50 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I have some wyeast 2308 and I'll be making a maibock with it so I figured what better way to step it up than to just make a slightly smaller beer and use the yeast cake for the maibock. So I'm probably looking to brew a beer around 1.05. I was also thinking it would be nice to have it contain ingredients that I pretty much always have so I was thinking Munich would be the base. I'm not sure what to do for specialty grains. I was thinking of maybe just some pale chocolate or maybe some C65. Mash it around 150F for 60 mins. I'll probably bitter with Magnum b/c I pretty much always have it and it's clean. Then I was thinking 1oz Mt. Hood additions around 20, 10, and flameout. Then ferment on my 2308.So in the future I'll probably have some other lager yeast and I can just make it again and use that. Also I could sub out the Mt. Hoods for anything else that's appropriate for lagers. What do you guys think?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

would a SMaSH beer work well here? Let's say all munich and all Mt. Hood?ETA: maybe mash around 151-152F.

[Big Nake]

I was thinking SMaSH too. I think all Munich and all Mt. Hood would be absolutely dynamite. I am not a huge fan of 2308 necessarily, but it could be nice. Also, an all-Munich grain bill would lend some maltiness so depending on what kinf of personality you wanted the beer to have, you can select your mash temp. 150 would make it a little drier and cleaner, 152 or higher could make it a little richer & sweeter with a little more body. Certainly your call, but a nice looking recipe no matter what. Simplicity at it's finest! Cheers.

[davelew]

So I have some wyeast 2308 and I'll be making a maibock with it so I figured what better way to step it up than to just make a slightly smaller beer and use the yeast cake for the maibock. So I'm probably looking to brew a beer around 1.05. I was also thinking it would be nice to have it contain ingredients that I pretty much always have so I was thinking Munich would be the base. I'm not sure what to do for specialty grains. I was thinking of maybe just some pale chocolate or maybe some C65. Mash it around 150F for 60 mins. I'll probably bitter with Magnum b/c I pretty much always have it and it's clean. Then I was thinking 1oz Mt. Hood additions around 20, 10, and flameout. Then ferment on my 2308. So in the future I'll probably have some other lager yeast and I can just make it again and use that. Also I could sub out the Mt. Hoods for anything else that's appropriate for lagers. What do you guys think?

I usually make a Munich Helles when I need a low gravity lager. All pilsner malt, gravity around 1.045, and a similar hopping schedule to the one you described. I've never had a low gravity beer with an all Munich base, I'm not sure how that would turn out.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I usually make a Munich Helles when I need a low gravity lager. All pilsner malt, gravity around 1.045, and a similar hopping schedule to the one you described. I've never had a low gravity beer with an all Munich base, I'm not sure how that would turn out.

I do tend to have pilsner malt on hand so that's not a bad option either but isn't that beer pretty light on character?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I was thinking SMaSH too. I think all Munich and all Mt. Hood would be absolutely dynamite. I am not a huge fan of 2308 necessarily, but it could be nice. Also, an all-Munich grain bill would lend some maltiness so depending on what kinf of personality you wanted the beer to have, you can select your mash temp. 150 would make it a little drier and cleaner, 152 or higher could make it a little richer & sweeter with a little more body. Certainly your call, but a nice looking recipe no matter what. Simplicity at it's finest! Cheers.

I've only used 2308 but this will be my last year of it and next year I'll move onto something else. What's your favorite all around lager yeast?

[davelew]

I do tend to have pilsner malt on hand so that's not a bad option either but isn't that beer pretty light on character?

A good helles shouldn't be light on character. It's not a beat-you-over-the-head IPA or doppelbock, but it will be a recognizable craft beer. I firmly believe that it is possible to brew low-gravity, light-colored beers that have flavor.

[Malzig]

I am not a huge fan of 2308 necessarily, but it could be nice.

I'm trying to decide on a yeast at the moment, and thought I had settled on 2308. What don't you like about 2308?

I usually make a Munich Helles when I need a low gravity lager. All pilsner malt, gravity around 1.045, and a similar hopping schedule to the one you described. I've never had a low gravity beer with an all Munich base, I'm not sure how that would turn out.

1.045 is pretty close to a typical gravity for a German or Czech Dunkle, which usually seem to be in the 10-13 degree Plato range. Those would traditionally be all Munich beers.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

1.045 is pretty close to a typical gravity for a German or Czech Dunkle, which usually seem to be in the 10-13 degree Plato range. Those would traditionally be all Munich beers.

I'm looking for something with a little bit more balance with respect to hops/malt.

[Malzig]

I'm looking for something with a little bit more balance with respect to hops/malt.

I was just pointing out that all Munich beers in the 1.040-1.050 range are pretty common. I think your proposed recipe sounds great. You can't go wrong with Munich, as far as I'm concerned, a little Pale Chocolate for color and a little nuttiness, and Mt. Hood for flavor and aroma... Sounds delicious, to me.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I was just pointing out that all Munich beers in the 1.040-1.050 range are pretty common. I think your proposed recipe sounds great. You can't go wrong with Munich, as far as I'm concerned, a little Pale Chocolate for color and a little nuttiness, and Mt. Hood for flavor and aroma... Sounds delicious, to me.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

MALT:8.500lbs Munich0.188lbs Pale Chocolatemash @ 151F for 60 minHOPS:0.6oz magnum @ 60min1oz Mt. Hood @ 15min1oz Mt. Hood @ 1min/flameoutYEAST:Wyeast 2308SRM: 11.5OG: 1.045IBU: 30What do you guys think?

[Big Nake]

For the yeast, I find 2308 mildly boring. It doesn't contribute much of anything to the flavor of the beer or what it does contribute is boring to me. 2124 may be my all-around favorite lager yeast and it's very versatile... anything from a German/Czech Pilsner, Vienna, Oktober, Dunkel, etc. It produces a delicious beer. 2206 is also nice, but has a richer, heavier, maltier profile to it. Cheers.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

For the yeast, I find 2308 mildly boring. It doesn't contribute much of anything to the flavor of the beer or what it does contribute is boring to me. 2124 may be my all-around favorite lager yeast and it's very versatile... anything from a German/Czech Pilsner, Vienna, Oktober, Dunkel, etc. It produces a delicious beer. 2206 is also nice, but has a richer, heavier, maltier profile to it. Cheers.

2124 sounds very nice. I'll probably try that out next year

[Big Nake]

2124 sounds very nice. I'll probably try that out next year

Lately I have been looking at yeast (lager yeast, especially) from different angles. When I made a nice Vienna last year, I used 2782 Staro-Prague yeast which is typically used to make a Czech Lager. I also made a "gold lager" in a pilsner style but used 2206 Bavarian which is not really meant for pilsner production. I made a dark lager earlier this year with 2124 and it came out really nicely. I wanted to make it again so I brewed it up on Tuesday and this time I used 2001 Urquell which is not really the yeast you might envision being used in a dark lager but I think it will be really nice.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Lately I have been looking at yeast (lager yeast, especially) from different angles. When I made a nice Vienna last year, I used 2782 Staro-Prague yeast which is typically used to make a Czech Lager. I also made a "gold lager" in a pilsner style but used 2206 Bavarian which is not really meant for pilsner production. I made a dark lager earlier this year with 2124 and it came out really nicely. I wanted to make it again so I brewed it up on Tuesday and this time I used 2001 Urquell which is not really the yeast you might envision being used in a dark lager but I think it will be really nice.

You make a lot of lagers. I envy you

[cavman]

One thing I haven't heard yet in this thread is to remember it will be your house lager. So look at the lager styles you like the most and find something you would enjoy, it doesn't have to be an exactly to style. Didn't someone on here recently brew an all Colombus Pils that they enjoyed? You may decide to brew something right to a style or you may just want to add your own twist.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

One thing I haven't heard yet in this thread is to remember it will be your house lager. So look at the lager styles you like the most and find something you would enjoy, it doesn't have to be an exactly to style. Didn't someone on here recently brew an all Colombus Pils that they enjoyed? You may decide to brew something right to a style or you may just want to add your own twist.

Well - my general go to lager is O'fest but I already make one of those that I like. I would like to go for something out of style. Part of my mt. hood selection is I have almost a whole pound of them. Other hops I wouldn't mind using the hell out of for this beer are czech saas and styrian goldings b/c I also have a lot of those with no definite plans to use them.

[Big Nake]

One thing I haven't heard yet in this thread is to remember it will be your house lager. So look at the lager styles you like the most and find something you would enjoy, it doesn't have to be an exactly to style. Didn't someone on here recently brew an all Colombus Pils that they enjoyed? You may decide to brew something right to a style or you may just want to add your own twist.

I absolutely agree. This is YOUR beer and imagine the look on your fellow homebrewer's faces when you tell them that the delicious beer they hold in their hands was made by breaking all the rules (or making new rules).

[Big Nake]

You make a lot of lagers. I envy you

Hey, a small fridge is all you need to make lagers year-round! Cheers.