Burning Helles

d_ozz68 · 10-21-2010, 09:18 PM

I have just finished putting together a recipe for a Munich Helles "type" brew and I'm looking for the typical feedback. I recently was at the New Holland Brewery and enjoyed the Helles that they have on tap and thought I would try one of my own. The only thing that I know about their Helles is that it's around 6% ABV. I don't really have a way to lager yet so I'm going to have to go with an Ale yeast.

Here's what I came up with, any feedback/suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Burning Helles (Munich Helles AG)

10# German Two Row Pils
1 # Vienna Malt
1/2# Munich Malt
1/2# Carafoam

1oz Tettnang 60 minutes

1 pkg. Safale US-05 (I think??)

Was planning on mashing at around 152 degrees with a 90 minute boil. Fermenting at about 62-65 degrees for two weeks then gelatin and cold crash for a couple days followed by kegging and force carbing.......Thanks in advance for any feedback.

**JonK331** · 10-21-2010, 10:26 PM

You don't really need to boil 90 minutes unless you use pilsner malt. What you are making is more like a Kolsch because of using the ale yeast. If you ferment the safale-05 low (~64) it will be pretty clean. I usually pitch two packs when I do this. You could also try a Kolsch yeast. It's hard to get as clean as a Helles should be with ale yeast but with enough cold conditioning and some finings (as you said) you can make a really clean beer.

**Brew-boy** · 10-21-2010, 10:56 PM

I would do the 90 min boil if you have pilsner malt. I would ditch the us-05 if you cannot ferment down that low and try something like Wyeast 1007 German ale. Either way it will not be a Helles but it might get you closer to what you want.

d_ozz68 · 10-22-2010, 12:06 AM

Thanks for the feedback so far. I think I will try a different yeast other then the US-05. With the weather getting cooler here in MI I think I should be able to keep the swamp cooler around 62 degrees at least for the first 5-7 days. I've never used Wyeast 1007 German ale yeast, so I will look into it to see if it might be something that I would enjoy. Other wise I'll probably go with the Kolsch yeast.

I've only done about 5 AG batches so far so I'm still trying to learn about how the different yeasts effect the taste of the beer. So far I've been playing it safe and using mostly Nottingham and US-05

Thanks again, and I'm still open to more feedback if anyone else wants to chime in....

markg388 · 10-23-2010, 03:23 PM

use kolsch or german ale, it's gunna taste like redhook blonde ale otherwise. been there, done that =P. it doesn't even need to be 62, it just can't be 72. 68 works fine, 70 is being risky IME. Your recipe looks like it's gunna be a bit of a darker golden color and on the dry side for helles, but on second thought it's higher in gravity than most so it'll probably be right on the money. use a nice big starter and have fun, helles (or kolsch in your case) is a tough beer to nail down.

d_ozz68 · 10-24-2010, 04:36 PM

yep.......Due to a few changes to the recipe while at my LHBS on Friday, I'm now considering it a Kolsch. I ended up getting 10# Pilsner and went with WLP029 (German Ale/Kolsch) for the yeast. Everything else is staying the same except I will add another 1/2oz of Tettnang as well. As far as color, it should come out at about 5 SRM.

Thanks for all the feedback!