Schwarzbier Schwarzbier - 2nd Place Medal 2022 Reggale & Dredhop Comp

[Rob2010SS]

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Schwarzbier
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 18.25 gallons (ending kettle volume)
Boil Size: 19 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.054
Efficiency: 80% (ending kettle)

Hop Utilization Multiplier: 0.97

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.056
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (standard): 5.5%
IBU (tinseth): 26.47
SRM (morey): 27.06
Mash pH: 5.43

FERMENTABLES:
19 lb - Munich Type II (Dark) (53.3%)
12.6 lb - Pilsner (35.4%)
1.25 lb - Chocolate (3.5%)
1.25 lb - Caramel / Crystal 40L (3.5%)
0.76 lb - Roasted Barley (2.1%)
0.76 lb - Carafa Special Type II (2.1%)

HOPS:
5.8 oz - Hallertau Mittelfruh, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.8, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 21.51
1.85 oz - Hallertau Mittelfruh, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.8, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 4.16
1.85 oz - Hallertau Mittelfruh, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.8, Use: Whirlpool for 10 min at 170 °F, IBU: 0.81

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 154 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 11.93 gal
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.34 qt/lb

YEAST:
Wyeast - Bohemian Lager 2124
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 75%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 48 - 58 F
Fermentation Temp: 50 F
Pitch Rate: 1.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)

PRIMING:
CO2 Level: 2.44 Volumes

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: 31514
Ca2: 65
Mg2: 14
Na: 39
Cl: 35
SO4: 76
HCO3: 209
Water Notes:

NOTES:
Great tasting beer! Both on nose and flavor, you get a touch of the roasty, dark flavors typical of porter or stout, with a clean easy lager finish. As of 1/12/22, getting some pretty decent chocolate and coffee on the nose. The yeast did not attenuate as far as I'd hoped. It stopped at 1.018 FG. The Schwarzbier BJCP guidelines states that it should not taste like a porter or stout fermented with lager yeast. When compared with the popular Kostritzer Schwarzbier, it's evident that the roasted grains were a bit too much. Not significantly, but enough where I didn't even bother putting this into a comp. I'd either reduce the roasted grains by 10% next time or experiment with adding them late in the mash.

Update 04/07/2022

Well, while we thought this wasn't going to do well, we put it into a competition anyway. Pulled off a silver medal in the 2022 Reggale and Dredhop competition! Score Sheet is in the photos.
** Award Winning Recipe **

This recipe has been published online at:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1212922/pratt-brewing-schwarzbier

 

[Rob2010SS]

 

[greywolf]

I have been looking for a schwartz to add to the taplist. Your pics just sold me on this. Nice scores ,too.

 

[monkeymath]

Sounds like a great beer and the pictures are marvelous! I do share your impression, though, that this is not a "traditional" Schwarzbier. Besides the roasted grains, it also seems to be a bit too heavy (Köstritzer lists a Stammwürze of only 11.4°P, whereas this beer has 13.8°P). Nothing wrong with it imo, it's just more of a Schwarzbier-Porter hybrid.
I love roasty beers in the 14-16°P range.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Sounds like a great beer and the pictures are marvelous! I do share your impression, though, that this is not a "traditional" Schwarzbier. Besides the roasted grains, it also seems to be a bit too heavy (Köstritzer lists a Stammwürze of only 11.4°P, whereas this beer has 13.8°P). Nothing wrong with it imo, it's just more of a Schwarzbier-Porter hybrid.
I love roasty beers in the 14-16°P range.

Yeah I hear you there! Compared to Kostritzer, definitely not the same. However, I did have one sent to me for comparison by Austin Street Brewery and that one and this one were VERY similar. The aroma is where they differed and even them it was only slightly. Ours had just a little bit more roast/chocolate in the aroma but it was so subtle, it was hard to pick out even.

 

[jturman35]

Rob i am going to give this a go! Will be my first Schwarzbier! The color in that first pic with the carmelization sure looks like a winner.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Rob i am going to give this a go! Will be my first Schwarzbier! The color in that first pic with the carmelization sure looks like a winner.

Awesome! Good luck! Let me know how it comes out and what you think of it. We still make this today and haven’t changed a thing on it.

 

[jturman35]

I ordered the ingredients to brew this on my next batch. So hard for me not to imperialize this.

 

[jturman35]

Rob,

I see you have listed the Hop Utilization Multiplier: 0.97 I don't ever scale large recipes does this look about right for a 5 gallon batch? I have never brewed a Schwartz either so this is a new style for me. My 60 min addtion seems a little high at 1.5 oz @ 60min addition even though AA is only 4%.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Rob,

I see you have listed the Hop Utilization Multiplier: 0.97 I don't ever scale large recipes does this look about right for a 5 gallon batch? I have never brewed a Schwartz either so this is a new style for me. My 60 min addtion seems a little high at 1.5 oz @ 60min addition even though AA is only 4%.

View attachment 832426

So full transparency, I don’t really ever adjust the hop utilization number. We just leave it there and tweak the recipe if it needs it.

As for your 60min addition, seems right. A little low if anything but not drastic enough where I’d tell you to adjust. We did this one a few months back on our 1bbl setup and the 60min addition came in at 14oz with 22 IBUs.

When we scale this recipe or adjust for AA% variation, I’m typically trying to maintain 21-22 IBU from that first addition.

 

[jturman35]

What sort of ferment schedule should I shoot for? I’m at 11 days in the conical currently. I started at low 50’s and after 4-6 days ramped up to 68 for a few days. Wondering with this being a low abv if I should start cold crashing soon for a few days before lagering in the keg. This is not a style I’m that familiar with and don’t do many lagers either.

 

[jturman35]

Looks like I’m at 1.015 down from 1.057. Definitely picking up the roast! This should end up being a good lager. I’m going to wait an maybe gelatin next week for a few days, then keg.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Beautiful beer, congratulations!

 

[leedspointbrew]

View attachment 765322
View attachment 765323

Agree with the judge. On the basis of appearance alone, would probably drink several; then on basis of flavor, probably several more.

 

[jturman35]

Update:

Been a month in the keg and pretty sure I nailed the recipe. This is my first Swartz and pretty interesting style, not very familiar with not many commercial examples near me. Appearacne is pretty dark unless you hold up to light. Comes across very clean with perfect amount of choc in the background. Finishes nice and crisp leaving you wanting another sip. Solid recipe!