2586 replies to this topic

[Poptop]

Sacrilege, a Vienna in an old Torpedo glass atop the garbage can

[Big Nake]

The Vienna looks nice.  I have one I need to get a picture of as well.  Cheers.

[Poptop]

Thank you sir. Vienna = Mainstay

[Big Nake]

I know this helles is going to blow soon because it's so damn good.  A number of people have mentioned that they really like this recipe and it's drinking really nice right now...

 

[Bklmt2000]

Get another batch going, stat.

[Big Nake]

I have another batch that's similar and it's been cold & carbed for about a month now.  American Lager with Bayern and some late hops but very similar... 5%, SRM 3-4, IBUs in the mid-20s.  Really good stuff and it's supposed to be 90° here this weekend so I'm prepared.  

[Poptop]

Why yes, yes you are

[Big Nake]

One thing I'm really digging about some of this low-O2 stuff is how pale you can make a pale-colored beer.  When beer color is really pale it confirms that you kept your O2 in check (I don't pretend to be FULLY low-O2 but some of these steps are clearly working) and this beer is one example.  The picture doesn't really show how truly pale this beer is...

 

[Poptop]

Ken I’m interested in your hopping. About how bitter is this beauty? I ask because most of the time I prefer malt to too bitter. But I appreciate all of it. Just curious

[Big Nake]

Ken I’m interested in your hopping. About how bitter is this beauty? I ask because most of the time I prefer malt to too bitter. But I appreciate all of it. Just curious

I hop my helles the same way (generally) each time.  This one has one ounce of Hallertau 3.8% as a FWH and then 1.25 ounces as a bittering addition for 30 minutes.  Because the calculator I'm using doesn't recognize the FWH as adding any IBUs, the recipe shows 17.64 IBUs which I know is not correct... the FWH has to add some bitterness.  But it's a helles so it's supposed to be malty-to-balanced.  That said, I do have 27ppm of sulfate in my water so there is a bit of crispness in this beer.  As it ages, it's getting clearer, smoother and softer but the balance is great.  

[Poptop]

Okay thank you. 22 IBU on Beersmith with my standard water profile makes me happy. Maybe even lower next time

[Big Nake]

Okay thank you. 22 IBU on Beersmith with my standard water profile makes me happy. Maybe even lower next time

The fun part of that is that you can do different things to soften the beer... add a bit more chloride to get that smooth, soft, round thing going on, add more munich or vienna to the beer, add some distilled water to lower the sulfate or just lower the hopping rate.  I notice that when a beer is younger the flavors may not come together properly so it might be a bit more complex and hops might come out more when the beer is young and the beer might smooth out when it ages a bit but I don't want a beer that's TOO malty and unbalanced.  So I might overshoot the hops just a smidge knowing that the hop character may fade while the beer conditions.  

[pkrone]

Sacrilege, a Vienna in an old Torpedo glass atop the garbage can

 

 

"Rustic"  

 Looks great!

I know this helles is going to blow soon because it's so damn good.  A number of people have mentioned that they really like this recipe and it's drinking really nice right now...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks great!

[pkrone]

So here's my Wildfire pale ale.     It's a locally grown and malted 2-row called Wildfire with a little carared (only because the LHBS was out of Munich 40).  50 IBU's w/ Cascade at flameout.   Very nice.    I did a "spotted cow" with this malt yesterday.   It's definitely got more color than more pale malts, but mills like pilsner- it's hard as a rock.   Probably the dry growing conditions around here.

 

[Bklmt2000]

Cream ale:

 

[Big Nake]

Some condensation on this pale vienna but it was drinking nicely over the weekend.

 

 

[pkrone]

very nice!

[Poptop]

Some condensation on this pale vienna but it was drinking nicely over the weekend.

 

 

 

I'm really inclined to follow suit with the "Pale Vienna." I really like the color.  And although a typical Vienna doesn't taste as dark as it is, there's something more appealing in a refreshing sense with yours here.  And.............. I got a full sack of the V

[Big Nake]

I'm really inclined to follow suit with the "Pale Vienna." I really like the color.  And although a typical Vienna doesn't taste as dark as it is, there's something more appealing in a refreshing sense with yours here.  And.............. I got a full sack of the V

We had talked about making a distinction between a Vienna and a Dunkel.  No, they're not the same beer but my recipes and my perception of them were getting a little too close for comfort so I thought about the Vienna being slightly more pale and slightly more hoppy (relatively speaking) and the dunkel being darker and smoother.  So far I'm liking this pale vienna and I suppose I could make a 6th beer with this Bayern and do the Dunkel.  

[Poptop]

Then you should Sir