More beer planning
So, I was so enthused by the Pilsner finally fermenting that I'm just stupid enough to do another lager before I have any real returns on the first one, or any idea how well it worked. Here's the plan: I -love- Aecht Schlenkerla RauchBier Ur-Marzen and I can't get any. So as long as that pilsner seems to be working, and as long as I'm basically playing the intrepid brewer, why not do one more lager? The basement temperature is totally perfect. After I knock out that pale ale, while I wait for it to finish up and leave yeast for my barley wine, I thought I'd make the following, basically using a recipe from Smoked Beers by Larson and Daniels:
5.5 lbs German Munich malt
5 lbs Weyermann smoked malt
2 oz Carafa II
option: should I add a little carapils for body? Maybe not. The double decoction has a saccharification rest at 154 anyway, so that oughta give some dextrins. Perhaps I'll just follow the recipe. They give an OG of 1056; Promash calculates at 1059. That's fine. They hop to 30 IBU's with pellets; the numbers I give below produce 29.7 with whole flowers. Could add an extra flower or two to the boiling hops. . .
Hops are Tettnang with an ounce and half for bittering, and a tiny (.25 oz.) addition with two minutes left.
For yeast, I'm torn between Wyeast's Bavarian and Munich lager yeasts. They basically have identical flocculation and attenuation, but the Munich needs a diacetyl rest and is happiest at a slightly narrower temperature range. The White Labs German Lager yeast is also a good option. I should really ask Randy for a recommendation. The recipe asks for either Bavarian or Munich, with no distinction made. I'll look into the yeast question and then order supplies for this one from Northern Brewer mid-way through next week.
Oh, one big brewing note here: Must be very careful with water. Apparently the smoke phenols do horrible things when they encounter chlorine. This would be a good window to set up some charcoal filtration, otherwise it's another bunch of wasted money buying bottled water.
Note to self: Order the Carafa uncrushed. There's no reason I can't keep odd-ball specialty malts uncrushed for a long time in a tin, then attack them with a rolling pin on brew day, pending purchase of a proper mill. I don't anticipate using lots of Carafa on a regular basis.
5.5 lbs German Munich malt
5 lbs Weyermann smoked malt
2 oz Carafa II
option: should I add a little carapils for body? Maybe not. The double decoction has a saccharification rest at 154 anyway, so that oughta give some dextrins. Perhaps I'll just follow the recipe. They give an OG of 1056; Promash calculates at 1059. That's fine. They hop to 30 IBU's with pellets; the numbers I give below produce 29.7 with whole flowers. Could add an extra flower or two to the boiling hops. . .
Hops are Tettnang with an ounce and half for bittering, and a tiny (.25 oz.) addition with two minutes left.
For yeast, I'm torn between Wyeast's Bavarian and Munich lager yeasts. They basically have identical flocculation and attenuation, but the Munich needs a diacetyl rest and is happiest at a slightly narrower temperature range. The White Labs German Lager yeast is also a good option. I should really ask Randy for a recommendation. The recipe asks for either Bavarian or Munich, with no distinction made. I'll look into the yeast question and then order supplies for this one from Northern Brewer mid-way through next week.
Oh, one big brewing note here: Must be very careful with water. Apparently the smoke phenols do horrible things when they encounter chlorine. This would be a good window to set up some charcoal filtration, otherwise it's another bunch of wasted money buying bottled water.
Note to self: Order the Carafa uncrushed. There's no reason I can't keep odd-ball specialty malts uncrushed for a long time in a tin, then attack them with a rolling pin on brew day, pending purchase of a proper mill. I don't anticipate using lots of Carafa on a regular basis.
posted by Jason | 1:50 PM
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