Need a recipe DARK LAGER

[ben2904]

So Im about to brew my first lager.
I want a recipe of Dark Lager/Munich Lager style
Yeast s-23 or w3470
Without any extra additions like barley or oats or anything that isnt malt and hops.
Plus I do only primary ferm and then bottle ferm.

Thank you very much.

Forgot to mention: AG and no yeast starters

 

[wildactbrewer]

You can play with the percentages to get the exact profile you want but I would go with these ingredients listed in order of most to least:

5.5 Gallon Batch

OG=1.048
FG=1.013
IBU=23
ABV=4.55%


Pilsner Malt-73.7%
Vienna Malt-21.1%
German Carafa III-5.3%

1oz Hallertau Hersbrucker-4% @ 60min
.5oz Hallertau Hersbrucker-4% @ 30min
.5oz Saaz-3.5% @ 5min

May want to use Whirlfloc or Irish Moss at the end of the boil as well for clarity. I did a small batch of the same just a while ago and it came out great!

 

[sptaylor70]

I always* use a secondary for the lagering phase.

*Always = twice

Scinerd3000's Uncle Crunkel's Munich Dunkel has gotten good reviews. BarleyWater's May the Schwarz-bier With You, too. It has roasted barley, which you could replace with a dark chocolate malt.

 

[ben2904]

You can play with the percentages to get the exact profile you want but I would go with these ingredients listed in order of most to least:

5.5 Gallon Batch

OG=1.048
FG=1.013
IBU=23
ABV=4.55%


Pilsner Malt-73.7%
Vienna Malt-21.1%
German Carafa III-5.3%

1oz Hallertau Hersbrucker-4% @ 60min
.5oz Hallertau Hersbrucker-4% @ 30min
.5oz Saaz-3.5% @ 5min

May want to use Whirlfloc or Irish Moss at the end of the boil as well for clarity. I did a small batch of the same just a while ago and it came out great!

Thanks, I may try this out.
What about ferm temp? 10 degrees celcius?

 

[wildactbrewer]

I would recommend using a secondary for this. But if you are dead set on using just a primary I would go for 2-3 weeks at 10c but do not go over 12.

After 2 weeks bring it up to 16c for 3 days(after which if you choose to do a secondary rack then)

After the 3 day rest at 16c drop it gradually to 1-3 degrees, just barely above freezing and lager for 4 weeks+. The longer the better!

The purpose of a secondary in lager beers is to get it off of the yeast cake, which can cause off flavors, and into a vessel to clarify. I think s-23 is a cleaner yeast so you might be okay leaving it in the primary...

 

[ben2904]

I would recommend using a secondary for this. But if you are dead set on using just a primary I would go for 2-3 weeks at 10c but do not go over 12.

After 2 weeks bring it up to 16c for 3 days(after which if you choose to do a secondary rack then)

After the 3 day rest at 16c drop it gradually to 1-3 degrees, just barely above freezing and lager for 4 weeks+. The longer the better!

The purpose of a secondary in lager beers is to get it off of the yeast cake, which can cause off flavors, and into a vessel to clarify. I think s-23 is a cleaner yeast so you might be okay leaving it in the primary...

Im not going to do secondary or rack to secondary. only primary and bottling.
so how do you suggest of doing it?
if I will go for 2 weeks primary in 10c, then 3 days 16c, then 3 days at 3-5c (cold crash?) and then bottle (tell me temp needed here). Is it ok?
I will go for the recipe above with s-23 yeast.

 

[wildactbrewer]

You don't have to secondary if you choose not to. I only recommended it because I like to free up my carboys if I have to age one for a while. Plus, the idea that leaving it on the yeast cake will cause off flavors is a disputed one. It continues to be dis proven for small scale brewers like us.

As far as your process above, 2 weeks in the primary @ 10, 3 days @ 16, but then you will want to lower the temp to 3-5 and keep it there for around a month or longer. This isn't a cold crash, but a lagering phase.

Cold crashing simply helps the yeast drop out of suspension and is a great way to clarify your beer! But to be a true lager it needs to age at near freezing temps for at least a month. This totally changes the profile of the beer and produces that nice, crisp lager flavor. Some of the bigger lagers out there, like Dopplebock's, are lagered for up to a year or more!

Once again, it's your beer and your preference, but if we are discussing style it needs to lager for an extended period.

 

[ben2904]

You don't have to secondary if you choose not to. I only recommended it because I like to free up my carboys if I have to age one for a while. Plus, the idea that leaving it on the yeast cake will cause off flavors is a disputed one. It continues to be dis proven for small scale brewers like us.

As far as your process above, 2 weeks in the primary @ 10, 3 days @ 16, but then you will want to lower the temp to 3-5 and keep it there for around a month or longer. This isn't a cold crash, but a lagering phase.

Cold crashing simply helps the yeast drop out of suspension and is a great way to clarify your beer! But to be a true lager it needs to age at near freezing temps for at least a month. This totally changes the profile of the beer and produces that nice, crisp lager flavor. Some of the bigger lagers out there, like Dopplebock's, are lagered for up to a year or more!

Once again, it's your beer and your preference, but if we are discussing style it needs to lager for an extended period.

Ok, the thing is after 2-3 weeks after brewing this one I will come back home only on week ends.
So still go for a month lagering (just let it sit without even seeing it) or looking after it is very important so I shouldn't take the chance?
its first time lagering, thats why I ask, to get answers from more experienced brewers.

And I understand that it doesnt need to be cold crashed right? or it is? how?

 

[wildactbrewer]

Cold crashing and lagering, all be it the same process, are two different things. When I make an ale I cold crash to clear it up before bottling. The lagering process is defined as storing beer at cellar temps for an extended period. Either way you will end up clear beer, assuming no chill haze ect.

What I'm getting at is if you desire a clear, clean ale then go with the 2-3 day cold crash and bottle. If you are truly desiring a lager than the beer will need to be lagered for an extended period.

As far as monitoring the lagering phase...there's really not a whole lot to monitor other than temperature. If you have a lagering chamber or fridge to keep the temperature in check then you are good! Other than that it really just sits there. It can be maddening waiting for a beer to finish, and perhaps being away from it all together will help with the anxiety. Contrary to some other reads on here, once you get past primary fermentation, you really have to work hard to mess up a beer!

 

[ben2904]

Cold crashing and lagering, all be it the same process, are two different things. When I make an ale I cold crash to clear it up before bottling. The lagering process is defined as storing beer at cellar temps for an extended period. Either way you will end up clear beer, assuming no chill haze ect.

What I'm getting at is if you desire a clear, clean ale then go with the 2-3 day cold crash and bottle. If you are truly desiring a lager than the beer will need to be lagered for an extended period.

As far as monitoring the lagering phase...there's really not a whole lot to monitor other than temperature. If you have a lagering chamber or fridge to keep the temperature in check then you are good! Other than that it really just sits there. It can be maddening waiting for a beer to finish, and perhaps being away from it all together will help with the anxiety. Contrary to some other reads on here, once you get past primary fermentation, you really have to work hard to mess up a beer!

Thank you man, you were really helpful.
btw do you think s-23 can cause any over fermentation? should I put a blow off tube?

 

[wildactbrewer]

I think you should be fine as long as your fermentation vessel has enough head space. Typically I try to stick with a 1 gallon equivalent of headspace in my carboys to avoid it. I'm not sure about that particular yeast variety as far as how vigorous it starts but it's generally a safe bet after the first 24-48 hours you're okay. That being said, no two beers are the same either...But I think that at lager yeast temps and leaving enough head space in the carboy/bucket you should be okay.

In any event, if you do notice a blowout, you can always rig up a tube afterwards. Just make sure that you sanitize everything.

Cheers! Hope it turns out great!

 

[wildactbrewer]

I know it's been a while...but how did this turn out?