My first attempt at a lager, now I have a second fridge that I can tie up for months while this lagers – though it may spend some time just in the garage during the coldest part of the year. I believe it will require around 12 weeks lagering, so it should be ready sometime around March. The recipe is broadly similar to ones I’ve seen on the forums, though I can’t give any specific links.
- Length: 25 litres
- Yeast: Saflager W-34/70 (2 packs)
- OG 12Bx = 1.046
- FG 5.6Bx = 1.008
- ABV 4.9%
Recipe:
| Fermentable | Colour | lb: oz | Grams | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemian Pilsner Malt | 3.5 EBC | 10 lbs. 7.9 oz | 4760 grams | 94% |
| Melanoidin Malt | 70 EBC | 0 lbs. 5.3 oz | 150 grams | 3% |
| Wheat Malt | 3.5 EBC | 0 lbs. 5.3 oz | 150 grams | 3% |
| Hop Variety | Type | Alpha | Time | lb: oz | grams | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saaz | Whole | 3.3 % | 90 mins | 0 lbs. 2.5 oz | 70 grams | 41.2% |
| Saaz | Whole | 3.3 % | 30 mins | 0 lbs. 1.2 oz | 35 grams | 20.6% |
| Saaz | Whole | 3.3 % | 10 mins | 0 lbs. 1.2 oz | 35 grams | 20.6% |
| Saaz | Whole | 3.3 % | 0 mins | 0 lbs. 1.1 oz | 30 grams | 17.6% |
Final addition during the cool, when it dropped to 80C.
| Final Volume: | 25 | Litres |
| Original Gravity: | 1.044 | |
| Final Gravity: | 1.010 | |
| Alcohol Content: | 4.3% | ABV |
| Total Liquor: | 36.8 | Litres |
| Mash Liquor: | 12.7 | Litres |
| Mash Efficiency: | 70 | % |
| Bitterness: | 37 | EBU |
| Colour: | 8 | EBC |
Comments:
Slightly higher OG than target at 1.046, but only 23 litres of wort. I really need to do some proper measurements of the new boiler and work out the evaporation loss rate and dead-space, and make myself a measuring stick for it.
2 packs of yeas20t rehydrated at 24C in 200ml boiled and cooled water. Pitched the yeast at too warm a temp (20C) as I’d rehydrated the yeast far earlier than I should have done. It’s all in the fridge, set for 12C, so it should be down to the right temperature by morning.
2011-11-30: 11 days into the fermentation, and it’s at 6Bx = 1.010, so (according to my reading!) it’s time for its diacetyl rest. Since it’s a lager that’s been fermenting at 12C, this means a rise to 15C for 24-48hrs. I’ll check again on Saturday morning (since I’m busy the next two evenings), and if I’m happy it’s finished I’ll rack it off into a fresh fermenter and stick it in the small and cold fridge at 2C for its lagering.
2011-12-04: 15 days in, after almost 4 days at 15C for the rest, and we’re at 5.6Bx = 1.008. Racked into a secondary fermenter (new bucket!), and started the temperature drop – down 1C morning and evening until we’re down at 2C for lagering. It’s very clear, and tastes quite good to me, though Vicky reckons she can still smell a vague egginess, but I can’t anymore.
2012-02-19: Bottled 41, bulk primed with 123g of cane sugar. It’s all in the fermentation chamber at 12C to condition.
