Czech Dark Lager

[wobdee]

Anyone have a good recipe? I know its similar to a Dunkel or Schwartz but I can't find much info. Thanks

 

[giraffe]

http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/czecintr.htm#stylesnow
Is a good overview.

I have the following lagering right now. If tasted legit going into the kegs, time will tell.

Tmave Specialni
1.056

58% Bohemian floor malt pils
30% Bohemian dark (munich 8-10L)
8% CaraBohemian or other 80L
4% Chocolate wheat or Carafa I Special

105-131-150 (double decoction, with an infusion of sparge water to mash out ~ 168)
I used dechlorinated portland water which is similar to pilsen water. Use very soft water regardless.


35 IBU (make up the rest with a very clean bittering such as warrior, or use noble hops)

1.5 oz Saaz/(or Sterling) (20)
1 oz Saaz/(or Sterling) (1) (use less hops if you cant use very soft water.)

wyeast 2002 Gambrinus, or use 802 and up the mash temp to 152. Ferment at 48. Follow lager method of your choice.

There is also a recipe from a czech brewery in the hops book.

 

[wobdee]

Thanks Giraffe, looks like a nice recipe. I've never tried the Bo dark malt before, this would be a good time to try.
Is it similar to a light Munich?

 

[giraffe]

Its weyermann's floor malted version of their dark munich. Its 8 to 10 L. Domestic Dark munich can be darker. I really like the weyermann bohemian base malts, they have a richer malt flavor, i think. Its not night and day, but since its the same cost per sack as their regular malts, I prefer it.

 

[d3track]

Did you do a decotion for that?

 

[giraffe]

Did you do a decotion for that?

I did a double decoction as noted. Weather or not it made any difference besides efficiency is an item of debate. But my system is set up that way, and I enjoy the process. YMMV.

 

[madscientist451]

Zymurgy magazine had a good one sept 2013, can't find the link. I brewed it and it tasted good right out of fermentor, Mine is bottle conditioning/carbing now, will cold lager 4-6 weeks so not sure what it will be like then.

 

[wobdee]

OK, after a little more research and reading that Zymurgy article (thanks madsientist) I came up with this malt bill which is similar to Prague's U Flecku Brew Pub. I may tweak it a little more as I find more info. They use 15% caramunich but I think that's a little too much for my taste but then again who am I to judge when a 500 year old brew pub has been around so long.

54% Best Pilsner
34% Best Dark Munich
10% Caramunich III
2% Carafa III

I'd like to go with Weyermanns Bopils and dark but I need to use up what I have first.

Probably do a direct heat Hockhurz mash or a single decoction mash like I do my Dunkels.

 

[Bulls Beers]

Here's mine. This is similar recipe from a brewery I went to in Prague called Uflecku. It's a little less smokey in my recipe than the breweries, but I love it. I've made it about a half dozen times and it always comes out great. I usually make a few kegs during winter. Pretty simple.

4.5lbs German pils
2.75lbs Munich light
1.3lbs Caramunich
.40oz Carafa II
.50oz Midnight Wheat

I mash for 90 minutes and this recipe calls for a 2 hours boil.
1oz saaz hops for 110 minutes
1oz saaz hops for 100 minutes
3/4oz saaz for the last 5 minutes.

 

[Bulls Beers]

I guess I should have read the post right above mine...Doh!!

 

[wobdee]

Here's mine. This is similar recipe from a brewery I went to in Prague called Uflecku. It's a little less smokey in my recipe than the breweries, but I love it. I've made it about a half dozen times and it always comes out great. I usually make a few kegs during winter. Pretty simple.

4.5lbs German pils
2.75lbs Munich light
1.3lbs Caramunich
.40oz Carafa II
.50oz Midnight Wheat

I mash for 90 minutes and this recipe calls for a 2 hours boil.
1oz saaz hops for 110 minutes
1oz saaz hops for 100 minutes
3/4oz saaz for the last 5 minutes.

U Flecku has a little smokey character when you tried it? Thanks for the recipe, looks like I'm in the ballpark.

 

[Bulls Beers]

U Flecku has a little smokey character when you tried it? Thanks for the recipe, looks like I'm in the ballpark.

It had a strong smokey character that took a few pints to appreciate. Ok, maybe more than a few, but it definitely grew on me. . I went back a second time and really liked it, but my recipe dims the smokiness. I like a hint of smoke and this recipe does it nicely. IMO...

 

[wobdee]

It had a strong smokey character that took a few pints to appreciate. Ok, maybe more than a few, but it definitely grew on me. . I went back a second time and really liked it, but my recipe dims the smokiness. I like a hint of smoke and this recipe does it nicely. IMO...

Interesting, where do you think the hint of smoke comes from?

 

[CPM]

You're cheating with that Midnight Wheat. Bohemian Dark Lager should be done with a decoction mash. This will provide a rich dark color and a polished caramel sweetness that is almost cola-like. I'm drinking my first attempt at the UFleku beer now; will do better next time: I need a bit more base malt (Bohemian floor-malted Pilsener) and I didn't pay attention to the AA on my Saaz. That extra 3/4 ounce in your recipe should be about right.

The smokey flavor could be a phenolic from over sparging. I just did that to a Scottish 70/- and am trying to get through a whole keg of it. Blechh.

 

[wobdee]

You're cheating with that Midnight Wheat. Bohemian Dark Lager should be done with a decoction mash. This will provide a rich dark color and a polished caramel sweetness that is almost cola-like. I'm drinking my first attempt at the UFleku beer now; will do better next time: I need a bit more base malt (Bohemian floor-malted Pilsener) and I didn't pay attention to the AA on my Saaz. That extra 3/4 ounce in your recipe should be about right.

The smokey flavor could be a phenolic from over sparging. I just did that to a Scottish 70/- and am trying to get through a whole keg of it. Blechh.

Thanks for chiming in, Got a recipe?

 

[beersk]

Interesting, where do you think the hint of smoke comes from?

I would say the combination of the Midnight wheat and Carafa probably gives off a hint of a smokey flavor. I have this happen occasionally in dark beers. Often times, not what I'm after. I typically use Blackprinz (of Belaire) Malt.

 

[giraffe]

Ive gotten a faint hint of smokiness from larger amounts of debittered black malts as well. I think its just the dark roast flavor without burnt bitterness covering it up. Like smoky chocolate, or clothes the day after a bonfire, more than smoked meat like rauch malt. Ive never been to prague and had Ufleku though, so im not sure if its more than that.

 

[CPM]

The original brewers association web page is gone, but I saved it:

Bohemian Dunkel in Brief

(Adapted for a modern brew system and modern ingredients.)

Specifications
OG just from the mash: 1.048 (12 °P)
FG: approx. 1.012 (3 °P)
SRM: 43.4 SRM (114 EBC)
IBU: 28
ABV: 4.8% (3.8% ABW)

Ingredients
For easy scaling, all quantities are calculated for 1 U.S. barrel (1.173 HL) net kettle volume produced by a brew system with a nominal extract efficiency rating of 75 percent. If your system is different, adjust all qualities up or down accordingly.

Mash
21.68 lbs. (9.83 kg) Weyermann® Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt @ 1.8 °L (50%)
13.01 lbs. (5.96 kg) Weyermann® Munich I @ 6 °L (30%)
6.5 lbs. (2.95 kg) Weyermann® CaraMunich® II @ 45.5 °L (15%)
2.17 lbs. (0.98 kg) Weyermann® Carafa® II @ 45.5 °L (5%)
Total grain bill: 43.36 lbs (19.67 kg)

Hops (pellets)
3.9 oz (110 g) Saaz @ 4.5% AA (10 minutes into the boil)
3.9 oz (110 g) Saaz @ 4.5% AA (20 minutes into the boil)
4.3 oz (122 g) Saaz @ 4.5% AA (115 minutes into the boil)

Yeast
American brewers have a wide range of Czech yeast choices for this brew. Suitable strains include Wyeast 2000 Budvar™; 2001 Urquell™; 2007 Pilsen™; 2124 Bohemian™; and 2278 Czech Pils™; as well as White Labs WLP800 Pilsner; and WLP802 Czech Budejovice.

Brew House Process
This brew ought to be multi-step-mashed, either by infusion in a jacketed mash-lauter tun or mash-kettle, or, more authentically, by double decoction. Suggested temperature and rest steps for the main mash and the decoctions (if used) are: 38 °C (100 °F), 30 minutes; 52 °C (126 °F), 30 minutes; 64 °C (147 °F), 20 minutes; 72 °C (162 °F), 20 minutes. Decoctions only: 10-minute boil. Mash-out at of 77 °C (171 °F). Lautering: approx. 90 minutes. Kettle boil: 120 minutes (not shorter than 90 minutes). Whirlpool: 30 minutes. Heat-exchange.

Cellaring
Primary fermentation at approx. 50 to 55° F (10 to 13° C) for 2 wks; lagering at approx. 32 °F (0 °C) for 2 to 4 wks. Filtration optional.

 

[wobdee]

The original brewers association web page is gone, but I saved it:

Bohemian Dunkel in Brief

(Adapted for a modern brew system and modern ingredients.)

Specifications
OG just from the mash: 1.048 (12 °P)
FG: approx. 1.012 (3 °P)
SRM: 43.4 SRM (114 EBC)
IBU: 28
ABV: 4.8% (3.8% ABW)

Ingredients
For easy scaling, all quantities are calculated for 1 U.S. barrel (1.173 HL) net kettle volume produced by a brew system with a nominal extract efficiency rating of 75 percent. If your system is different, adjust all qualities up or down accordingly.

Mash
21.68 lbs. (9.83 kg) Weyermann® Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt @ 1.8 °L (50%)
13.01 lbs. (5.96 kg) Weyermann® Munich I @ 6 °L (30%)
6.5 lbs. (2.95 kg) Weyermann® CaraMunich® II @ 45.5 °L (15%)
2.17 lbs. (0.98 kg) Weyermann® Carafa® II @ 45.5 °L (5%)
Total grain bill: 43.36 lbs (19.67 kg)

Hops (pellets)
3.9 oz (110 g) Saaz @ 4.5% AA (10 minutes into the boil)
3.9 oz (110 g) Saaz @ 4.5% AA (20 minutes into the boil)
4.3 oz (122 g) Saaz @ 4.5% AA (115 minutes into the boil)

Yeast
American brewers have a wide range of Czech yeast choices for this brew. Suitable strains include Wyeast 2000 Budvar™; 2001 Urquell™; 2007 Pilsen™; 2124 Bohemian™; and 2278 Czech Pils™; as well as White Labs WLP800 Pilsner; and WLP802 Czech Budejovice.

Brew House Process
This brew ought to be multi-step-mashed, either by infusion in a jacketed mash-lauter tun or mash-kettle, or, more authentically, by double decoction. Suggested temperature and rest steps for the main mash and the decoctions (if used) are: 38 °C (100 °F), 30 minutes; 52 °C (126 °F), 30 minutes; 64 °C (147 °F), 20 minutes; 72 °C (162 °F), 20 minutes. Decoctions only: 10-minute boil. Mash-out at of 77 °C (171 °F). Lautering: approx. 90 minutes. Kettle boil: 120 minutes (not shorter than 90 minutes). Whirlpool: 30 minutes. Heat-exchange.

Cellaring
Primary fermentation at approx. 50 to 55° F (10 to 13° C) for 2 wks; lagering at approx. 32 °F (0 °C) for 2 to 4 wks. Filtration optional.

I've seen that recipe on another forum somewhere and I remember it was from someone who visited U Fleku and talked with the brew master. I think they also revised the recipe a bit by reducing the Carafa by half? I also wonder about that that much Caramunich, seems a bit high to me.