My Winter=Lager?

[Martin the fish]

I'm not really a lager drinker. But on the occasions that i've had the opportunity to sample some lager in Germany i've really liked them. I was at Octoberfest in 93 and it was a highlight of my life. Some truly amazing beers.
Temps here have now begun to drop down so i'm keen to have a try at an AG lager. I'm pretty sure i can keep a constant of 12C and conditioning at 0C is no worries.

Does anyone have a good Recipe for Octoberfest? Or a good Pils? I know there are a few of you who brew lagers. I'd be so happy if i found one i liked.

[Aleman]

There are two good Pils Beers Gambrinus and Urquell . . . . Unless you are using Pils to designate a style . . . then it gets more interesting. Traditionally a Bohemian Pils is made with under modified lager malt, and Zatec Red (Saaz) hops, to avoid the unnecessary decoction mash, my recipe for a Bohemian Pils uses a qty of Munich Malt to provide the required maltiness.

I've modified my standard Bohemian Pilsner to use NZ Hops which are a fantastic replacement for Czech Saaz.



Yeast wise, Ive used the Wyeast Bohemian Pilsner, and the Budvar, also the South German Pilsner and prefer the results from the South German yeast as it is a more consistent diacetyl producer, which is required in this style to balance the aggressive hopping . . . . Oh and the 0 minute addition is a 70C steep during cooling

[Martin the fish]

What would the fermentation temp and conditioning temp be? Also, does fermentation take longer due to colder temps?

[Aleman]

What would the fermentation temp and conditioning temp be? Also, does fermentation take longer due to colder temps?

Last question first, if you pitch the correct amount of yeast you can expect fermentation to take 1 day for each degree Plato (~4Gravity points) so about 12 days

Fermentation temp depends on yeast strain, but you won't really go too far wrong by using 10-12C as a guide . . . . . Conditioning at around 0-2C for 1 week per degree Plato . . . so 12 weeks . . . . Can speed it up by dropping to -1 to -2C for a couple of weeks after an initial period at 0-1C.

[Gurgeh]

calling awalker...

... Awalker brews a sublime oktoberfest

[mysterio]

Martin I brewed this recently with NZ hops and it turned out spectacular, even without extended lagering. Vienna lager is pretty much the same as proper amber Octoberfest, although slightly lower in alcohol. You could easily win over ale drinkers with this as it has plenty of flavour.

I think a key to success, IMHO, is the liquid lager yeasts, I always have brilliant results with them. I can take or leave the liquid ale yeasts but the lager ones are fantastic. The German yeast I used in this just gave it a very 'German' type of flavour. I repitched the yeast from this onto a German pils which i'm waiting to try. I tried S-189 dried yeast and the beer turned out crappy, maybe the technique is different for the dried yeasts but I didnt get a good result with it. Another yeast i've used a lot of is the white labs Czech Budejovice (Budvar strain?). It gave a really good crisp flavour.

Vienna Lager

Type: All Grain
Date: 11/04/2008
Batch Size: 6.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.44 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.45 kg Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 43.27 %
1.67 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 29.49 %
1.47 kg Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 26.05 %
0.07 kg Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 1.18 %
28.00 gm Hallertauer, New Zealand [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 21.4 IBU
20.00 gm Hallertauer, New Zealand [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
1 Pkgs German Lager (White Labs #WLP830) Yeast-Lager

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Bitterness: 27.0 IBU
Est Color: 11.0 SRM

Mash Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60min Step Add 14.15 L of water at 73.8 C 67.0 C

[bconnery]

Can I asked what you did differently with the s-189? I have used this yeast a number of times and found it brilliant.
The beers clear brilliantly and are very clean.
A few guys I know have even switched to this from liquids...

The key is to either pitch 1 pack warm and then drop down the temp, or else pitch two packs cold.
Ferment at 12C or so.
I was drinking my s-189 german pilsner after two weeks in the keg and it was fantastic. The whole thing was gone within a week, with a little help from the family at Christmas

Answering the original question I have a simple german pilsner recipe (the one above) using NZ hops.
This beer was fantastic. Crisp, clean and delicious. The pale malt listed is a pilsner malt.

Style: German Pilsner (Pils)
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Size: 34.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated Color: 7.8 EBC
Estimated IBU: 27.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4500.00 gm Pale Malt (Barrett Burston) (3.9 EBC) Grain 90.91 %
300.00 gm Munich I (Weyermann) (14.0 EBC) Grain 6.06 %
150.00 gm Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) Grain 3.03 %
15.00 gm Hallertauer Aroma, New Zealand [8.50 %] (Hops 15.0 IBU
25.00 gm Hallertauer Aroma, New Zealand [8.50 %] (Hops 12.4 IBU
1 Pkgs SafLager German Lager (DCL Yeast #S-189) Yeast-Lager

[Martin the fish]

Thanks for that guys. I am keen to have a go at a lager. I've got about a month of Ale Brewing to get my 'stocks' up before i have a go at a few lagers. As long as they come out nothing like Carling or Heineken i'll be happy