All-Grain - Welcome to Helles

**osagedr** · 05-02-2011, 07:22 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Saflager W34/70 (2 pckgs)
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 21.8 IBU
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 3.6 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 days @ 51 (ambient)
Additional Fermentation: diacetyl rest 2 days
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): lager 60 days
Tasting Notes: clean crisp ultra-clear

9 lbs Weyermann pilsner malt
1 lb cara-pils
1 oz Hallertauer (4.8%) 60 mins
0.5 oz Hallertauer (4.8%) 23 mins

145 degrees for 45 minutes
158 degrees for 30 minutes
170 degrees for 10 minutes

double batch sparge
90 minute boil

Silver medal, 2011 Aurora Brewing Challenge, Edmonton Homebrewers' Guild

**osagedr** · 05-04-2011, 12:51 AM

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tesilential · 05-24-2011, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osagedr

9 lbs Weyermann pilsner malt
1 lb cara-pils
1 oz Hallertauer (4.8%) 60 mins
0.5 oz Hallertauer (4.8%) 23 mins

145 degrees for 45 minutes
158 degrees for 30 minutes
170 degrees for 10 minutes

double batch sparge
90 minute boil

I'm brewing my first lager tomorrow, which is pretty similar to yours. I'm gonna use extra flavor and aroma hops (saaz and hallertau). Also instead of Carapils my recipe calls for Vienna malt.

What temp did you ferment at and how long did you lager? Looks great!

**osagedr** · 05-24-2011, 06:26 PM

Hope your brew day is going/went well. Cracked one of these last night and really, really liked it. Only have a few bottles left

This beer was fermented with an ambient temp of 50 so likely actual temp of 55. Now that I know a bit more about fermenting lagers I always try to go as cool as possible to slow fermentation down (just doing a d-rest on a Rauchbier that is on day 11 in primary and not quite done yet). If I were doing this recipe again I would chill it to 40-42, pitch two packs of W 34/70 rehydrated then set my ambient temp to 46 and let 'er go. Once I had fermentation going I would drop my ambient temp a few degrees to get the actual liquid temp right to the bottom end of the fermentation range.

Total lagering time (secondary then kegged) was in the 4 month range.

**Tiber_Brew** · 10-26-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osagedr

...I would chill it to 40-42, pitch two packs of W 34/70 rehydrated then set my ambient temp to 46 and let 'er go...

I did almost exactly that with one of my lagers this year and it turned out fantastic.

**osagedr** · 10-26-2011, 07:11 PM

I've found this yeast to be a real workhorse in the mid-40s. Very, very pleased with it. Have some S-189 on order and can't wait to compare the two! I think I'll do a split batch soon.

boo boo · 11-02-2011, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osagedr

I've found this yeast to be a real workhorse in the mid-40s. Very, very pleased with it. Have some S-189 on order and can't wait to compare the two! I think I'll do a split batch soon.

I love the W34/70 for most all of my lagers. I have used the S-189 years ago and found it best for more malty style lagers like Bocks.

I won Gold in Montreal this year for a Helles using W34/70 in the Montreal May Madness comp.

**osagedr** · 11-03-2011, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

I love the W34/70 for most all of my lagers. I have used the S-189 years ago and found it best for more malty style lagers like Bocks.

I won Gold in Montreal this year for a Helles using W34/70 in the Montreal May Madness comp.

Nice! I should have a decent lineup for competition this spring.

shadows69 · 01-20-2012, 10:27 PM

Drinking this now...Excellent!!!!

Did the original recipe.
The only thing I would change is a little more in the hops.

**osagedr** · 01-21-2012, 01:35 AM

Glad to hear it! I'm drinking something really similar now but with a big more ABV and Saaz hops (so a Bohemian Pils) to about 40 IBU.