Improved German Lager

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Mapleroots

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Location
Crown Point Indiana
2009 German Lager: 4.5 gal
Grain Bill-
10 LB German Pilsner
1 1/2 LB Cara Munich-60L
.5 LB Carafa Special 2-413-450L
1.5 LB German Munich-Steep-
Hops-
1oz Cascade(7%)-60min
.5oz Cascade-30min
1oz Willamette(4.5%)-60min
.5oz Willamette-10-0min
Yeast= German Bock Yeast-WLP833
I have heard that you should use at least two white lab pitchables for a 5 gal. batch when doing a lager, because of the low fermenting temps. Can anyone quote on this? And feel free to critique my hop schedule. I do have 3oz. Citra.

_Zion Brewing_
Kegged: Golden Imperial Wheat
Bottled: Golden Imperial Wheat
Secondary: 40 Bars- Trappist Ale(dry hopping)
Secondary: Honey Wheat
Primary:40 Bars
 
What are you trying to brew? Something to a style? Something to taste? As is stands you sort of have a lager version of a brown porter.

Your hops are a bit off for a German beer, but that isn't to say it won't be tasty (citra would be even further away). I would reduce the caramunich, seems like too much sweetness for my tastes.

The more yeast the better, two tubes would be the minimum I would even consider, taking two and making a 3L starter would be much better.
 
I'm going for mostly taste but wanted to stay true to a German Bock style Lager with my grain selection and yeast strain. My hop selection is just what I have left over. It's not in line with the style of beer but As long as it tastes good thats all I'm looking for. I know adding the Citra hops will put it even further away from that category, but I would like to incorporate them into this lager. kind of get some citrus notes with the aroma of the willamette, since this beer will be drank next spring. I'm thinking i can blend this with the nutty maybe even biscuit flavor of the grain.
 
All that crystal malt is not appropriate for a Bock. It still looks like a tasty grain bill to me, though. With the beer you have there, you are somewhere between a Bock and an American Brown Ale. That can actually be a nice beer. I've done many along those lines.

On the yeast, either pitch two vials or work up a good 1.5-2L starter (or larger). You can just use 1 vial if you are going to work up a starter.


TL
 
All that crystal malt is not appropriate for a Bock. It still looks like a tasty grain bill to me, though. With the beer you have there, you are somewhere between a Bock and an American Brown Ale. That can actually be a nice beer. I've done many along those lines.

On the yeast, either pitch two vials or work up a good 1.5-2L starter (or larger). You can just use 1 vial if you are going to work up a starter.


TL

Ditch the Bock yeast for a San Francisco lager yeast and you've got yourself a nice Dunkles Steam Beer! In all seriousness, it sounds like an interesting beer but really has very little in common with a traditional Bock. Do a little research and you can find plenty of information on brewing the style. Oh, and I too would recommend a nice yeast starter instead of two vials.
 
I also have 5lb of caravienne 20L would this be better that the caraMunich. I'm not looking to get too dark color for this beer and i think that this will lighten it up a bit.
 
What does anyone think about the lager time for a beer like this. I'm looking at drinking this beginning of March some time. That gives me 3 months in the carboy and 1 month in bottles before opening the first brew, if I brew beginning of next month. or should I wait till may and let lager for a few more months. I just want to know when this will be the best to drink.
 
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