First Lagers

[Stubbie]

Ok, so now I'm happy with my AG set up - not perfect, but functional - and really pleased with my ales. That's all I've ever brewed - ales. But now, as the weather cools, the plan is to move my fermenting ales out of the garage brew fridge and into the house where the ambient temp is fine for ales. The move frees up my brew fridge and has me toying with the idea of first time lagers.

So the big question is what lagers to brew? My brew fridge handles 2 fermenters at a time, so the plan is to ferment 2 lagers in tandem and then crank the fridgemate down to lagering temps and cc the two brews simultaneously. Figure I may as well go 2 lagers for the same wait. From what I've read, short cuts and lagers don't go hand in hand, so I'm leaning towards liquid yeast over dry yeast. OK, I'm tight, but I'd like to use the same smack pack for both brews (suitably built up, of course), unless there's some really good reason to do otherwise.

So, anyone like to suggest a first time lager duo?

Cheers

[Trough Lolly]

Stubbie, let's say I've given you 5 minutes to grab any lager you want in the bottleshop and I'll pay for them...what would you grab?

Cheers,
TL

[Tipsy]

My 1st lager was made with 100% pilsner malt and 100% Saaz hops with dry yeast and I was very impressed.
I'm making them a bit maltier now and with different hop combos but still like the simple ones very much.
Lagers can really show the benefits of going AG.

[Stubbie]

Code: Select all

Stubbie, let's say I've given you 5 minutes to grab any lager you want in the bottleshop and I'll pay for them...what would you grab?

Spot on response, TL. That's what I should have asked myself in the first place. But to be truthful, and I'll admit that I haven't tasted a great number of lagers, none of them have really grabbed my attention. I haven't been a fan of pilsners, or perhaps I'm yet to taste good examples. I could always think of at least a dozen ales I would rather reach for. There's only one exception so far - Knappsteins. Part of the reason for planning some AG lager is to see if I can produce a reasonable example and lift my opinion of lagers in general.

OK. So yest afternoon I went a shopping in the name of research. Ten more lagers, most of which I've not tasted before. There's some Monteith's golden and dark, Sam Adams boston lager, a german pils, an oktoberfest, and some local pils. Shame I couldn't find a munich dunkel. Anyway, will report asap.

Cheers

[Trough Lolly]

Good - brew what you enjoy drinking! I have some reasonable lager recipes if you need some - I have just kegged a Sam Adams Boston Lager and my Oktoberfest and Dortmunder recipes are regularly referred to!

Let us know what you want. I'd recommend simple single step infusion mashes to begin with - all the tricky stuff can be done later when you're comfortable with your brewing setup.

Cheers,
TL

[Neil]

TL
I've seen your Californian Common (aka Steam Beer) on that other site . It looks great and I have some pilsener malt left over (and the inclination) to make something like that. I'd like to have a go at it using the yeast you recommend. However, I have a bit of an issue with buying in lots of different liquid yeasts given the cost and, as I have said elsewhere, I don' have a second fridge to keep lots of different starters. Would it make a dramatic difference if I used the same malts as your recipe and followed everything else pretty much to the tee, and just used a saflager yeast (used in a bohemian pilsener I made last year)?

Cheers

Neil

[Trough Lolly]

Hi Neil,
Sure, no problems at all - the recipe has been made with W34/70 and it tasted rich, malty, smooth and very Oktoberfest'ish! I've also made "Steamfests" which used an Oktoberfest wort and fermented it with the California lager yeast!

The California lager strain is unique and if you've drunk Anchor Steam, you'll need to use that strain to get a similar flavour profile, but that's not to say that the beer still won't taste very nice with another lager strain in the fermenter.

Cheers,
TL

[Stubbie]

Having downed a dozen different lagers, among others, over the wk end in the name of research, I can confirm that:

Bo Pils is not my beer. I found German Pils more to my liking though I'm not motivated enough to brew one. Sam Adams Boston Lager I liked. Ditto an Okoberfest I tried (Hoffbrau). Less so the Hoffbrau Original (Munich Helle?) Whilst I found Monteith's dark lager (schwarzbier?) interesting, I'd honestly prefer a stout. But Monteith's Golden Lager (another Munich, I think) I found very agreeable and here I found a beer I would be prepared to brew. I'd choose Monteith's Golden Lager whether I was spending mine or anyone elses money. And, by the time I got around to tasting the last Knappsteins for reference, well, I was just too pissed. Never mind, I'd still be prepared to brew a Knappsteins clone - and I suppose so would a lot of other brewers.

Now unless I'm mistaken in judging both Hoffrau Original and Monteith's Golden Lager as both Munich Helles, then I found Monteith's to be the maltier example for my taste . Which said, has me suspecting that there's prob better examples of Oktoberfests kicking around, let alone good AG samples.

So far, my first lager choice would be a Munich. As for No. 2, it's toss up b/w Sam Adams BL and an Oktoberfest, though I'll reserve my selection until I sample a dortmunder and / or a munich dunkel.

Cheers

[Neil]

Thanks for that TRough Lolly - much appreciated. Though you've now got me thinking that I probably really do need to get that yeast (or maybe the Wyeast California Lager 2112?) - I tried ASB last year for the first time and loved it. Perhaps I should start a thread elsewhere now, but I absolutely adored the Anchor Liberty Porter - one of the loveliest porters I have ever tasted. Do you know of an AG recipe that replicates this?

REgards

Neil

Hi Neil,
Sure, no problems at all - the recipe has been made with W34/70 and it tasted rich, malty, smooth and very Oktoberfest'ish! I've also made "Steamfests" which used an Oktoberfest wort and fermented it with the California lager yeast!

The California lager strain is unique and if you've drunk Anchor Steam, you'll need to use that strain to get a similar flavour profile, but that's not to say that the beer still won't taste very nice with another lager strain in the fermenter.

Cheers,
TL

[Trough Lolly]

Having downed a dozen different lagers, among others, over the wk end in the name of research, I can confirm that:

Bo Pils is not my beer. I found German Pils more to my liking though I'm not motivated enough to brew one. Sam Adams Boston Lager I liked. Ditto an Okoberfest I tried (Hoffbrau). Less so the Hoffbrau Original (Munich Helle?) Whilst I found Monteith's dark lager (schwarzbier?) interesting, I'd honestly prefer a stout. But Monteith's Golden Lager (another Munich, I think) I found very agreeable and here I found a beer I would be prepared to brew. I'd choose Monteith's Golden Lager whether I was spending mine or anyone elses money. And, by the time I got around to tasting the last Knappsteins for reference, well, I was just too pissed. Never mind, I'd still be prepared to brew a Knappsteins clone - and I suppose so would a lot of other brewers.

Now unless I'm mistaken in judging both Hoffrau Original and Monteith's Golden Lager as both Munich Helles, then I found Monteith's to be the maltier example for my taste . Which said, has me suspecting that there's prob better examples of Oktoberfests kicking around, let alone good AG samples.

So far, my first lager choice would be a Munich. As for No. 2, it's toss up b/w Sam Adams BL and an Oktoberfest, though I'll reserve my selection until I sample a dortmunder and / or a munich dunkel.

Cheers

Excellent research there, Stubbie! Your preferences appear to be more towards the maltier, munich lagers compared to their lighter cousins. Definately try some dortmunder (a six pack of DAB will do!!) - I find this an excellent alternate lager in between kegs of dunkel! And as for a munich dunkel, well, there are heaps out there but try to buy some that have been fermented with Weihenstephan ("Sacred Stephen") yeast strain (aka W34/70) to give you a more authentic munchener dunkel flavour profile. I can recommend Ayinger Altbier Dunkel, Paulaner Alt Münchner Dunkel, Löwenbräu Dunkel and Augustiner Brau Dunkel. I'm a BIG fan of this beer style!!




Cheers,
TL

[James L]

TL!!!!!

I feel like a farken beer now....

[Stubbie]

I feel like a farken beer now....

I feel like a beer as soon as I get on this site !!!!!

TL,

Thanks for the malty suggestions. With the benefit of time up my sleeve, I'll be going beer shopping..........

Cheers

[James L]

yes thats very true Stubbie. its a pity i only have internet at work, so no actual forum reading and beer drinking at the same time.

[James L]

Does Ayinger beer get imported to Australia? I havent seen it anywhere...

[PaulSteele]

Hahn premium

[Trough Lolly]

Keh?