich Heles - pilsner recipee if you are intested...

Came first in 2001 ACT State Championships.

 

[fergiej]

Ken,

Thanks for the reply, I did try and send you an e-mail (don't know if it got to you?). I would be interested in your recipe.

I have read some horror stories about lagers and was hoping to get as much info before I put one down.

Thanks


Jay

 

[RegBadgery]

My first two lagers (half sized batches) are currently in the brew fridge (an old bung fridge kept cool using ice blocks). One is in the freezer compartment while the other is in the main fridge - maintaining a steady 10-11 degrees.

Both use a sachet of saflager s23 - rehydrated then gradually cooled to wort temp (through addition of small amounts of wort).

I'm planning a 2-3 week primary fermentation, then a diacetyl rest, bottling, cooling back to fermentation temp to carbonate then cooling to 0-3 degrees to lager for a month or so.

It's quite an extended turnaround time compared to ales and I'm looking forward to evaluating the results.

cheers
reg

 

[GMK]

Hi Fergiej,

I did not receive your e-mail.

Here is the recipee... Have Fun.

Munich Helles 3rd place with a score of 120 at ACT State Championships.

Made in Mar this year- 2001. This is one of the easiest, cheapest and best summer drinking lagers you can make.

Equipment:
Morgans Saaz Golden Pilsner
250 gms of Corn Syrup (optional)
1 kg of Dextrose
1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient
Half a handful of Saaz Pellets for Dry Hopping.
Saflager S23 Yeast or S189 yeast (probably better)

Method:
Add all ingredients except for hops into a sterilised fermenter with 3 litres of boiling water.
Stir vigorously adding yeast nutrient then add cold water to 20 litres.
Make a yeast starter with yeast.
After 10 mins, pitch yeast starter into fermenter after checking that yeast is multiplying and OK.
Rack after 12 days dry hop with Saaz pellets heated with just boiled water for a couple of mins prior to pitching into fermenter dont mix/stir in.
Let stand in the fridge for a further 10 days ( as in Lagering) and then bottle.
I bottle with the beer still cold within half an hour after taking the fermenter out of the fridge.
I find this helps greatly to reduce the cloudiness of the finished beer and keeps the frothing down during bottling. Prime as per normal with castor sugar

Note: it takes longer to bottle condition as in to get enough gas into the beer because the beer is cold when bottled.

Ready for drinking by week 3 or4 - better at 2 and excellent balance and flavour at 3 months old.
This Beer has good flavour, a nice tang from the Saaz hops and is very well rounded. Very good for summer drinking.

 

[fergiej]

Thanks Ken,

That sounds exactly what I was looking for, I will be trying this in the next month and will post my results.


Jayson

 

[GMK]

Fergiej,

I will be looking forward to the feedback....

 

[Doc]

I'm going to start using some real lager yeasts this winter.
I recently got hold of a vial of White Labs - Old Bavarian Lager Yeast and will be giving it a good solid work out on my lagers over winter.
I'm hoping I'll be able to keep my fermenters cool enough, so I can use my backup fridge for lagering my beers in my kegs.
Should be some good experimenting going on

Cheers,
Doc

 

[PMyers]

I recently got hold of a vial of White Labs - Old Bavarian Lager Yeast and will be giving it a good solid work out on my lagers over winter.

A recently made a bock using this yeast. Bloody marvelous - when they say it accentuates the malt character, they aren't kidding.

Cheers,
Pete

:chug:

 

[Doc]

Good to hear that about this yeast Pete.
Started culturing it up tonight.
Will probably put down a kit brew with it later in the week and bottle the rest for future starters.
It is starting to get colder, just perfect for a lager yeast.

Cheers,
Doc

 

[Doc]

Racked my AG Marzen-Oktoberfest tonight and had a little taste.
yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
That WLP920 Old Bavarian Lager Yeast gives off some funky smells in the lager fridge but boy does the beer taste good.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Pete of Meat]

Just finished my first attempt at boiling. It's a lager, but I don't have a fridge or ice box to maintain a constant temperature. Hoping to take advantage of the cold weather. Will a natural rise and fall in temperatures affect the fermentation?

 

[PostModern]

Just finished my first attempt at boiling. It's a lager, but I don't have a fridge or ice box to maintain a constant temperature. Hoping to take advantage of the cold weather. Will a natural rise and fall in temperatures affect the fermentation?

Pete, that avatar grosses me out

What yeast are you using for your lager?

 

[Pete of Meat]

Using Saflager S-23. It's the last packet of the only sort at the shop. I rehydrated it to be sure.

Re: the avatar. If you squint really hard, it looks a little like Elvis.

 

[Jazman]

i have tried that yeast and are not keen on it but i prefer a liquid yeast im about to do baviaran lager using the following.

one can of coopers baviaran lager ; wyeast baviaran lager yeast; 1.5 kgs of pilsner malt;1.5 kilo of munich malt:30 grams of halletua hops for the boil and 30 grms of the sam for aroma in the last 5 mins and irish moss finings so i wil let u know how it goes my first partial mash.

 

[GMK]

Jazman

Only my ideas...i have done a very close recipee to the one you are doing now.

Recipee sounds good.

How long are you going to mash for ?
i usually mash for 90mins - starting temp approx 68 degrees.
I dough in at approx 75 degrees because you loose heat ..this should give approx 68 degrees for 90mins.

Are you going to rack to a secondary and dry hop?
Saaz for dry hopping would go nicely...

 

[Jazman]

i Was going to mash for 90 mins stiil got to get a big stock pot and thermometer . not to sure how long to boil for .
since being a lager i may skim the krausen then rack to the jerry can and lager for a month or couple of weeks and bulk prime. I will stick to the one hop style until im familar with the hop flavours and aromas .
Also i want mainly use saaz for my nexy beer a czech pilsner any one got a recipe for a czech Pilsner urquell clone.
Dont forget i have been a kit and bag brewer for six years and didnt use any yeasts other than the kit ( used to use brewcraft)i took up brewing again 6 month ago.

 

[GMK]

Jazman

The brewcraft Pilsner Urquell recipee/kit mix is good.
Use Safale S23 yeast.

Alternatively, i think Grumpys do one.
I have not tried it, but going on the quality and consistency of there other kits...it should be allright.

 

[Jazman]

i have done the brewcraft one and it is good i amy ask grumoys for recipe or jovial monk. since ken you are the recipe king you have a partial mash recipe for bock style lager

 

[GMK]

Bock Recipee.

When i was in adelaide - ibought everything needed to make up grumpys Bock recipee on their site.

Haven't done it yet...though.

I thought the recipee looked very good.