Munich Helles BierMunchers “Helles Belles” (Munich Helles, AG)

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Oh yeah here's a pic. Is the color too dark?

Helles Bells.jpg
 
rrhoads said:
Just finished this and after 2 weeks of lagering, I transferred to keg under 12 psi, adding gelatin. It's been sitting in the keg for about a week under pressure, and is brilliantly clear. The only thing is, I haven't had a helles before, and it seems a bit too much on the sweet/malty side. Is this typical of the style? Will this fade with more lagering time? With that said, it is absolutley delicious, I just don't know if I could drink more than a couple pints, without the maltiness getting in the way.
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What was your FG? Normally mine finishes fairly dry (1.008). BJCP guidelines indicate it should be fully attenuated (1.008-1.012)
 
I've made this recipe 2 or 3 times and I get the malt but it's a tad drier feel. Having visited Germany a few times and having the style often, this recipe is pretty darn close. I make a batch for own Oktoberfest party every year! cheers!
 
I have to keep better notes, but I believe it got down to 1.006. Maybe I'm just used to the higher bitterness of the Pils. I drink a lot of Pilsner Urquell and have a Czech Pils fermenting as we speak. It's kind of a hybrid between Jamil's recipe for Bohemian Pils, and advice from Tiber on this forum. Anyway, story for another thread. I'm going off topic. Thanks for the help.
 
Sorry to dredge this thread back up but I'm planning on brewing this recipe this weekend and could use some advice. Any recommendations as to finishing this one for bottling? I have a ferm chamber and can control ferm temps as needed. But, once bottled, I don't have enough fridge room to store the bottles cold, they'll have to be stored at ambient in my basement - about 66-68F. I was thinking two weeks in primary at 66F then into secondary for another week. But at what temp? Any thoughts you guys have would be appreciated. Will be using WLP029.
 
Monty0124 said:
Sorry to dredge this thread back up but I'm planning on brewing this recipe this weekend and could use some advice. Any recommendations as to finishing this one for bottling? I have a ferm chamber and can control ferm temps as needed. But, once bottled, I don't have enough fridge room to store the bottles cold, they'll have to be stored at ambient in my basement - about 66-68F. I was thinking two weeks in primary at 66F then into secondary for another week. But at what temp? Any thoughts you guys have would be appreciated. Will be using WLP029.
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Keep them at the same temp in the secondary. Three weeks at those temps will be sufficient for complete fermentation and you should have no risk of over-carbonated bottles. Bottle conditioning at 66 degrees may take some time (70 is ideal), but if you're in no hurry, you should be golden. :mug:
 
I've been wanting to do a Czech or Munich Pilsner next. How does this compare to these beers?
 
BierMuncher said:
Keep them at the same temp in the secondary. Three weeks at those temps will be sufficient for complete fermentation and you should have no risk of over-carbonated bottles. Bottle conditioning at 66 degrees may take some time (70 is ideal), but if you're in no hurry, you should be golden. :mug:
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Perfect. Thanks man! I can move them upstairs and get them to 70, just can't go colder than 66. Appreciate your help, I'll post back with the results. :mug:
 
Just got this into primary about 30 minutes ago. Hit all my numbers and pulled 78% efficiency, very pleased. Clear as a bell going into primary, I'll post a pic of my hydro sample here in a bit. Blew my mind. Thanks for the great recipe.
 
It's so cool to see that this thread goes back 8 years! With only 4 or so years of brewing it makes me realize how much of a newb I still am. I came to almost this same recipe via a different route and use WLP029 as I've seen other posters do as well. Cheers to biermuncher! It's really a great beer.
 
Into secondary today at 1.009. Really nice aroma and smooth taste - this is going to be a delicious beer. Going to sit in secondary at 66F for 7 days. Thinking of cold crashing to 34F for a week after secondary (with gelatin). Will this beer benefit from that or should I go straight to bottles after the week in secondary?
 
Just did 10_gallons of this. Looks like it will be great. Going to ferment at 63. Mashed at 152. Looking for a bit more dryness.
 
kegged it today at 1009.

very nice. looking forward to tasting it carbed. Was super clear after a 4 day cold crash.
 
Gonna brew 10 more gallons of this tomorrow.

Great summer beer. I use the ale yeast.
 
Has anyone put together a 5 gallon batch recipe of this yet? I don't have beersmith to do it on.
 
Eyeing this recipe for a quick brew for a party I'm throwing about a month from now. Planning to do it with wyeast Kölsch 2565, that I already have. Other than that I have some Saaz and Hallertau Hersbrucker hops waiting in the freezer to be turned into delicious liquid gold.
Anyone think this Helles won't work with either this yeast or either of these hops?
 
Sorry if this has been covered already, but I'm wondering if I can do 10 gallons of this beer with one vial of the Kolsch yeast? If so, how big of a starter? Do I need to do a step up?
 
GrimCityBrewer said:
Sorry if this has been covered already, but I'm wondering if I can do 10 gallons of this beer with one vial of the Kolsch yeast? If so, how big of a starter? Do I need to do a step up?
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Brewers friend has a calculator for this.
 
11 gallons is the ticket! :mug:

I'll split it up with two different buckets & types of yeast as well. A German Lager & a Munich Helles. This will be my second attempt on a Helles. I love 'em. Augustiner was my first.

I have a fermentation chamber all set up and kinda lonely. So I'm thinking of just bumping it down to 44* and letting it rest in the primary for 30 days. Gelatin then carb up & condition in the keg for 7 days at 34*.

I know it's not the BM way of doing things........................ but I'm sophisticated and lazy. :D

The pictures & the description you guys give are just what I'm looking for.
 
Munich Helles is my favorite style of beer. You can also use saflager 34/70 and ale temps - 16-18C for me - to get a great beer!

The only ales i will be making from now on is ambers. Just can't seem to get into pale ales.
 
BierMuncher said:
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.

View attachment 3780


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

View attachment 3778

Ingredients:
------------

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...

View attachment 3781
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Rock solid recipe. Personally i would add some more grain to get to %5. But thats just me.
 
Here's the Munich Helles I recently brewed.
Thanks to your fine recipe BierMuncher!
This beer had the entire neighborhood talking and wanting more.
Cheers for an awesome recipe.
10 gallons gone in around a month after first tapped.
Overshot the OG because I didn't know the BH Efficiency of the recipe but was still a delight to drink.

IMG_0130.JPG
 
Excellent Recipe. Hoping I can keep my hands off this until New Year's Party because I'm sure it's going to be a big hit.
 

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