BierMunchers “Helles Belles” (Munich Helles, AG)
 

Munich Helles is a very light German beer that was created in Munich in 1895 at the Spaten brewery by Gabriel Sedlmayr to compete with Pilsner-style beers. It is a malt-accentuated beer that is not overly sweet, but rather focuses on malt flavor with underlying hop bitterness in a supporting role.

This is the kind of beer I expect to taste when I see those pictures of huge mugs at a German beerfest. Very pilsner like in color, but the head retention suits this malty beverage just perfect. I added some Vienna to really bring out the malt profile.

A very simple recipe, this beer is also easy on the hops budget. For a 5.5 gallon batch, just divide everything in half.

Attachment 3780


Batch Size: 11.50 gal
Boil Size: 13.16 gal
Estimated OG: 1.041 SG
Estimated Color: 3.7 SRM
Attachment 3779
Estimated IBU: 16.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Attachment 3778

Ingredients:
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15.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM)
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)

3.00 oz Tettnang [3.20%] (60 min)

1 Pkgs German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs #WLP029) Yeast-Ale

Irish Moss, 15 minutes

Mash at 154 for 90 minutes.

I've brewed this twice in the last 5 weeks and it's a real favorite. At only 3.8%, you can imagine filling a few large mugs and quaffing this on a cold afternoon.

Here's mine, second from the left...Clearer than the picture shows...

Attachment 3781

*added to recipes I must try*

Sounds delish!

My LHBS only sells wyeast. What would you suggest as a substitute? Would a kolsch yeast work or am I better off ordering WLP029 online?

Any Kolsch yeast will do. I've used the Wyeast Kolsch in the past and it is good. The WLP just happenned to be a slurry that the guys at a local micro pulled off for me when I was visiting there.

I saved a "Helles Bells" recipe here about 9 months ago... it has finally been born.

Hey BM, I just brewed this a week ago and plan on bottling. How long do you usually age it chilled before you start drinking it?

It's a light grain bill and a low IBU.

I believe I keg conditioned in the garage (40 dgrees) for 1 week then right to the chiller and within 3-4 days it was pretty brilliant. It did get two full weeks in the primary though.

I fell a little behind in brewing (it was too cold to brew outside in MN from Jan and most of Feb), and I now have this in my kegerator after only 6 weeks. It's still pretty cloudy. It was in primary for 1 week, secondary for 2 weeks and kegged and on gas for 3 weeks. How long does it typically take for kolsch yeast to clear up?

As you might've noticed from my sig, this style is on my to-brew list. I have a vial of southern german lager yeast waiting for it. I haven't crafted my recipe yet, but it'll probably be much like this one. Mostly pilsner, a touch of munich, maybe a smidge of melanoidin (I'd do a decoction mash, but I'm afraid it might affect the color too much, so melanoidin malt is the next best thing). Looks like JZ's recipe is about the same as that. I'll probably use Crystal hops as I don't have any Tett. I'm psyched to try this style...it'll have to wait until after the France trip, but I think I'll brew this the same day as the XXX Old Ale. A couple of new styles for MHBC...helles yeah!

I'm assuming it's chilled?

Kolsch is a slow, thorough yeast.

It can take up to 5-6 weeks at cold temps to clear. REgardless, the flavor will be awesome regardless of the clarity.