19 replies to this topic

[earthtone]

So my basement is cold enough I decided to get a delicious session lager going so that it can go on tap exactly between terms this spring when I have 3.5 weeks off of school to enjoy some sun (I hope) and some beer. This means I'll have a scotch ale and a crisp delicious lager, some stout and maybe a bunch of cider for my break :unsure:Can't think of the commercial example I am trying to get close to, I made a light lager gluten free for my girlfriend a while back though with agave syrup and rice and all saaz hops, it was crisp and delicious and the saaz lent a wicked spiciness. I guess I am trying to make a barley, gluten filled version of that.6.6 lb Pilsner Malt2.2 lb Vienna malt4 oz Carapils1 /2 oz Hallertau @ 601/2 oz Saaz @ 601/2 oz Hallertau @ 151/2 oz Saaz @ 151 oz Saaz @ flameoutWyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager yeastOG: 1.050IBU: 17.5SRM: 4Any comments? Any advice? Here's looking at you kenlenard lagersmith...

[Big Nake]

ET: I think it looks nice. The 2206 will give it a heavier/maltier profile (it's a great yeast) and I suppose that if you stretched reality a little bit, it could be in the Helles category. Or maybe call it a pale Munich Lager? I don't know but that's not the important part... the important part is how well it comes out. What are you thinking for mash temp... 150° or so? Post back when it's ready & have fun with it.Btw... I punched it into a calculator and I got a slightly lower OG/FG (1.046, 4.4%) but otherwise it fits into the Munich Helles cat 2D.

[earthtone]

Wicked, thanks ken! I was thinking 150df mash temp to keep the FG down. I am looking for this to be a total session brew so 1.046 sounds about right to me - my eff. is pretty high on my system so I might end up at the 1.050 mark anyway. Munich Helles eh? cool, good to know what style it fits when there is one to fit.My basement ambient temp is around 45df is this going to be alright for the 2206? probably fermentation temp will be around 49-50 df. but the package says 45-58df range, I assume 58 would be the diacetyl rest temp though.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Wicked, thanks ken! I was thinking 150df mash temp to keep the FG down. I am looking for this to be a total session brew so 1.046 sounds about right to me - my eff. is pretty high on my system so I might end up at the 1.050 mark anyway. Munich Helles eh? cool, good to know what style it fits when there is one to fit. My basement ambient temp is around 45df is this going to be alright for the 2206? probably fermentation temp will be around 49-50 df. but the package says 45-58df range, I assume 58 would be the diacetyl rest temp though.

I think the d-rest temp should be higher than that. I think that refers to the primary fermentation temp.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Wicked, thanks ken! I was thinking 150df mash temp to keep the FG down. I am looking for this to be a total session brew so 1.046 sounds about right to me - my eff. is pretty high on my system so I might end up at the 1.050 mark anyway. Munich Helles eh? cool, good to know what style it fits when there is one to fit. My basement ambient temp is around 45df is this going to be alright for the 2206? probably fermentation temp will be around 49-50 df. but the package says 45-58df range, I assume 58 would be the diacetyl rest temp though.

ET if your fermentation goes at 49-50 you will be spot on for sure for that yeast. I think that will turn out well and I agree nice looking recipe. Zym is correct I would try and go 60-65 for your D rest as well. Enjoy the brew for sure and hope it ferments well. I like 2206 myself too.

[earthtone]

perfect!! I can just carry the carboy upstairs into the apartment for the D rest. I'll post some pics later, a buddy is coming over and my brewbud and we are going to show him the ropes Smackpack is smacked and swelling, should be heating strike water in about 1 hour.

[Big Nake]

Yeah, your basement is perfect. I mean, I wouldn't want to be down there nekkid but if I were a lager yeast, I would enjoy it. 49-50° for primary is awesome and again, raise into the low-to-mid 60s for the d-rest. Brew on, ET!

[earthtone]

BREWED!


Spent Grains


Hops


Boil


Canada Scores


Hot Break


Brew Buds


I am excited about this one, my apartment smells AMAZING right now.

[Big Nake]

I'm just disappointed that you didn't get a shot of yourself wearing the musically-patterned oven mitts... that would've been an instant classic. Looking good, Amigo. I hope it comes out well. Cheers.

[earthtone]

haha they were a christmas gift still no activity this morn but it's only been 10 hours so that makes sense. Ken do you find lagers to have a slightly slower takeoff than ales? I assume the temp being lower would slow the growth as well as the fermentation down. All my experience is with ales.

[Big Nake]

I admit that I do not make GIANT lager starters. I know that people say to pitch a metric buttload of yeast (which I do not know how to measure...), but if I pitch one of my lager starters, it may take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours to see good activity. The yeast would have been pitched cool/cold and the wort would've been around 45° at pitching. But if I harvest lager yeast from a "just-done" batch (as I am doing this morning with some WLP940) and I oxygenate with pure O2 and pitch a good 300ml of that active slurry, I'll see good activity in 2-3 hours. The overall primary fermentation is less-vigorous to be sure, but the start time depends on the yeast. You should pick another good recipe to make with the 2206... it seems to improve with each batch. I have some recipes on my site that use 2206 and Fest Marzenbier is a really nice one. I plan to make it in the next few months. Cheers.

[earthtone]

Cool sounds good, I made a small starter so I'm expecting it to take 24+ hours. Not worried though. It's sitting at 45df as we speak.I was thinking about what else I would want to do, my friend is really into doing a dark lager - I know you don't like the roastiness ken but I am leaning towards this to replace the porter I have on tap right now. I am thinking either a Munich Dunkel or a Schwartz Bier. Either one will work with the Bavarian Lager Yeast right? BJCP calls for a "clean german lager yeast".

[Big Nake]

Either of those would come out well with this yeast. If you haven't had a beer made with 2206 yet, you're in for a treat. It's very distinct and I don't think White Labs has an equivalent. It has a very malty profile that is hard to describe. I think it just tastes "German" and you can tell me when you sample this beer if you agree. You may hear oompah music. You may go buy lederhosen. You may make schnitzel to go with the beer. You can use that yeast in anything from a lighter lager (my bud made a Harp clone with it) to a Munich Dunkel or Schwartzbier and have a winner on your hands. Cheers!

[earthtone]

Either of those would come out well with this yeast. If you haven't had a beer made with 2206 yet, you're in for a treat. It's very distinct and I don't think White Labs has an equivalent. It has a very malty profile that is hard to describe. I think it just tastes "German" and you can tell me when you sample this beer if you agree. You may hear oompah music. You may go buy lederhosen. You may make schnitzel to go with the beer. You can use that yeast in anything from a lighter lager (my bud made a Harp clone with it) to a Munich Dunkel or Schwartzbier and have a winner on your hands. Cheers!

Damn so I brewed this last Wed and I haven't seen any activity. On saturday I was starting to get suspicious, LHBS closed sunday, woke up today still no bubbles, no krausen, no airlock activity, sediment layered on bottom. Going to check the gravity just to be double sure when I get home tonight..... But I called the LHBS and they don't have any lager yeasts at the moment... but they get a shipment of wyeast on wednesday or thursday............. shittty. Not sure what to do, given that there seems to be no evidence of poor sanitation - and my practice is pretty tight as far as apartment brewing goes.... I guess I'll have a better idea once I am sure no fermentation has taken place... I know I underpitched a bit, for my OG the Mr. Malty called for 150 billion cells, and the wyeast smack pack got me 2/3s of the way there. So any suggestions? make it an ale? wait it out if it's still seeming to be clean (thursday I can get another smackpack, then I need to make starter and pitch at high krausen so probably not till friday)??? How do I save this batch??? It was brewed Wednesday last, so this is day 5. It's been sitting at 47 df the whole time. I tried warming it to 55df and shaking for a few hours the day after brewing but I didn't want it to sit at a warmer temp while I was away at school so it's been back in the cold since then. help.

[Big Nake]

Wow, that's really weird. 2/3rds of the required yeast should have gotten you activity by now. Is there any reason to believe that the yeast was not viable? Was it old or what? I guess you could make it an ale, but then it will become a cream ale/blonde ale and wouldn't be anything like the beer the 2206 would produce. Hmm.

[earthtone]

I know weird isn't it?? Like I said, I'll check the gravity when I get home just to be sure..... but I assume this yeast should normally throw up a healthy krausen? I don't wanna do this with anything else but I am sketchy about leaving it until friday...... The smackpack swelled before I pitched, but not all the way. It definitely was pushing out the sides and I was going to bed so I just tossed it in. I have done this many times before without incident.EDIT: MF date of package was Dec. 24th

[earthtone]

So despite the yeast troubles this one came down tot he tasty FG of 1,012Question, since I am now kegging this for lagering - do you lager carbed or flat?

[Big Nake]

So despite the yeast troubles this one came down tot he tasty FG of 1,012 Question, since I am now kegging this for lagering - do you lager carbed or flat?

I think you could do either, but I usually take my 50°-ish lager from secondary, rack it to the keg and then get it cold overnight and start carbing it the next morning (30psi for 48 hours) and then take it off the gas and leave it cold until it hits the taps. So I guess I lager it carbed/under gas. If you decide to send it to the keg and lager it flat, just make sure the hatch is securely sealed until it gets hit with more gas. Cheers! Glad to hear it came out well!

[earthtone]

Thanks ken, it's carbing as we speak so I'll just let it finish then pop it off and leave it for the next 3 weeks..... I need to get something on tap ASAP though, having anything cold and carbed but not yet ready to drink is dangerous. Exercise in self restraint I suppose.

[Big Nake]

Thanks ken, it's carbing as we speak so I'll just let it finish then pop it off and leave it for the next 3 weeks..... I need to get something on tap ASAP though, having anything cold and carbed but not yet ready to drink is dangerous. Exercise in self restraint I suppose.

Yes, patience. But I will say this... if you find yourself in a particularly weak moment and you decide to try it... and it's good... drink it! Sometimes my lagers sit in the fridge for months before I crack it open. Other times it's more like 2 weeks or maybe even less. That 2206 makes a nice beer so I think you'll be happy with it. Cheers.