Critique my Munich Dunkel recipe please

[DirtyPolock]

So I am trying to clone one of my favorite beers from a local brewery back home...Penn Dark Lager.

Here is the description of the beer from their website:

Munich and various roasted malts give it a very malty, rich flavor with a hint of burnt flavor. 100% imported Hallertau hops, moderate bitterness and aroma.

Here is also a link to reviews from beer advocate for various reviews of the beer: Beer Advocate reviews

So here is my initial thought:

Penn Dark Clone

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 6.00 Wort Size (Gal): 6.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 10.75
Anticipated OG: 1.049 Plato: 12.22
Anticipated SRM: 16.3
Anticipated IBU: 16.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
----------------------------------------------------------------------
46.5 5.00 lbs. Light Munich Malt Germany 1.037 5
46.5 5.00 lbs. Dark Munich Malt Germany 1.037 9
1.2 0.13 lbs. Carafa II Germany 1.030 500
1.2 0.13 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350
4.7 0.50 lbs. CaraMunich 40 France 1.034 40

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Hallertauer Pellet 4.00 16.4 60 min.


Yeast
-----

WYeast 2206 Bavarian Lager

I mixed the light with dark munich malts to help give enough didastic power to convert. For the roasted malts I decided to add a small amount of chocolate from the various reviews that describe a small chocolate flavor. The Carafa and CaraMunich to help raise the color. Do I need to add or change something to give it that hint of a burnt flavor? As for the hops I will just go with whichever Hallertauer hop my LHBS carries.

I know that this is a lager and requires a LARGE yeast pitching rate. I have already done a 2 quart starter, cold crashed for 2 days after about 3 days of fermentation. I then stepped this up again into two separate 1/2 gallon growlers, with yeast nutrient, which is bubbling away very nicely. This will be cold crashed in a day or two then decanted to hopefully yield a nice large amount of healthy yeast. This is the only part of the recipe that cannot be changed as the starter is already being prepared.

For the mash schedule I am not too sure of what to do as I don't have that much experience/knowledge with this area. I was either thinking of 149* for 30 minutes then 158* for 30 minutes, or just a single mash of 152* for 60 minutes or until conversion is completed. I just got these from a bavarian dunkel recipe that I found online.

Fermentation will be in a lager fridge set to 53*, diacetyl rest if necessary, and then lagered for at least 3 months probably in the low 40's.

Send me your comments, and if it the beer turns out good you may get a bottle or two in the mail.

 

[Oldsock]

Looks like a solid recipe to me. I'm not sure there is any cara malt in the Penn beer, I haven’t had it for awhile, but I remember much of a caramel or dark fruit character.

If you want some burnt character you could go with roasted barley or black patent instead of chocolate, although I think the chocolate is a fine choice. Either of your mash schedules sound fine for this one.

Sounds like good yeast growth. I'd probably lower the ambient temp to the high 40s though since the fermentation will generate some heat. You can raise it up above 50 as fermentation slows down to make sure it finishes. I don’t think 3 months of lagering is necessary, this is a relatively light beer (but some extra time won’t hurt anything, just make sure to reyeast before bottling).

Good luck brewing.

 

[markg388]

this recipe looks really good. I'd up the carafa before adding harsher dark malts like black patent, but i think you're good to go as is w/ the carafa and choc. I also think you should ferment a bit lower than 53, 49-50 gives me my best results. I love the idea of a lighter beer with munich as the base malt and no late hops, should be real tasty!

 

[gxm]

Overall, that looks like a solid, tasty recipe.
As far as diastatic power goes, speaking from experience, it sucks to not have enough.
If you are certain of the source of your malt, you should be fine. I've used Weyermann for a recipe similar to this, and it turned out great. If I wasn't certain of the malt source, I might add a pound or two of Pils malt to the recipe.