homebrewandbeer.com

Hi Guys,

I started a new brew last night using Muntons premium lager, 1.5kg extra light dry malt and 30g Saaz. I put 15g Saaz in for about 15 minutes and the other 15g in towards the end for a 1 minute boil. I used Saflager W-34/70. Fermentation is underway at 10 degrees.

All my brews to date have been dark but this I was expecting a much lighter colour. It's not as dark as the others but it isn't golden like most Pilsners. Does the colour and clarity imply crispness sought after in lagers? If so, how do get it?

Cheers,
Matt

It's more about the yeast than anything else. Use a good lager yeast, and you will get what you are looking for.

Temperature control is also vital. Keep it at that 10*C and you should be right.

3rdly, racking is pretty much mandatory if you want a good clarity.

I would also cold condition for a minimum of 2 weeks (4 weeks+ is better).

Ok thanks Chris.

Is cold conditioning the same as lagering? Does it occur before or after botteling?

Do you think it is easy to make good lagers or am I wasting my time? Should I just stick to buying commercial beers of this type?

Cheers,
Matt

Lagering is something that ideally takes a few months in the fridge. That does not mean that you have to do it this way. I usually don't bother lagering, as it just takes too long.

Cold conditioning usually is 2-4+ weeks, and is done with ales.

In both ccing and lagering, you are trying to clear the beer, and sharpen the taste.

It is well worth it, if you have the equipment/time/inclination etc.

Both processes are done prior to bottling.

As for making good lagers... YES! Do it! You don't HAVE to lager them. That is a slightly more advanced step, for those who have the patience. Just remember to throw away the kit yeast (in most cases) as it is garbage, and use something like Saflager instead. Aside from that, unless you have a fridge to brew in, brew lagers in winter, as lagers brewed at temperatures above 10*C taste pretty strange.

Matt,
If you are boiling all of your ingredients including all the malts the colour is likely to darken. It isn't necessary to boil any can of hopped malt such as the Muntons range because they are already pasturized. Also boiling the hopped cans is likely to drive off some of the bittering isohops that are used.

If you are after a lighter coloured beer then don't boil, the dry exras can be boiled to ensure thereare no nasties but the longer the boil the darker the wort will become. At the end of the day colour and clarity have no effect on the crispness you seek in a lager, as Chris has said that is down to the yeast and fermentation temperature, plus lagering.

AC

MattR wrote:Ok thanks Chris.

Is cold conditioning the same as lagering? Does it occur before or after botteling?

Do you think it is easy to make good lagers or am I wasting my time? Should I just stick to buying commercial beers of this type?

Cheers,
Matt

MattR lagers are worth the effort if you like this style of beer. You simple need the time and patience to do them.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your feedback. I have an old freezer with Adlo controller so that takes the hard work out of temperature regulation but the temperature required for lagering means I can't have another brew on the go. I guess I could lager two brews at the same time but this I need another fermenter for racking.

Thanks for the tip about boiling AC. I will keep it in mind. Happy to cut another step from the process

Can't wait to taste this brew. Time.. damn. So long.

Cheers,
Matt

To save on space in your fridge, and to free up fermenters, you can use either water jerry cans, or plastic cubes. Just add a tap to the bottom. It's really easy.

Another thing to look at in the future is to use liquid yeasts from your HBS. Saflager is a good dry alternative but liquid yeasts are the way to go.

Once you do you will really notice the difference. A German Lager Yeast does absolute wonder to any good quality lager and we are using Californian Ale yeasts with great results with our pale ales.

Chris wrote:To save on space in your fridge, and to free up fermenters, you can use either water jerry cans, or plastic cubes. Just add a tap to the bottom. It's really easy.

Hi Chris. I can't complain. I have a Vulcan 300 chest freezer converted to beer fridge. I think the Willow 25L plastic containers would fit well, may be 5 or 6. Do they need an airlock?

Wassa wrote:Another thing to look at in the future is to use liquid yeasts from your HBS. Saflager is a good dry alternative but liquid yeasts are the way to go.

I have seen some mention of liquid yeast in regard to lagers. Is it a different type of yeast to the dried Saflager yeast?

Cheers,
Matt

You could get away without air locks...but you'd have to burp them every now and then....or else.

Yeasts? Someone flicked this link at me...buggers have yeast for everything! Thanks, whoever you are! http://www.whitelabs.com/

shane_vor wrote:Yeasts? Someone flicked this link at me...buggers have yeast for everything! Thanks, whoever you are! http://www.whitelabs.com/

Thanks for that. It's a good site. Check out the new recipes section.

Hi Guys,

The lager spent 7 days in the primary at 10 degrees then I racked it to secondary where it spend another 8 days at a similar temperature. The OG was 1045 and the SG is currently 1014. I have not adjusted for temperature.

Last night I dropped the temperature to 4 degrees for the lagering period. Should I have racked again before starting the lagering?

Is there a way to monitor lagering for results?

Cheers,
Matt

MattR you did not need to rack again simply turn down the temp as you have. I am not aware of any way of monitoring the lagering other than taste.

MattR wrote: I started a new brew last night using Muntons premium lager, 1.5kg extra light dry malt and 30g Saaz. I put 15g Saaz in for about 15 minutes and the other 15g in towards the end for a 1 minute boil. I used Saflager W-34/70. Fermentation is underway at 10 degrees.

Well after a 8 days in the primary, 47 lagering and a few in the bottle I broken down. Very pleased with result. I think it is similar to Bitburger, easy to drink.

I have a question about the hops. The bitterness and aroma are not as strong as I expected for 30g. Is this because I strained the solids rather than left it in the wort? Any ideas?

Cheers,
Matt

Matt,
The bitterness will depend upon the IBU of the can plus the length of boil and AA% rating of the hops. The Saaz are probably around 3.5-4% AA and adding them for 15mins, would have given some flavour but will only contribute a small increase in IBU's probably around 3-4 max. The one minute addition is only for aroma and wouldn't have contibuted to bitterness. The last addition of hops could have been done at the end of the boil and then left for 20 minutes or so whilst cooling, which may have inceased the flavour and aroma.

Filtering the hop debris out is good practice as it makes racking easier as it prevents blockages.

You have to bear in mind that kits are made for the general public and are not excessively bittered (they generally use Iso hops, an extract not the real deal) and are probably bittered between 20 - 25 IBUs depending upon the type of kit.

Good Commercial Pilsners can be bittered between 35 - 50IBU's.

I have actually put down a Muntons premium pilsner using 1Kg brew booster, 500g LDME and also adding hops for a 15minute boil 20g Saaz then 20g Saaz for last minute. During racking and taking Hydro readings and tasting the sample i also found the kit to be lacking in bitterness and flavour, so i also dry hopped 20g in secondary with perle. I don't know how this will turn out but i'm sure it will be nice, for a K&K.

Cheers
AC

Aussie Claret wrote:During racking and taking Hydro readings and tasting the sample i also found the kit to be lacking in bitterness and flavour, so i also dry hopped 20g in secondary with perle. I don't know how this will turn out but i'm sure it will be nice, for a K&K.

Thanks AC. I have a lager in primary at the moment. I only included 20g of Saaz because I ran out (doh!) so I will also try dry hopping in secondary.

Will let you know how it turns out in a few months

Cheers,
Matt