How fermentable is Vienna compared to pale ale malt?

[tyrub42]

Hey everyone,

I'm doing a Vienna smash beer, and just wanted to ask how Vienna compares to basealts like pale ale, golden promise, MO as far as fermentability. Does it tend to finish around the same place, or should I expect the fg to be a little bit higher (not a big deal but will likely base mash temp on these answers). Thanks a lot!

Best,
Tyler

 

[Miraculix]

For me, it was always the same as normal pale malt.

Good choice, Vienna smashes rock!

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Vienna SMaSH is delicious with almost any hop and yeast combo. It's delicious. I second that it has similar fermentability to any other pale malt. I haven't noticed a significant difference between pils malt, other lager malts, ale malts and vienna. Munich is where things start to change (especially dark munich).

 

[Miraculix]

Vienna SMaSH is delicious with almost any hop and yeast combo. It's delicious. I second that it has similar fermentability to any other pale malt. I haven't noticed a significant difference between pils malt, other lager malts, ale malts and vienna. Munich is where things start to change (especially dark munich).

I agree. I also had some troubles with Munich alone in the mash, even with the lighter versions. Theoretically it might convert ok-ish, but practically, 20-30% Pilsener really help it to hit the numbers.

 

[tyrub42]

Great info, thanks! Plus you guys have me super excited for this beer. My hop choices are narrowed down to Eureka or Idaho 7 (staying away from the usual suspects for this beer). Thinking Eureka, as I have quite a bit and wouldn't mind putting it to good use, but what do you guys think about these two hops?

 

[Miraculix]

Great info, thanks! Plus you guys have me super excited for this beer. My hop choices are narrowed down to Eureka or Idaho 7 (staying away from the usual suspects for this beer). Thinking Eureka, as I have quite a bit and wouldn't mind putting it to good use, but what do you guys think about these two hops?

I do not know either of them, sorry. Vienna works kind of with everything except maybe something like citra might be a bit too much. But everything in the cascade/chinook/simcoe direction or of course, all the noble varieties like saaz and EKG should work very well.

 

[VikeMan]

In general, the darker the kilning, the less fermentable the wort (all else being equal). Vienna isn't very dark, but it's a litle less fermentable than a pilsner malt. I model it at slightly more than 95% as fermentable as pilsner. But I wouldn't necessarily argue with someone who says they are closer than that. That said, they are not the same. The "kilning effect" on attenuation is real and continuous, i.e. not just some sort of step function that jumps up at Munich.

 

[Immocles]

gdi, now I have to add a Vienna smash to my upcoming brew list.
And I see the flash sale from YVH this month is Amarillo. Hmm....

 

[balrog]

For me, it was always the same as normal pale malt.

Good choice, Vienna smashes rock!

But what about Lizard?

Or Spock?

 

[odie]

Vienna is a base malt. use up to 100%. at around 10L it's probably slightly less fermentable than MO.

 

[VikeMan]

Vienna is a base malt. use up to 100%. at around 10L it's probably slightly less fermentable than MO.

Vienna is more like 3-4L, typically.

 

[odie]

ok well...I'm not at home to go check my stash...

 

[tyrub42]

FWIW I just checked and the Vienna I have is from Castle, and is lighter than most at 2-3L. Should make for an interesting SMASH beer for sure

 

[Witherby]

I am currently fermenting a split batch Vienna and Styrian Celeia SMaSH. 3 gallons fermenting with WLP830 for a Vienna lager and 3 gallons which were supposed to be an English bitter but the harvested Wyeast1469 I pitched went nowhere so I made a quick starter of harvested Allagash White dregs that I had used for a wit last year and I’m calling it a Belgian pale ale. Just wanted to see what the Vienna tasted like ( just bought a sack of IREKS Vienna malt) and figured comparing two yeasts could help figure that out. What inspired me to do this was the Weyermann flavor wheel for their Vienna and pale ale malts are nearly identical.

 

[passedpawn]

I do a vienna SMaSH lager often. It's what I would consider my "house beer" - I try to keep it on tap. Yes, it's completely delicious.

I use Weyermann Barke vienna malt, and in my SMaSH I typically use saaz or tettnang. OG under 1.050 and you're good.

 

[DannyBoy270]

I did one awhile back. Vienna & Triumph hops fermented with 34/70. Finished at 1.012 according to my notes. Was a good one and the Keg didn't last long lol

 

[Barbarossa]

Nice and sweet. Always finish around 1.010.

 

[Witherby]

My Vienna SMaSH (step mashed 144 to 158 to 168) fermented with WLP 830 started at 1.049 and finished at 1.009.