Which lager to choose for first lager brew

[BeerGrylls]

HBT, help me here. I'm an AG brewer with many ales under my belt. I feel that my technique is good by now and I want to brew a lager. I now have the lagering capability to do so, but I don't know with which to start. I like german and american pilsners, czech pils are ok (I'm learning to like the sulfur) and I'm a huge fan of a good munich dunkel. To be honest, I'm not super familiar with helles, dortmunders, or bocks.

Any advice on where to start, and why? I was thinking German pilsner might be a good jump-off point, but maybe a dunkel is better since I might be able to mask flaws in my first attempt? If you have a favorite recipe, please point me towards it.

 

[JonM]

I was recently in the same boat and I chose Northern Brewer's Helles recipe mostly because it is a tried and true recipe, because it got great reviews, and because it is a sub 1.050 OG beer, which makes things easy on the yeast.

As a bonus, I found out the recommended yeast with that kit is really good for Oktoberfests and Vienna lagers, so I have some yeast to reuse now.

 

[Beernik]

You need really soft water for a pils. That's why I've never tried brewing one. I have really minerally water, so I make Dorts instead. Besides, I grew up drinking them.

I've also done a couple bocks. I also have a quasi Vienna going.

 

[BeerGrylls]

Hmm - I hadn't considered water chemistry. Admittedly, I haven't dove too deeply into it. Usually I use filtered city water, which comes from a natural reservoir (and pump station) that is a few hundreds yards from my home. The city water report is useful but doesn't tell me bicarbonate levels, and I haven't gotten a ward test done yet. Should I wait until I have a better handle on chemistry? My ales have passed empirical tests so far..

 

[DromJohn]

Looking at untappd, I think you should go with a schwarzbier. And the flaws could be masked.
I've got a good Berghoff Dark recipe at home. Poke me if I don't follow up tonight.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

Double Decoction munich dunkel kellerbier of course.

Kellerbier half and lager half.

 

[Rockn_M]

Schwarbier is really good. Probably one of my favorite. You can also do a Oktoberfest, since March is coming.

 

[BeerGrylls]

Looking at untappd, I think you should go with a schwarzbier. And the flaws could be masked.
I've got a good Berghoff Dark recipe at home. Poke me if I don't follow up tonight.

Ha, Good homework! Although if given the choice between the two I'd take a dunkel over two schwarzbiers. Munich dunkel lagers are a little hard to find around here. Usually if I ask for one, I get a dunkelweiss. And if I do find a good one, it's $3.75 a bottle which gets hard to stomach quickly.

 

[LAHammer]

Recently did 2 lagers for my first after brewing ales for a year. Made a PM extract conversion of these but they turned out very good IMO. The pilsner was def the best. PJ knows some things about pils.

Pilsner - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f58/2013-nhc-bronze-medal-winner-classic-american-pilsner-419449/

Vienna Lager - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f59/revvys-vienna-lager-147772/

 

[sammy33]

Do you have an RO filter?

I use RO water and build a water profile from there. I live near Atlanta which has relatively soft water and lends itself nicely to pils water profiles.

 

[BigFloyd]

I'd go for the Dunkel. I emptied a keg of that style just before Christmas and have another that's been lagering 2 months waiting for an open tap. Good stuff. When I can get to my desktop, I will give you the recipe I like using WY2124.

In addition to lagering capability, I assume that you're set up to chill wort to about 45*F, oxygenate it, pitch 2X the yeast you'd do for an ale and ferment consistently at 48-50*F, right?

 

[JonM]

Hmm - I hadn't considered water chemistry. Admittedly, I haven't dove too deeply into it. Usually I use filtered city water, which comes from a natural reservoir (and pump station) that is a few hundreds yards from my home. The city water report is useful but doesn't tell me bicarbonate levels, and I haven't gotten a ward test done yet. Should I wait until I have a better handle on chemistry? My ales have passed empirical tests so far..

Check this out - it is a great first step.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/

When I did that Helles, I wound up using RO water from the machine at the grocery store and adding a little bit of calcium chloride together with the 3% sauermalz approach and it turned out perfect (5.35 mash pH). It really can be that simple when you're first getting into the water chemistry game.

FWIW, water chemistry is particularly important when brewing those light flavored lagers.

 

[BigFloyd]

Check this out - it is a great first step.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/

When I did that Helles, I wound up using RO water from the machine at the grocery store and adding a little bit of calcium chloride together with the 3% sauermalz approach and it turned out perfect (5.35 mash pH). It really can be that simple when you're first getting into the water chemistry game.

FWIW, water chemistry is particularly important when brewing those light flavored lagers.

+1,

Note that, if you're doing a darker beer, less (or no) acid malt is needed since you'll get a lower pH from the darker grains.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Revvy's Vienna Lager

 

[BeerGrylls]

All great points guys, thanks. I do have a temperature controlled ferm chamber and I'll use my keezer/spare corny for lagering. I keep my keezer very cold (because that's how I like it dammit!! ) so that ought to work. My massive plate chiller gets wort from 212* to 55* as fast as I can drain it through with a gravity feed. I have yeast propagation hardware as well. However, I don't have an oxy stone (yet) and no pH meter. Maybe I'm not in such a good position yet to start a lighter beer.

 

[estricklin]

Hmm - I hadn't considered water chemistry. Admittedly, I haven't dove too deeply into it. Usually I use filtered city water, which comes from a natural reservoir (and pump station) that is a few hundreds yards from my home. The city water report is useful but doesn't tell me bicarbonate levels, and I haven't gotten a ward test done yet. Should I wait until I have a better handle on chemistry? My ales have passed empirical tests so far..

Maybe your like and your just blessed with good water. I make pH adjustments and treat for chloramine but that's usually it.

I brew more lagers than anything, and I never get tired of it. California Common and Pilsners are always great, love Oktoberfest too.

Don't forget your not limited to traditional lagers to test drive your new lagering capability. I've made lager porters and stouts, and even IPLs. You won't know until you try!