Switching Lager Malt for Pale malt

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Hoppkins

Switching Lager Malt for Pale malt

Post by Hoppkins » Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:55 pm

I want to try to create a nice summery lager/bitter hybrid.

Is it ok to switch Pale Malt for Lager malt in equal quantities to make a beer more pale and crisp? I plan on using Safale US-05 and styrian goldings

Hoppkins

Post by Hoppkins » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:07 pm

Excellent thankyou

oblivious

Post by oblivious » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:42 pm

I was thinking of a great summer/blond ales

Marris otter, WPL002 yeast or WLP005 and some hops

I suspect that would be tasty and i am not generally a fan of golden ales

bconnery

Post by bconnery » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:31 pm

A lot of guys I know regularly use a 50/50 pils or lager malt / pale ale malt in a pale/summer ale.
It works well, topped off with a little crystal.
I like the all pale ale malt method myself but I have tried it and it works well.

SiHoltye

Post by SiHoltye » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:39 pm

I've done a couple of 50:50 brews and found it lightens the body compared to an all Pale grain bill. I might try an all lager malt with lagery hops and ale yeast as my next summery quaff attempt. Just play around, you can't go wrong swapping Lager for Pale in an ale. 8)

mysterio

Post by mysterio » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:42 am

It's obviously a matter of opinion, but I much prefer all pale-ale malt. I've tried the half&half method and don't particularly care for it. If you want a slightly thinner, 'summery' tasting beer, try subbing between 5&10% of the grist with something like wheat malt or flaked corn, fermenting with an attenuative yeast like US-05 or Nottingham. If you're doing a lower to mid gravity beer i'd still mash around 67ish, higher than that then probably around 65.

Hop-wise, i've recently taken to Hallertau for bittering and flavour and a dose of Amarillo for aroma.

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Barley Water
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Post by Barley Water » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:08 pm

If you really want something light, try making a cream ale. This is what ale brewers in America came up with to try and compete with the new (at the time) American lagers. I have not done one yet but I will give it a try a little latter in the spring. I successfully did a ceral mash on grits which are easy to get here at the grocery store (it worked out well on a CAP I did earlier in the year, thanks for that Aleman). There are not very many commerical examples to be found which means you can exert some creativity without going against the style if you compete. I think when I do it, I will use Wyeast 1007 so I can ferment around 55F to keep the esters and phenols down as well as get good attenuation. I would not think you would need a ton of hops for this style but with the water I have I need to be very careful to avoid harsh flavors so I will probably use some type of noble hop.
Drinking:Saison (in bottles), Belgian Dubbel (in bottles), Oud Bruin (in bottles), Olde Ale (in bottles),
Abbey Triple (in bottles), Munich Helles, Best Bitter (TT Landlord clone), English IPA
Conditioning: Traditional bock bier, CAP
Fermenting: Munich Dunkel
Next up: Bitter (London Pride like), ESB
So many beers to make, so little time (and cold storage space)

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Stonechat
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Post by Stonechat » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:21 pm

Hi Hopkins, I have posted this before, but for your benefit, Brewer's Gold, CAMRA Champion Beer for two years running is made with Lager Malt. Not only does it help give the beer its pale golden colour but a higher extract rate than using pale malt.

Buzz

Post by Buzz » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:58 pm

My 'Kervoennec Gold' has gone down very well with lager drinkers. Pale Malt 80%, Wheat Malt 20% and shedloads of Styrians. Used S-04 and got a very golden, crisp ale.

Tasted like lager and lime to me - not my personal favourite but lovely chilled and as i say, the non-bitter drinkers loved it.

Maltloaf

Post by Maltloaf » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:09 pm

I got quite a few thumbs up for "Cats Eye" that I brewed about this time last year. Broad selection of male/female lager/bitter guinea pigs. :wink:

For 30 litres (trying to fill a plastic barrel!) at O.G. 1035
3kg Maris Otter
2kg Pilsner
250g Wheat malt
250g Rauchmalz (enough to be subtle - really)
Mashed at 65 degrees.

Target hops to 30 EBU

95 min total boil.

10g bitter orange peel
20g crushed coriander seed
added for last 30 mins of boil

Fuggles (10 EBUs worth) added at end of boil

Fermented by S23 around 5 degrees C.

Possibly unhelpful given the US-05 and styrian that you have, but a pointer at least.
Cheers,
ML.

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