Lager....

[crookedeyeboy]

So what MAKES a Lager? Is it just the fact you are suing Lager Malt?

[OldSpeckledBadger]

Lots of gas and no flavour.

[mysterio]

It's hard to give a dictionary definition on this one. Most accurate is the style of fermentation, if you use a 'bottom fermenting' yeast (Saccharomyces Pastorianus) rather than an ale yeast, then it's probably a lager. That leaves open the question, what if you brew a 1.040 beer with MO, crystal malt and goldings hops, and use Nottingham which is a bottom fermenting yeast? Obviously not a lager. Then what if you brewed an all lager malt beer with hallertau hops and the same yeast? Most people would call it lager and it would be hard to argue with them.

Lager malt is not necessary, you get plenty of lagers which are made completely with malt that is kilned darker than MO, like Munich Dunkel and Doppelbock.

Things most lagers have in common

- Clean fermentation profile, low esters, low diacetyl
- Traditionally 'lagered' for an extended period (weeks) although most commercial lager doesn't go through this process
- Low hop character apart from pilsener. Lagers are generally pretty malty. Hops are generally 'noble' varieties (saaz, hallertau, tettnanger, spalt etc).

[Barley Water]

Well Mr. Badger, I have made a few lagers that I bet you would not describe that way. I have a CAP in secondary right now that I am optimistic about and Sunday I will be doing a Munich Dunkel. Both lagers but very different in almost every way. The CAP may have a high percentage of adjuncts but it is pretty aggressive tasting, nothing like BMC. My current plan is to pitch the second generation of Wyeast 2206 into the Dunkel and I am seriously considering using the third generation to do a Bock in a couple of weeks. I am toying with trying a Double Bock or maybe a Maibock, just have not made up my mind yet. My only reservation about doing Bocks and putting them on tap is that it is way to easy to end up over served.

[steve_flack]

Lots of gas and no flavour.

Cobblers.