Pilsner Malt recipe help

[GlentoranMark]

I had planned a wheat beer for tomorrow but unfortunately my LHBS didn't have any wheat malt. The girl in the shop said she might have some and get it for me tomorrow but I'm looking an alternative recipe as I have 3kg Pilsner Malt to use up.

I have 3kg Munich Malt and 2kg Irish Stout malt but as I'm heading back to the shop tomorrow I can also buy another grain if needed. I still have to buy a yeast.

I have no temperature control so can't do a lager (can I?)

I've a wide variety of hops so I can tackle a wide variety of recipes or tweak to suit.

Any suggestions?

 

[MyQul]

I have no temperature control so can't do a lager (can I?)

Yup. You could do a pseudo lager. I'm doing one tommorrow (Dortmunder Export from the Greg Hughes book)

Using Nottingham yeast ferment as cool as your able to. Then when i comes to conditioning/lagering just stick a load (as many as MrsGlentoranMark will let you :lol:) in the fridge for two weeks.

 

[Twostage]

I've used fermentis saflager s24 and 33/74 at 18 degrees a few times. The 23/74 will give off a rotten egg smell but that goes. Note that lager yeast can ferment sugars that ale yeast can't (maltotriose) so there will be a difference between lager and ale yeasts in that respect. If it was me I'd go for the S24 instead of notty if you can keep it somewhere where the ambient temperature is around 18.

 

[Dutto]

As most of the UK is supposed to be mainly at or below 5 degrees for the next week (the "high" for Skegness is 10 degrees for less than an hour next Thursday) I can only see a problem with brewing a lager if you intend to sleep with the FV!

Go for it and it it heats up where you are then just dig out a deckchair and enjoy the weather!

 

[MyQul]

I've used fermentis saflager s24 and 33/74 at 18 degrees a few times. The 23/74 will give off a rotten egg smell but that goes. Note that lager yeast can ferment sugars that ale yeast can't (maltotriose) so there will be a difference between lager and ale yeasts in that respect. If it was me I'd go for the S24 instead of notty if you can keep it somewhere where the ambient temperature is around 18.

I was just reading about using lager yeast at ale temps

http://byo.com/equipment/item/1564-vienna-lager-in-exile

"A little-known fact about lager yeasts is that they can be used at ale temperatures. Your beer will be more estery than a standard lager, but will still taste like lager beer. Many times homebrewers who wish to replicate a lager beer at ale temperatures are told to use a clean ale strain (or a “steam” beer strain) of yeast. However, a clean ale does not really taste like a lager. A “dirty” lager, however, will still taste lager-like — it will just have more yeast-derived aroma."


Did you just pitch the one pack as I understand normally need double the amout of cells. But I guess this is due to the cool temps you usually ferment lager at so one pack might be enough when fermenting at ale temps?

 

[GlentoranMark]

I thought about doing a 5L brew but it's just as easy (and cheaper) to do 19-23L brews.

I may just do as you suggest Dutto and keep the brew covered outdoors.

That's an interesting read MyQul.

My whole reason for brewing is to brew a black lager I tasted in Prague so I checked Gumtree and spotted a fridge freezer for £25. I've emailed the seller and waiting on a response.

 

[Twostage]

I was just reading about using lager yeast at ale temps

http://byo.com/equipment/item/1564-vienna-lager-in-exile

"A little-known fact about lager yeasts is that they can be used at ale temperatures. Your beer will be more estery than a standard lager, but will still taste like lager beer. Many times homebrewers who wish to replicate a lager beer at ale temperatures are told to use a clean ale strain (or a “steam” beer strain) of yeast. However, a clean ale does not really taste like a lager. A “dirty” lager, however, will still taste lager-like — it will just have more yeast-derived aroma."


Did you just pitch the one pack as I understand normally need double the amout of cells. But I guess this is due to the cool temps you usually ferment lager at so one pack might be enough when fermenting at ale temps?

Yes, single dose is enough but I find myself doubling up most of the time now. In my last brew (the partigyle) I quadrupled the barleywine and single dosed the beer and the barleywine had nearly finished before I had krausen on the beer. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that single packs for a 5 gallon batch are bare minimum and you really need twicw that.