AG#17 - Munich Helles

[Alastair70]

First brew destined for a keg, I've had enough of bottling whole batches. Recipe based on John Palmer - How to Brew.

Water additions
CRS - target alkalinity 20ppm
CaCl - target Cl:SO4 1:1

Fermentables - all Wayermann from GEB
4.5kg Bohemian Pilsner malt
350g Munich Type 2
100g melanoidin malt

Step mash
62C for 40 min
70C for 20 min
75C mash out 10 mins

Boil 60mins
Mandarina Bavaria 17g at 60min
Sazz 17g at 15min
Protoflac 15min

Fermentation
Wy2038 - Munich lager 9C until gravity hits 1.020 then stepping up for diacetyl rest.

Lagering
Probably aim for 6 weeks in keg.
I'll need to get an ale on the go pretty soon to keep me in beer in the meantime.

 

[foxbat]

Wyeast 2308 is a great yeast. It's been completely reliable for me and flocculates hard and fast leaving a rich malty beer. I've got a run of 3 Bavarian lagers planned for this yeast in the new year.

 

[Alastair70]

After a week of furious bubbling everything went quiet, gravity dropped to 1.020 and I started slowly upping the temp. Now sitting at 20C for the next couple of days, FG is 1.010 giving an on target ABV of 5.3%
Swig from the trial jar is very promising. Great body and mouthfeel, but lots of diacetyl to mask the background flavour.
My starter keg kit arrived at the weekend, after a week or two of cold crashing for final lagering and carbonation. Can’t wait.

 

[Alastair70]

Half way through lagering and I couldn’t help myself. I’m fizzing with excitement, taste is 100% spot on. Medium bittering is balanced perfectly with the malty grain flavours. Hop profile is mellow and mostly in the background but I get the feeling the Saaz will come through with a decent sized glass to enjoy. I gave my better half a swig from the shot glass, and she loves it too. Double result!
Needs another couple of weeks to lager, the kegerator is mostly assembled and waiting for it. Then itll be time to get drinking and most importantly brew the next lager.

.

 

[Alastair70]

Thought I’d have a sneaky half from the mini-keg, I cranked the pressure up to 25 on filling, but still needs more time to carb up. The cornie is on set-and-forget in the kegerator so should be drinking next weekend.
First thoughts, gelatin didn’t replace last 4 weeks of lagering but f#@k it, it tastes great.
Happy with choice of balanced water profile, tastes ‘bright’ with a good hit of both biscuity malt and herby spice from saaz. Neither predominate the other.
The mouthfeel is medium and theres a great length of flavour on the palate, which is what I was hoping the step mash would deliver.
I’ll happily drink a ton of this, and once the sun comes out I suspect I will ☀

 

[Alastair70]

Signing off on this brew, it’s a corker. My good lady has become rather taken by it. I’ve an IPA line up for tap 3 in the kegerator, brewing this weekend then I’ll get another batch on the go ASAP. Looks like the house lager is locked in.

 

[Brewnaldo]

My Helles type efforts have exclusively involved mittelfruh, and been pressure fermented rather than at low lager temps, but I might give your hop schedule a wee bash for something different next time out

 

[Alastair70]

My Helles type efforts have exclusively involved mittelfruh, and been pressure fermented rather than at low lager temps, but I might give your hop schedule a wee bash for something different next time out

I was going to go down the mittlefruh route for the next one, but now the Mrs is into it, I’m not changing anything for a while

 

[Brewnaldo]

I was going to go down the mittlefruh route for the next one, but now the Mrs is into it, I’m not changing anything for a while

I'd suggest a bottle swap but seems we are both a slave to the keg atm

I dont have a fridge for mine though and the outside temp will soon result in a big foam dispenser..... a situation that needs resolved soon.

 

[Alastair70]

I’m happy to stick some in a bottle and send it to you. PM your address in I’ll get one over to you. If it arrives in a drinkable state you can send one back.