Making a Light Lager with hops and malt extract. What hops can I use and what types of grains give a German style? I've used all the regular stuff. Any different ideas like birchwood chips or something like that? I want to get an added flavor that goes with lager hops, is it ok to add spices to beer?
Light lager what to add?
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Nateo
Well-Known Member
"Beechwood" chips don't add any flavor. It's for aging lagers more quickly, which is what the big brewers used to do.
I would never put spices in a light lager. The most important ingredient is your yeast. If you use a german lager yeast, it'll probably taste like a german lager.
I would never put spices in a light lager. The most important ingredient is your yeast. If you use a german lager yeast, it'll probably taste like a german lager.
Bob
Well-Known Member
What to add? Fermentation temperature control. 
It's damned difficult to brew light lager successfully. I hope you're successful!
Use a Pilsner malt extract, the freshest you can find. Order from one of the big online houses like Northern Brewer. Reserve 66 to 75% of the extract for a late addition (I add my late additions at flameout).
Use rice extract, dextrose or white sugar to lighten the body and flavor; no more than 10-15% of the fermentables. Add this late, too.
Use a classic "noble" hops variety like Saaz, Tettnang or Hallertau. Use very little flavor hops (<0.5 ounces in 5 US gallons) and no aroma hops.
Ferment with a lager strain, and pitch a lot of it. Control the temperature of the ferment carefully, keeping it within the strain's parameters. Perform a diacetyl rest. Lager at least two weeks, preferably a month.
Avoid spices. The wood chips were/are used not as a flavoring agent but to clarify the lagering beer. The beer is kept circulating over a bed of flavorless beechwood chips to raise the surface area of the lagerkeller floor, promoting sedimentation. This reduces filter losses in a commercial brewery. You don't need or want to do that.
Buy, read and get 100% buy-in to Greg Noonan's New Brewing Lager Beer. That book is essential for the lager brewer.
Prost!
Bob
It's damned difficult to brew light lager successfully. I hope you're successful!
Use a Pilsner malt extract, the freshest you can find. Order from one of the big online houses like Northern Brewer. Reserve 66 to 75% of the extract for a late addition (I add my late additions at flameout).
Use rice extract, dextrose or white sugar to lighten the body and flavor; no more than 10-15% of the fermentables. Add this late, too.
Use a classic "noble" hops variety like Saaz, Tettnang or Hallertau. Use very little flavor hops (<0.5 ounces in 5 US gallons) and no aroma hops.
Ferment with a lager strain, and pitch a lot of it. Control the temperature of the ferment carefully, keeping it within the strain's parameters. Perform a diacetyl rest. Lager at least two weeks, preferably a month.
Avoid spices. The wood chips were/are used not as a flavoring agent but to clarify the lagering beer. The beer is kept circulating over a bed of flavorless beechwood chips to raise the surface area of the lagerkeller floor, promoting sedimentation. This reduces filter losses in a commercial brewery. You don't need or want to do that.
Buy, read and get 100% buy-in to Greg Noonan's New Brewing Lager Beer. That book is essential for the lager brewer.
Prost!
Bob
Thanks!! That sounds like slot of useful information! I will look into that book, Prost!
I did however have a successful brew of a light lager, I can't believe how smooth it taste and easy it is to drink. I used hallertau(.5oz) and corn sugar with a very small amount of Left over
Willameta(.07oz) and it still came out delicious...
I did however have a successful brew of a light lager, I can't believe how smooth it taste and easy it is to drink. I used hallertau(.5oz) and corn sugar with a very small amount of Left over
Willameta(.07oz) and it still came out delicious...
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