Best way to brew lager?

dashcamdanny

So im ready for the next step.

I have temperature control and have my keggles dialed into beersmith fairly well.
Would like to do my favorite beer at the moment.

Prima Pils. At over 3 euro for a small 330ml bottle, its worth a try.
http://beerrecipes.org/showrecipe.php?recipeid=10840

Im sure everything up to the fermenter is the same technique as ale, but what temperature steps should I use for fermenting.

oblivious

This is how I have been brewing my lagers http://oblivioustobeer.blogspot.ie/2016/03/review-blue-bolix-malt-mill.html

In short cool the wort to 2c below your fermentation temp (9-11c) dependent on yeast strain. Ferment for 4 days at this cool temp and then ramp up the temp 2 c per 24 hours till 17-19c. Hold for 4 days and then crash cool to 1-0c, transfer to secondary or corny keg and lager


Remember you will need roughly to pitch double the quantity of yeast for a lager than a ale

dashcamdanny

I am not set up for making starters yet, although I do have the parts to make a stir plate coming from china. In the absence of a starter, would it be good to just throw in two packs of dried yeast? Or would you recommend waiting for the ability to make starters?

oblivious

dashcamdanny wrote: »

I am not set up for making starters yet, although I do have the parts to make a stir plate coming from china. In the absence of a starter, would it be good to just throw in two packs of dried yeast? Or would you recommend waiting for the ability to make starters?

Two packets of dry lager yeast (11grams) for gravity up to 1.054 will be great.

Best to hydrate the yeast in a little water first

dashcamdanny

Thanks for the tips. Very much appreciated.

lordstilton

saflager 34/70 dry yeast produces good results. Use two packs and your grand.

dashcamdanny

I am reading another recipe that i'm thinking of doing instead.
Its in Greg Hughes Home Brew beer book.

5kg of Bohemian Pilsner malt
70g saaz at start
30g saaz at end.
It looks fairly simple..

But

It requires decoction mashing.

Just youtubed it. Wow. Going to give this a lash with my cooler. But im going to have to use my kitchen stove as I don't think my keggle will boil the separated grain as it wont reach the elements.

Would a 3L pot be able for it? Has anyone done this before?

lordstilton

Decoction is not for the faint hearted.. It's a long brew day with lots of stiring.. If you have beer Smith there is a decoction tool which tells you how much to pull from the mash to step up.. Alot of people say you'll get the same result using some melanoidin malt some say you can't replicate with malt.. Ive done it once and it was painful.. If it's your first lager I personally wouldnt decoct.. You want to get your fermentation process down first before adding complications

dashcamdanny

I does look very interesting all the same.

A single decoction .. I would have to batch sparge with only 12L though as I dont fly sparge.

oblivious

dashcamdanny wrote: »

I does look very interesting all the same.

A single decoction .. I would have to batch sparge with only 12L though as I dont fly sparge.

There is a Czech version that does the decoction at the end of the mash. really a fancy mash out but with the decoction benefits. I will try to dig it out

oblivious

lordstilton wrote: »

saflager 34/70 dry yeast produces good results. Use two packs and your grand.

Savage yeast that , lovely stuff

oblivious

dashcamdanny wrote: »

It requires decoction mashing.

Just youtubed it. Wow. Going to give this a lash with my cooler. But im going to have to use my kitchen stove as I don't think my keggle will boil the separated grain as it wont reach the elements.

You don't have to do a decoction mash , some melanoidin malt (1-3%) can add some of the effects of decoction mash

dashcamdanny wrote: »

Would a 3L pot be able for it? Has anyone done this before?

No unfortunately no

fobster

oblivious wrote: »

You don't have to do a decoction mash , some melanoidin malt (1-3%) can add some of the effects of decoction mash

Love the smell of melanoidin malt!

dashcamdanny

Got a 20l pot and have the day off tomorrow.

Im going to do a 2 stage decoction mash for the craic.

5 kg pilsner
and 100g of saaz to play with.

Was thinking of splitting bittering with a bit of Tettnang/Saaz as I can keep more saaz for later additions and make my 100g spread out a bit more.
Hate wasting hop I paid for on bittering as I cant really taste the difference in early additions.


20g home grown Tettnang 60mins
50g saaz 60mins

50g saaz turn off.

coming in at 26 IBUs

How do you guy think this would taste?