Munich Helles 2011 1st Place HBT- Light lager- Augustiner Lagerbier Hell

[jdubdvdt]

I just kegged this recipe using wlp860 dry. The mash was 90 min at 149. I did make a 2L 1.040 starter since that was significantly cheaper than buying 2 dry packs. Wlp860 dry has a very specific nose on it. Its a very sweet nose and really mutes everything but that malt when it ferments. At least that was from the fermenter samples. Its been in the keg a little over 2 days now and this is really bitter, and almost no nose, but clearing. My guess is lagering will probably smooth this out but we will see. I probably got a sample of all the crud thats supposed to settle out. Lagering has an odd way of bringing everything together.

Anywho I'm going to dose with gelatin tomorrow and let ride until King of the Hill comes out. So far this time is the only time Ive brewed this recipe without something going massively wrong. Both this and Bells Two Hearted are my hell batches. Every.....single.....time

That said the sample from earlier was very crisp!

This beer is named King of the Helles! Ill post an update once this gets officially tapped

I get a lot of fruit from the WLP860.
I don't get much hop profile when using WLP860 either.
Leaves a residual sweetness and a reasonable german "beer" flavor.

I will probably leave WLP860 only for a Helles. I prefer other strains for other german lagers.

 

[rtstrider]

Finally nailed this recipe! This recipe is really good! Wlp860 is a bit much on the malt side of things. Both on the aroma and flavor. Next time Im going to try and hefty pitch of wlp838 and see what happens since that is what the recipe calls for. The only changes I made this time was the mash temp (149F for 90 min) and the yeast (wlp860 dry)

 

[jdubdvdt]

Finally nailed this recipe! This recipe is really good! Wlp860 is a bit much on the malt side of things. Both on the aroma and flavor. Next time Im going to try and hefty pitch of wlp838 and see what happens since that is what the recipe calls for. The only changes I made this time was the mash temp (149F for 90 min) and the yeast (wlp860 dry)
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I believe 838 or 833 would do really well in this recipe. We did enjoy it with 860, but I am putting that yeast as probably my least favorite German Lager yeast until further notice.

 

[rtstrider]

I believe 838 or 833 would do really well in this recipe. We did enjoy it with 860, but I am putting that yeast as probably my least favorite German Lager yeast until further notice.

What did you not like about wlp860?

For me it leans way too much into the malt in both flavor and aroma. Its malt first then everything else a close 3rd or 4th (so malty it takes first and 2nd place lol). Ill definitely have to prop up some 838 from the freezer bank and try again!

 

[jdubdvdt]

What did you not like about wlp860?

For me it leans way too much into the malt in both flavor and aroma. Its malt first then everything else a close 3rd or 4th (so malty it takes first and 2nd place lol). Ill definitely have to prop up some 838 from the freezer bank and try again!

For this recipe we noted...
It is malt dominant, but the detailed malt characteristic seems a little muted by the fruitier esters. I might be really sensitive to ethyl hexanoate early on.
The beer didn't last very long - I lagered it for 6-8 weeks I believe and it was gone in 2 days. It was good, but I think the yeast was the wrong choice. It does have german characteristics, but nothing like 838 or 833.

For another recipe we noted even 10-15minute additions had muted hop flavors.

 

[rtstrider]

I didnt get fruity esters but I got malt everything lol Ill have to try 838 for sure!

 

[jdubdvdt]

I didnt get fruity esters but I got malt everything lol Ill have to try 838 for sure!

We really exacerbated the esters of 860 the second time by warm fermenting it.

 

[rtstrider]

We really exacerbated the esters of 860 the second time by warm fermenting it.

Maybe that's why I didnt get many esters. It was fermented at 54F

 

[jdubdvdt]

Maybe that's why I didnt get many esters. It was fermented at 54F

I fermented at 50F the first time until the diacetyl rest. I may have raised the temperature prematurely. I also transferred to a keg and then keg conditioned it with the residual 860 at room temp. That may have played a role in it.

 

[jdubdvdt]

I forgot I did make my Festbier and my Marzen last year with the 860 - it accentuated the Munich malt. I think that may be the fruity flavors, but I do remember an apple/fruit flavor which could still possibly be ethyl hexanoate.