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Vienna Lager Too Sweet early on anyways

Discussion in 'Beginners Beer Brewing Forum' started by dirtyb15, Sep 24, 2015.

 

  1. #1
    dirtyb15

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    Hi all. Did a vienna lager, (this was my 2nd lager ever) and i just had a taste, it has been lagering for about 2 weeks now in kegs. Very smooth and happy with it overall, but it does seem a little sweet. (Even wife said it was "malty".) Below is the recipe, maybe too much crystal?. Just curious, how will the beer change with 2 more weeks lagering? Thanks!:mug:

    Code:
    Batch Size	8.465 gal	Boil Size	9.215 gal
    Boil Time	60.000 min	Efficiency	65%
    OG	1.045	FG	1.011
    ABV	4.4%	IBU	20.9 (Tinseth)
    Color	10.6 srm (Morey)	Calories (per 12 oz.)	148
    Fermentables
    
    Total grain: 16.500 lb
    Name	Type	Amount	Mashed	Late	Yield	Color
    Vienna Malt	Grain	14.000 lb	Yes	No	78%	4.0 srm
    Caravienne Malt	Grain	1.500 lb	Yes	No	74%	22.0 srm
    Briess - Caramel Malt 60L	Grain	16.000 oz	Yes	No	76%	60.0 srm
    Hops
    
    Name	Alpha	Amount	Use	Time	Form	IBU
    Hallertau	2.7%	2.000 oz	Boil	60.000 min	Pellet	11.5
    Saaz (USA)	6.2%	0.500 oz	Boil	60.000 min	Pellet	6.6
    Hallertau	2.7%	1.000 oz	Boil	15.000 min	Pellet	2.8
    Yeast
    
    Name	Type	Form	Amount	Stage
    Wyeast - Bohemian Lager	Lager	Liquid	0.528 cup	Primary
    WLP940 - Mexican Lager Yeast	Lager	Liquid	2.367 tbsp	Primary
    Mash
    
    Name	Type	Amount	Temp	Target Temp	Time
    mash	Infusion	5.071 gal	162.577 F	150.000 F	0.000 s
    Final Batch Sparge	Infusion	6.289 gal	179.250 F	165.200 F	15.000 min
    Instructions
     
  2. #2
    JimRausch

    JimRMaine  

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    Sorry, I found it a little difficult to interpret your screenshot.
    Did you mash at 162* for 150 minutes? If so, I'm not surprised it's sweetish. Also it looks like you have 2.5 lb of crystal malt(15% of grain bill) which also would make it sweetish.
    Now it's possible that it hasn't reached full carbonation(I'm not a kegger) so there might not be enough carbonic acid bite yet to counteract the sweetness, so there's hope.
    Also, though it's not necessarily to style, you could always dryhop it to counteract some of the sweetness. I'd probably go with Hallertau.
     
  3. #3
    Gavin C

    Well-Known Member  

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    That sure does like an awful lot of specialty malts for a lager especially one like a Vienna with such a malty base grain.

    What was your OG and FG?

    As a reference here is my Vienna' s grain-bill

    OG 1.046 FG 1.009

    Screen Shot 2015-09-23 at 9.58.31 PM.png
     
  4. #4
    3toes

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    Definitely too much crystal in my opinion... But also 2 weeks isn't much time, so I'd give it a few more to let it settle out. Also, if that was the first bit you've pulled off the keg, you might have pulled out some of the newly settled yeast on the bottom that fell from suspension from the lagering process. I find that sometimes gives me an overly bready/yeasty/somewhat sweet taste for the first pint or so.
     
  5. #5
    dirtyb15

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    Sorry just did a quick export from brewtarget. Alot of that can be ignored, just wanted to show the grain/hop amounts. Mashed at 150 for 60 min.
     
  6. #6
    dirtyb15

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    Thanks for sharing. 1.045 and 1.011 were OG and FG. I may try again with less specialities, thanks for sharing.
     
    Gavin C likes this.
  7. #7
    BigEd

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 24, 2015
    Way, way too much crystal IMO. My take on Vienna is 97% Vienna malt and 3% CaraFoam. Your recipe is @ 15% crystal, enough to takeover the beer.
     
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