recommend basic lager recipe???

Hi

I just aquired a fridge from my gran and fancy having a go at some lager. I'd ask if anyone kindly has any recipes for a basic lager that they would recommend??

I'd work out my own recipe as I can work out the amount of extract to use given that I'm aiming for 3.5% final grav but I realise that as far as hops go variety and final IBU's are everything so what kind of bitterness should I aim for? I finally figured out the working out the other day for the kettle utilisation etc and it kind of made me realise that how much hops I use in a recipe all depends on the size of my boil kettle (which is 2gal.)

thanks
Matt

My lager experience is limited to one brew but i'll throw in my tips anyway.

I'd say shoot for around 20 IBU and don't go above 40. German noble hops are a must IMO. My favourites are Saaz and Halertau Hersbrucker. They are delicate, floral and spicy. Yeast wise I used White Labs WLP8021 (Czech Budejovice Lager) - and what a great yeast it is! No off-flavours whatsoever. Ferment it at maybe 10 degrees C until it has finished then lager at close to freezing for a month if you can take it.

Good luck and let us know what recipe you come up with!

Do you have any of the popular home brewing books?

I'd recommend doing one of the recipes in there.

Kai

Doing a Vienna Lager right now its been ferming for 6 days used vienna, munich, 2 row and carahell malts and a WLP#830 german Lager yeast. Takes a little while for the yeast to kick in but ferming nicely at 55 in my fridge. A huge deal is controlling that temp! most fridges stay around 40. You will need a temp controller for lager type beers.(around 50$) 55 for 10-20 days, dycatel rest for 24-48 hrs and secondary lagering for 1-?months. Keep lowering lagering temps 2-5 degrees every 24 hrs. untill your at around 34-40 degrees depending on your recipe. As for hopps go all german for the authentic taste. Good luck

fantastic - do you lager with the yeast still in or filter it out first?
I don't have any popular brewing books (what are they?) but with extract brewing I aim through trial and error create 2 recipes of my own
1 lager
1 bitter

well I've got some saaz for aroma, does the choice of bittering hops make much difference to the flavour (assuming that I achieve the same IBU's with them)?

thanks
Matt

frothy said:

fantastic - do you lager with the yeast still in or filter it out first?

Click to expand...

The yeast stays in since it is the one that does the "lagering". Try to cool it down gently once the primary fermentation is over.

Kai