American Lager Pottsville Common (Yeungling Lager Attempt)

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
So has anyone who has had the real thing not to long ago tried this to see how close it is? jamesnsw and jbt can you please post the recipes you feel are closest to the real thing in you best opinion! Thanks!
 
So has anyone who has had the real thing not to long ago tried this to see how close it is? jamesnsw and jbt can you please post the recipes you feel are closest to the real thing in you best opinion! Thanks!


My first batch is out in the cold garage still in secondary.

BTW, this is the basic recipe I used. Yeast was 2112 and I used 6 row for a base malt, 90 minute boil.

5 lbs. Lager or pils malt
1 lbs. Munich Malt
7/8 lb. American Caramel 80°-90 L
2 lbs. Corn Grits
.75 oz. Cluster (Pellets, 7.00 %AA) boiled 60 minutes.
.25 oz. Centennial (Pellets, 10 %AA) boiled 15 minutes. (or 1/2 5% cascade)
.25 oz. Centennial (Pellets, 10 %AA) @ knockout. (or 1/2 5% cascade)

14 days primary
4-6 wks secondary
 
I opened a few today. It's not as dark as it looks in the pic and is damn good. My wife doesn't drink and really liked it. That says a lot.

viewFile.html
 
I made an extract version of the OP's recipe, and used about 4.25 lbs breiss golden light DME in place of grain, but everything else was the same. Had a smaller grain bag than i would've liked, so the crystal, corn and rice hulls were a bit snug. OG turned out to be 1.036 :( Did I totally screw up my extract conversion or do ya think it could've been the grain bag being overstuffed? Steeped grains for about 40 min at 154 in 3 gallons. Should I have gone longer? Wort tasted decent enough, and I'm sure it'll make a tasty low abv brew, but I would have preferred it to be as close as possible to Yeungling. Any suggestions, other than go all grain? I'm working on it. :D Still pretty new to the homebrew scene, but I'm learning... I think... :eek:
 
I made an extract version of the OP's recipe, and used about 4.25 lbs breiss golden light DME in place of grain, but everything else was the same. Had a smaller grain bag than i would've liked, so the crystal, corn and rice hulls were a bit snug. OG turned out to be 1.036 :( Did I totally screw up my extract conversion or do ya think it could've been the grain bag being overstuffed? Steeped grains for about 40 min at 154 in 3 gallons. Should I have gone longer? Wort tasted decent enough, and I'm sure it'll make a tasty low abv brew, but I would have preferred it to be as close as possible to Yeungling. Any suggestions, other than go all grain? I'm working on it. :D Still pretty new to the homebrew scene, but I'm learning... I think... :eek:

Corn adjuncts have to be mashed with base malts to convert.
 
Thanks to those who replied to this thread today and made it pop up in "New Posts," I may have never seen it! As a PA native now living in AZ, I've been dying to brew some "Lager" but haven't tried brewing a lager yet because of the fermenation temp challenges in Tucson. This thread gives me hope...I could probably brew it right now!
My best man and I are planning to brew together in July before my wedding so I'll definately need a temp control setup by then but I think this is what we'll brew on that occasion if it turns out good! Any feedback on the modified recipe from the OP? Thanks!
 
Well crap. So the Crystal wont do it then? I guess i know for next time... :(

Read up on doing a mini mash. You'll probably need 2lbs of six row to convert the flaked maize. You can throw the crystal in there too. Mash @152-154 for at least an hour, drain, sparge, then you can add whatever DME/LME you need to get the OG. You can probably do it as a BIAB on the stove top or oven.
 
Read up on doing a mini mash. You'll probably need 2lbs of six row to convert the flaked maize. You can throw the crystal in there too. Mash @152-154 for at least an hour, drain, sparge, then you can add whatever DME/LME you need to get the OG. You can probably do it as a BIAB on the stove top or oven.

Well, i DO plan on the next brew to be a stove top AG brew ala DeathBrewer, so I may get away from extract altogether... or maybe just for the most part, as I tweaked a steam ale extract recipe that turned out AWESOME, and not sure I wanna bother it. But I digress :off:

Next time I brew this, (and I believe it to be sooner than later, to please SWMBO) it will be stove top AG. Either way it was a good learning experience, and the wort tasted fairly good. I think it will turn out to be a tasty low abv brew that will be good for yard work if winter ever ends, albeit not quite what i was going for.

Oh, and BTW thanks for the input :mug:
 
The neighbor just asked me to brew 10 gallons of this for a wedding. Naturally, he'll have to buy all the ingredients and do the work under my direction. ;)

I guess most of the people he shared it with prefer it to the real thing. :p
 
Im going to be brewing this based on the original post with only a few modifications being 1) 2 lbs of flaked corn, 2) cluster hops instead of chinook (cluster is what yeungling uses) and 3) wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast. I have brewed a couple of beers with the San Fran lager yeast and it always tasted a little too fruity to me (personal taste). After alot of searching people are saying the german ale yeast brewed around 50 F is SUPER clean and closer to a true lager than the san fran yeast brewed at ideal temps. As always, Ill post the results in a month or so
 
ekjohns said:
Im going to be brewing this based on the original post with only a few modifications being 1) 2 lbs of flaked corn, 2) cluster hops instead of chinook (cluster is what yeungling uses) and 3) wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast. I have brewed a couple of beers with the San Fran lager yeast and it always tasted a little too fruity to me (personal taste). After alot of searching people are saying the german ale yeast brewed around 50 F is SUPER clean and closer to a true lager than the san fran yeast brewed at ideal temps. As always, Ill post the results in a month or so

Why not go for 840 since you would be at lager temp anyway??
 
2 reasons, im impatient and I am concerned by ferm. chamber is gonna struggle to hold it at laggering temps (36-40F) for a month. I will eventually do a lager after I have spent some time adding extra insulation to it so it doesnt have to work so hard
 
Yea I was looking into lagering but i think ill try a slow conversion into it. The lowest I have gone so far is 60F.
 
Im going to be brewing this based on the original post with only a few modifications being 1) 2 lbs of flaked corn, 2) cluster hops instead of chinook (cluster is what yeungling uses) and 3) wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast. I have brewed a couple of beers with the San Fran lager yeast and it always tasted a little too fruity to me (personal taste). After alot of searching people are saying the german ale yeast brewed around 50 F is SUPER clean and closer to a true lager than the san fran yeast brewed at ideal temps. As always, Ill post the results in a month or so

Well, the only real tip I can give you is to probably go with a 90 minute mash.

I did an iodine test @60 minutes and the corn just wasn't converted yet.

Let us know how it turns out.
 
Well, the only real tip I can give you is to probably go with a 90 minute mash.

I did an iodine test @60 minutes and the corn just wasn't converted yet.

Let us know how it turns out.


I am wondering if that was the problem with the last 2 batches I made. I only mashed for 60min no iodine test. I will have to go pick some up.
 
Glad to see that this thread has had some activity here lately and people are still brewing and enjoying it. Please continue to post your results and changes. This recipe was really just a jumping off point meant to be tweaked and retooled along the way. Cheers!
 
I'd say give it a shot. I never expected to get exactly the recipe, just used it as a guide. It's just a nice light drinking beer with a nice amber color and just enough hop bitterness for balance. 22.5 IBUs sounds good to me.

As an asside, attempt #2 is still in the primary. It will probably get kegged tomorrow before I leave for vacation so I can come home to 6 carbed kegs! Very nice...
BTW, how did Yeungling Clone v2.0 turn out?
 
BTW, how did Yeungling Clone v2.0 turn out?

I liked #1 better. I took to a HB club meeting and people confirmed that it was definitely in the ball park for Yeungling so apparently I'm doing something right. I'm about due to do this one again soon. I am just over capacity now with primarys, secondarys and empty kegs to put them in. I need to move some beer I guess.
 
Just brewed a batch with cluster hops and S23.
Its in the Swamp cooler right now at 51 degrees.

6#s 2row
2#s maize
.5#s 80L
.5#s carapils

15Ibu

1/2oz Clusters @60min
1/4oz Cascade @30min

Ended up with 6 gal in the end forgot to adjust for less grain. I am usually at 11-12# in my mash.. The good thing is I got 85%eff so that more than made up for the extra 3/4gal :ban:

Also did a Iodine test for this one and at 150degrees I did not get full conversion until 75min at 5.4ph
 
I'm really excited to give this a try now that a temperature controlled setup is in my reach.

From the folks that have brewed this, what's the consensus on the final recipe? It sounded like the OP liked the first version better. Did the darker crystal affect the taste too much, or do you think it was it the change to Cluster?

I'm about to get a spare refrigerator wired up to a controller so I think I'm going to give Wyeast 2035 a try -- any thoughts on that? Hopefully I'll do this one in two weeks or so.
 
Jbt said:
Just brewed a batch with cluster hops and S23.
Its in the Swamp cooler right now at 51 degrees.

6#s 2row
2#s maize
.5#s 80L
.5#s carapils

15Ibu

1/2oz Clusters @60min
1/4oz Cascade @30min

Ended up with 6 gal in the end forgot to adjust for less grain. I am usually at 11-12# in my mash.. The good thing is I got 85%eff so that more than made up for the extra 3/4gal :ban:

Also did a Iodine test for this one and at 150degrees I did not get full conversion until 75min at 5.4ph

It's in the keg now lagering at 37 degrees. 15 IBUs seemed to be low. Kind of sweet. It's good, I will have no problem drinking it but 20-25 IBUs i think is the ticket. Will see if it changes in a month or so.
 
I brewed quite a bit of this over the winter ( and drank it too) :p.

Switching back over to 2112 from Lager yeast now that it's getting warmer.

The Cluster is a must, and I think the lb of Munich really makes a big difference.
 
I have not yet jumped up to AG. Do you have an extract or PM for this? I am a big fan of this beer but we have none in our area of New England.
 
This will be my attempt from reading all the posts:

Yuengling Lager Clone 2.5
5Gals.
Primary 11 days @52
Secondary 8 weeks low 40's
6#s 2row
2#s maize
.5#s Munich
.5#s lb Rice Hulls (soaked in warm water)
.5#s 80L
.5#s carapils

1/2oz Clusters @60min
1/4oz Cascade @30min

Saflager dry S23 yeast (Pre-started on Stir plate from wort about one pint)
Mash in at 150 for 90mins (4 gals)
Mash out at 168 for 10mins (3.5 gals)
Hoping to get close to the lager effect, did the Yuengling Brewery tour yesterday!
Will post updates, suggestions welcome. :mug:
 
Last min changes on Brew day as follows

Yuengling Lager Clone 2.51

6#s 2row
2#s maize
.5#s Munich
1#s lb Rice Hulls(soaked in warm water)
.8#s 80L
.5#s carapils

1/2oz Clusters @60min
1/2oz Cascade @30min
Saflager dry S23 yeast (Pre-started on Stir plate from wort about one pint)
Mash in at 150 for 90mins (4 gals)
Mash out at 168 for 10mins (3.5 gals)
 
I have yet to brew my first beer yet but being from Pennsylvania, Yuengling is a favorite commercial beer of mine. With me being new to this I am about to brew an american wheat beer.:off: for my first. After this I would like to try the kit that Annapolis Home Brew has for the Pennsylvania Lager "yuengling". Back on topic has any body tried this? I would go with the malt and steeped grains if I try it but it won't be for some time.
 
Last min changes on Brew day as follows

Yuengling Lager Clone 2.51

6#s 2row
2#s maize
.5#s Munich
1#s lb Rice Hulls(soaked in warm water)
.8#s 80L
.5#s carapils

1/2oz Clusters @60min
1/2oz Cascade @30min
Saflager dry S23 yeast (Pre-started on Stir plate from wort about one pint)
Mash in at 150 for 90mins (4 gals)
Mash out at 168 for 10mins (3.5 gals)

How did this turnout??
 
It's in the keg. Will be tapping it tonight. Color and taste are almost dead on. It seems a little sweet. I went to school in Emmaus years ago.:mug:
 
Did you think lagering it made a difference? I'd like to try the ale version as soon as my grain comes in.
 
The answer in short is yes because lagering makes the beer taste much smoother. That's not to say you couldn't try it with an ale yeast, something like so5 or 1056. Give it a try and let us know your results. I would guess it would taste more like an October fest that was produced by them this year. Still looking for the bock recipe that is to come out the end of January.
 
jprice said:
Did you think lagering it made a difference? I'd like to try the ale version as soon as my grain comes in.

If you are planing a ale version I would consider the California lager yeast it fermentation temp is 68F. I made it with this the first time and it was excellent. A clean ale yeast will be good but don't think it will taste as intended. You would be making a cream ale. Good luck
 
Back
Top