Helles Bock with Safale US-05 Dry Yeast, Proper Fermentation Temp?

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xinunix

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I just finished brewing this Helles Bock recipe from my LHBS: What The Helles Bock. I went with the dry yeast which uses Safale US-05. It looks like the liquid yeast is WLP833 and ferments in the lager range (48-55 F). The recommended temp range for US-05 is 64-70 F, I am wondering if I should attempt to keep the temps on the very low end of the range to stay true to the style?

I have a fermentation chamber that will let me control the temps, wondering if I should target an ambient temperature around 58-60 or go the route I have gone with this yeast in other ales which is an ambient in the mid 60s and fermentation temp of approx 68?
 
You are correct in your assumptions, both that a lower temperature will result in a cleaner flavor, and that lowering the ambient temperature a few degrees below the desired fermentation temperature is a good idea. However, your beer will not be true to style regardless of the temperature if you use US-05 yeast. It will be an ale brewed from a bock kit. Most importantly, it will almost certainly still be good beer, but to brew a true bock, you must use lager yeast.
 
You are correct in your assumptions, both that a lower temperature will result in a cleaner flavor, and that lowering the ambient temperature a few degrees below the desired fermentation temperature is a good idea. However, your beer will not be true to style regardless of the temperature if you use US-05 yeast. It will be an ale brewed from a bock kit. Most importantly, it will almost certainly still be good beer, but to brew a true bock, you must use lager yeast.

Do you know what the name of the style is? A helles bock brewed with ale yeast? Im trying to find the name for it to put in my bottles... Thanks!
 
Would not be a defined style for that. It would fall into one of the generic categories. You could call it a beer “in the style of Helles Bock”.
 
Hmm... a helles bock, to me, is essentially a strong, light colored, hoppy lager of German origin.

In the states we would probably call our equivalent an India Pale Lager.

You likely have a strong, light colored, hoppy ale that probably mixes German malts with American yeast. A german analogue might be a Kolsch (a light German ale that's refreshing and fairly clean, in a way like US05) but it has its own yeast of course.

Does a beer get its identity from the yeast or from the malt? My sense is most people would say the yeast, but that's just a guess.

Perhaps you could think of it as a lowbrow American bastardization (a McBock, if you will) or an interesting twist on Pale Ale/IPA (probably more appropriate). Or maybe just leave it at "What the hell IS bock?"

You have a philosophical puzzle on your hands, but it sounds quite tasty. Let me know how it turns out!
 
Do you know what the name of the style is? A helles bock brewed with ale yeast? Im trying to find the name for it to put in my bottles... Thanks!

Not really a style name for it with ale yeast, suppose you could call it a Pale Ale thought it would be more malty than hoppy. FYI, Rogue's Dead Guy Ale is a maibock (now called Helles Bock) made with their house Pacman ale yeast...they describe it as "mailbock style ale".
 
Why don't you buy yourself two packs of 3470 and ferment it with an appropriate yeast? The yeast gets you good results, even at room temperature. Check the warm fermented lager thread for more information.
 
What you're describing doesn't really fall into any category in particular
Not really a style name for it with ale yeast, suppose you could call it a Pale Ale thought it would be more malty than hoppy. FYI, Rogue's Dead Guy Ale is a maibock (now called Helles Bock) made with their house Pacman ale yeast...they describe it as "mailbock style ale".
They make a heck of a "maibock". I mean it would be more of a Kolsch, than a Helles. If you want true to style get the WLP833, but you would have to ferment and lager cold. Or like many of us do, get 34/70 and be able to ferment at room temp.
 
The closest ale style I can think of to a helles bock might be English IPA. You know... that beer style that existed hundreds of years ago, until Americans ruined it in the 21st century. But seriously... you've got high gravity and alcoholic strength, maltiness, non-citrus hop flavor and aroma. As @KeizerBrewr says above, this doesn't really fall into any style neatly. But I think you might get away with calling this a sort of German-style IPA... if such a thing were to exist. And it's closest to English IPA, not the American style. Seriously.

I would frown upon considering anything fermented with US-05 as being a "lager" or "bock". Those are very specific terms for very clean beers, and US-05 is NOT as clean as people claim it is. When it is fermented cold, it often gives off even more peach/apricot ester flavor.
 
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