Wanted: A simple lager recipe

[JamesF]

Whilst I have been brewing for over twenty years and most of that time has been all-grain, I've never managed to produce a lager that I've been happy with, either from kit or all-grain.

However, I now have lots of shiny kit and a fermentation cabinet so in theory I should stand a better chance now than has been possible before.

So... would anyone like to recommend a recipe that I should have a go at? I'd prefer all-grain but at this point I don't feel it's sensible to be too fussy, so I'll consider extract or even a kit if that's considered more appropriate. I'm not looking for anything special or unusual here. Just a simple lager that I can try out and hopefully produce something I wouldn't prefer to pour down the sink. If I can get one or two simple ones right then I'll be a bit more tempted to try others.

Any "do's and don'ts" that spring to mind might be useful, too.

James

[Secla]

I've been looking into a Pilsner recipe for a relative as he's a lager drinker, most recipes seem to be basically the same, I think it's very much more dependent on the technique than the recipe !
The temp control will be where the difference is made I think as you will be able to use a proper lager yeast. I plan the ferment at about 12 degrees then drop down to about 1 degree for 4 weeks.

[JamesF]

I'm thinking I might have to get a separate fridge for making lager unless the outside temperature drops a bit. That or build up some serious stocks of non-lagers beforehand and then binge-brew half a dozen lagers

James

[Aleman]

So... would anyone like to recommend a recipe that I should have a go at? <snip> Any "do's and don'ts" that spring to mind might be useful, too.

I put a lot of my ideas together >>>HERE<<<

Basically Pils Malt and noble hops

For Czech styles go for a BU:GU ratio of ~0.8, for German Styles consider dropping that to about 0.5 or a tad less.

I am assuming by 'Lager' you mean the classic pale variety, remember that on the continent lager is as generic a term as 'Ale' is here in the UK

[Thorbz]

Have a read of this:- http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/. I've used this method a few times and produced lagers which are every bit as good as those I've made using the traditional method, in a fraction of the time.

[Aleman]

I like the Brulosophy method as well . . . Just one rule, pitch lots of yeast, it is not going to work as well if you have a minimal pitch rate.

[JamesF]

The Brulosophy method is certainly tempting. Is there a preferred method for pitching large volumes of yeast? Given the opportunity I tend to kick a starter off a day before pitching for my "normal" beers rather than pitching dried yeast. Would that be the best method for lagers?

James

[Aleman]

If you use the shaken not stirred method you should be able to make a starter 18 hours before. . . my personal preference is to make a big starter (5L) on a stir plate, allow it to settle, then late on the evening before or even the morning of the brew, I make a shaken not stirred starter with just the yeast slurry. . . . but then I pitch at 9C, so want lots of yeast working well to get a quick start to fermentation.

[Rhodesy]

If you use the shaken not stirred method you should be able to make a starter 18 hours before. . . my personal preference is to make a big starter (5L) on a stir plate, allow it to settle, then late on the evening before or even the morning of the brew, I make a shaken not stirred starter with just the yeast slurry. . . . but then I pitch at 9C, so want lots of yeast working well to get a quick start to fermentation.

Is your 5L starter stepped at all?

[Aleman]

No, fresh vial of Whitelabs straight into 5L . . . after all they claim that it is sufficient for 19L

[Rhodesy]

No, fresh vial of Whitelabs straight into 5L . . . after all they claim that it is sufficient for 19L

They do that .

Awaiting my BM20 (Wed its due) and plan to do a few quick fire ales for Christmas, New Year and general usage. Once stocks are at an acceptable level I fancy a few lagers. I can fit 4 full size Cornies in my keezer so can store a couple of kegs at lagering temp for as long as I need.

If I find a 5L vessel I need to see if my stir plate can take it, can always test with water. Which kind of container do you use for shaken not stirred? If thats done with 1L and yeast then what minimum capacity would you recommend?

[Aleman]

I use a 5L conical flask. It's not the ideal shape though but a decent autoclaveable culture flask is a couple of hundred quid! !! There is a great image somewhere on here where someone has used a 5L water container and the foam created by the ridged surface is amazing . . . May use that for my next one.

[Matt in Birdham]

Must try the brusolophy technique - thanks for the heads up. The few times I have brewed lagers I have always done a diacetyl rest at the end of fermentation - but that has been at about the two week stage, after fermenting at around 10C. I like the thinking behind the idea that all of the potential "nasties" are produced early in the ferment and you can push it hard from then on.

I have also brewed a couple of "fake" lagers using US05 at low temps (15-16C), using just a standard pilsner grain and hop bill. These came out very nicely, and I think there are some other top-fermenting yeasts that might be even more suitable (e.g. the one they use for Californian common).

[Rhodesy]

I use a 5L conical flask. It's not the ideal shape though but a decent autoclaveable culture flask is a couple of hundred quid! !! There is a great image somewhere on here where someone has used a 5L water container and the foam created by the ridged surface is amazing . . . May use that for my next one.

Cool, I may give that a go as those are easily obtainable nice and very cheap. One last question, at which temperature do you ferment the starter before shaking etc?

[Aleman]

Normally around 20C. Making yeast not beer