Hoppy Lagers

[AzOr]

I love slightly hoppy pilsners as well as goldish lagers. Problem is I don't run across many recipes. I realize that "hoppy" means different things to different people so..

Also with so many different hops available, it's difficult to decide what and how to brew something like this. For me, it's much more difficult to nail down a good hoppy lager as opposed to a traditional IPA. The malt bill of a pilsnerish beer isn't nearly as forgiving as a 1.070 heavily hopped IPA.

How about people post their concepts or recipes that they have brewed along with some sensory descriptions and how long those beers have been in kegs or bottles.

Personally, I love spicy and floral beers with a touch of citrus or other new world hop character.

I recently brewed a pilsner w Saaz and I threw in .25 oz of citra at 10 min and another .25 at flameout. I know this probably isn't hoppy enough for some but I'm hoping it adds a touch of character. I just kegged so I'll have to wait a few weeks before I report back.

Thanks to @Simcoepirate for posting about a hoppy pils recently

 

[jdauria]

I would look at IPL recipes and cut the bitterness in half maybe, or just skip early hopping and focus on late additions? I mean technically a German Pils is a hoppy beer, so there's that too. One hop I really love is Loral, a "super Nobel hop" it's floral, with herbal notes, with some citrus and earthy tones and also some fruity aromas. A simple Pilsner with like 1/2 oz of Lora at 60, 1/2 oz at 20 and 1/2 oz or 1 oz at flameout will give you a great beer.

 

[AzOr]

I would look at IPL recipes and cut the bitterness in half maybe, or just skip early hopping and focus on late additions? I mean technically a German Pils is a hoppy beer, so there's that too. One hop I really love is Loral, a "super Nobel hop" it's floral, with herbal notes, with some citrus and earthy tones and also some fruity aromas. A simple Pilsner with like 1/2 oz of Lora at 60, 1/2 oz at 20 and 1/2 oz or 1 oz at flameout will give you a great beer.

That’s great info about Loral. I’ve seen it in a few recipes. Definitely on my list.

 

[sykesey]

A bit left of field but i did a hoppy lager last year with lots of Strata I really enjoyed. Not sure whether it was an IPL or New World Pilsner but who cares, it was tasty. Def on my to-brew list again.

75% Weyermann Premium Pilsner malt (4kg)
18.9% Gladfield Vienna Malt (1kg)
3.8% Best Chit Malt (200g)
1.9% Weyermann Caramunich II (100g)

3g Strata First Wort Hop
10g Strata 20mins
20g Strata 10mins
20g Strata 5min
30g Strata Hopstand – 20 mins at 80C

60g dry hopped (20g 3 days in and 20g at 5days and 20g at 6 days)

75 minute boil, 20 litres at an OG of 1.059 or so, and a calculated IBU of 43. WLP860 Munich Helles (Augustiner/Imperial L17 yeast) but any lager yeast would work fine

I can still taste it, damn it was a nice beer. Everyone who tried it was blown away by how you can get a really nice hoppy character in a lager, and how not one-dimensional the Strata was even though it was a single hopped beer.

 

[AzOr]

I had to google strata hops but that sounds delicious. Brulosophy did a hop trial on it that’s worth a read.

thanks @sykesey

 

[Simcoepirate]

Cheers @AzOr !

Didn’t actually post my recipe in my previous thread as wanted to keep the focus solely on the hops, but now I’ve pulled the trigger...

5.25kg Bohemian Pilsner
430g Carapils

22g Perle 60 mins
15g Perle 20 mins
15g Perle 10 mins
30g Mandarina Bavaria whirlpool @ 80c for 20 mins
45g Mandarina Bavaria dry hop

Fermenting under pressure using Lallemand Diamond lager yeast

Total IBU 37
5% ABV

So much like yourself it might not necessarily be the hoppiest (at least certainly not by my usual standards), but since it’s my first attempt at a lager I wanted to retain the fundamentals whilst adding a bit more of the flavour and aroma oomph that I personally enjoy!

Still a while to wait (currently at 1.035 after five days; certainly the slowest fermentation I’ve ever experienced!), but will report back once it’s in the glass.

 

[RSNovi]

I am working on a Palisade Steam from AIH. Tasting after fermentation had some nice hop flavors.

 

[Dgallo]

Have you heard of New Zealand Pilsners? That sounds the what you’re something looking to brew. I brew one with Nelson and Riwaka hops. Only used about 3 oz of hops and 30 ibus. Works really well, actual took gold in the Pilsner category with the beer against 21 other Pilsner.

 

[balto charlie]

I was just reading about the style you speak about. I have no real experience with the recipe but it is on my list of soon to be brewed beers.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/gordon-strong-czech-dark-lager/

 

[Immocles]

I've made a few hoppier lagers the last year and had good results using a pretty basic pils hop schedule (60m/15m), but adding whirlpool/hopstand and a good dry hop charge. Calista hops was my favorite in these, hands down.

I also made one that was a bit of a kitchen sink hopped lager ( had a jar of 34/70 that absolutely needed to get used). Did the same schedule but I just used up a ton of leftover hops. Think I used palisade as boil only, Calista hop stand, then centennial, mosaic, cascade as a dry hop. IBUs came in around 25 and it was a major hit.

 

[beerisyummy]

I love slightly hoppy pilsners as well as goldish lagers. Problem is I don't run across many recipes. I realize that "hoppy" means different things to different people so..

Also with so many different hops available, it's difficult to decide what and how to brew something like this. For me, it's much more difficult to nail down a good hoppy lager as opposed to a traditional IPA. The malt bill of a pilsnerish beer isn't nearly as forgiving as a 1.070 heavily hopped IPA.

How about people post their concepts or recipes that they have brewed along with some sensory descriptions and how long those beers have been in kegs or bottles.

Personally, I love spicy and floral beers with a touch of citrus or other new world hop character.

I recently brewed a pilsner w Saaz and I threw in .25 oz of citra at 10 min and another .25 at flameout. I know this probably isn't hoppy enough for some but I'm hoping it adds a touch of character. I just kegged so I'll have to wait a few weeks before I report back.

Thanks to @Simcoepirate for posting about a hoppy pils recently

Try Sorachi Ace hops? DNA is from Saaz, Brewers Gold, and some obscure Japanese hop. It can be spicy, woodsy, and particularly, lemony. Try Sapporo to get a mouthful of it. I've used it to good effect in a couple different brews. This Pils came out nice. At first I thought the lemony note from the Sorachi was out of place, but after a few weeks in the bottle it was perfect.

10 lb German Pils
12 oz Carapils
12 oz Crystal 15L

Mash at 1.5 qt/lb; 30 min @ 144, then double decoction to 152° & then 158°
Boil 90 min

Sorachi Ace 12.9% 0.6 oz for 60 m
Czech Saaz 3.5% 0.5 oz for 10 m, 0.5 oz for 1 m

I used WY2124 Bohemian Lager with an appropriately monstrous starter.

Ferment at 50 or 52° and after fermentation slows gradually raise temp (I like to do 2° per day) to mid-60s for a diacetyl rest. After fermentation is complete lower the temp to around 40° (I do 4° per day, I like to treat the yeast real nice), rack to 2ndary and lager for a few weeks in the low-to-mid 30s.

'Twas a labor of love, but the results were good. It clocked in at about 35 IBUs, 10.55 OG & 1.010 FG. I biab, ymmv.

 

[dchmela]

I just kegged something very similar.

10lbs German Pils
2 lbs Vienna
.5lbs Cara Pils

60 2oz Saaz
5 1oz Azzaca
FO 2 oz Azzaca
Fermented in the 50's with 34/70
OG 1.072 (came in much higher than I expected)
FG 1.006
Lagered at 40 for 2 weeks
Kegged with 2 oz of Strata and lagering for 2 more weeks.

Nice fruity aroma and the Saaz provides and soft bitterness.

I know its a hodgepodge of IPA/Pils but it is tasting good so far.

 

[AzOr]

Tried this the other day and it was fantastic. They list Hallertau Blanc and Mandarina Bavaria hops. I’ve brewed a little bit with these hops in the past and had good results. However in this beer I got a guava like hop blast. The first few sips I was not hooked. After that I couldn’t get enough.
The can lists 50 ibu.

I just brewed a Vienna lager yesterday but I may take a shot at this for my next beer.

 

[AzOr]

Update- this is the beer I discussed in post #1.
It’s very much a standard Pilsner with a touch of citrus at the back end. Just after you swallow you can detect a tiny bit of citra.
It’s just enough to make you want to drink more. Next time I’ll keep the 60 minute noble hop and experiment with late additions. Maybe Huel Melon or Mandarina Bavaria.
I really enjoy this style and I’m glad to see more commercial versions out there.
A good example of this style calls for a light, nuanced hand with the hops. IMO you can’t just throw hops at it like an IPA.

 

[The M]

Have you heard of New Zealand Pilsners? That sounds the what you’re something looking to brew. I brew one with Nelson and Riwaka hops. Only used about 3 oz of hops and 30 ibus. Works really well, actual took gold in the Pilsner category with the beer against 21 other Pilsner.

Old thread but I'm planning to brew a crowd pleaser pilsner/lager for xmas. This one is quite interesting since I have couple of oz Riwaka and Nelson in the freezer. Care to share the recipe for this one Dgallo? I have a solid grain bill for lagers/pils but I would be interested to know your hop schedule & hop rates