korndog
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know a good recipe for this beer? A good bready Helles; I think WY2124 is the yeast from this brewery.
Thanks
KD
Thanks
KD
I know that Wyeast 2124 and White Labs 830 are both from that brewery and are the same strand (Weihenstephan 34/70). This site will give you which strains of yeast come from where and which are analogous to each other. Good luck with the rest of the recipe.
KotMF: Yeast Comparison
For improved malt character you could do a double decoction mash and/or use more Munich malt which will give a bready character. I would stay away from any specialty malts in this brew.
If you do a decoction, I recommend watching Kaiser's decoction videos and be careful about that protein rest temp. You're probably better off starting in the mid 130s (then up to mid/upper 150s, then mash-out) with today's malts as opposed to the traditional 122 protein rest.
Also, the hops... You may already know... in a Helles, flavor hops really aren't necessary and can easily overwhelm the malt profile. However, I think a smidgen (maybe 1/4 oz per 5 gallon batch) of aroma hops at like 1 or 2 minutes is nice in a Helles. I've done Helles with only bittering hops and with a touch of aroma hops and I've noticed a real difference... it's nice to catch that faint wiff of hops aroma in the head when you put the glass up to your mouth.
This beer is excellent btw, if you haven't had it. It has really sparked my interest in Light German Lagers.
As for the decoction, if you're going to do a single decoction, doing it for mash-out won't really get you the maltiness you're looking to get from it. Mash-out decoctions need to be "thin" and the maillard reactions are much less than in a thick decoction. As long as pH isn't an issue (acid rest), I would mash-in in the low to mid 130's and decoct up to the mid to upper 150s. Then you can either decoct again (thin) to mash-out or water infusion or direct-fire to reach mash-out temp.
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I need to research this a bit and maybe Kaiser can step in, but I'm pretty sure that the spent grain (at that point) no longer supports maillard reactions (lack of amino acids or something) and there is a greater risk of tannin extraction. I've seen it recommended against because it will produce "unfavorable flavors", but I'm not sure chemically what is going on and what is not.
Great job! You know, looking at the recipe again, that looks earily similar to some I've brewed. Not only in the grain bill (+ or - the Munich malt), but the hops (pretty much exactly type, quantities, and schedule), and the yeast (I used WLP830 which is supposed to be the same as Wyeast 2124). So, I think I have a pretty good idea of how your beer tastes!
Did you end up using a deco?
What was your OG/FG? How long did you lager?
Hey, that looks like a winner to me! You got great attenuation too. If your IBUs were calculated to 18.9, that should have been fine for the style. Plus with the higher gravity, the bitterness ratio would have been lower. Maybe you fermented it so clean, the judge was perplexed by the bitterness.
You might get too much hop flavor for the style. Are you trying to hit the style numbers? If not def try it. I like menschmachine's approach...just bittering hops with a touch of aroma...just enough to be noticable after a fresh pour and the head kicks up the aroma. But I still might FWH a tiny bit.Going to brew this with FWH this weekend instead of 60 minute. Any experiences?
You might get too much hop flavor for the style. Are you trying to hit the style numbers? If not def try it. I like menschmachine's approach...just bittering hops with a touch of aroma...just enough to be noticable after a fresh pour and the head kicks up the aroma. But I still might FWH a tiny bit.
Oh yea...I wouldn't do the FWH instead of the 60 min...you'll def get too much flavor that way imo. I might move a small quantity from the 60 to FWH but that's the max I'd do. Depends on what you're after I guess.
Flavor - 12/20
Light bready malt and earthy hops, no esters. Balance slightly bitter, too much for this styles malt expectations. lingering bitter finish, clean well brewed, just slightly too bitter for style.
korndog, any updates on how the First Wort Hopping went?
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