Munich Helles

[DFHEK]

Hi guys,

I have found an AG recipe that I'm keen to try for a Munich Helles. The BYO version and methodology seems within my capabilities!

https://byo.com/european-pale-lager/item/747-helles-style-profile

I was looking for some advice with regards to the amounts of water I should be utilising at mashing stage and such, as a rough guide. Will be my first all grain batch so I don't have experience to call on!


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[beersk]

Doing something simpler for your first all grain batch, is my first piece of advice.

Second, if you do brew this beer, do a simple Hochkurz step infusion mash. This is a rest in the 142-146F range for 20-30 minutes. Then infuse with about 4qts of boiling water to bring the mash temp up to about 156-160F and rest for 30-45 minutes. Then sparge as normal.

I like to treat all my mash water at once. For instance, I would use 3 gallons of mash water, treat it with phosphoric acid or calcium chloride/gypsum that will get me in the proper pH range and calcium, sulfate, and chloride levels (for this I use Bru'n water). Then separate out a gallon from that for my infusion. Then heat up the beta sacc rest water, which will get me in the 1.25qt/lb range for the first rest. Then infusing the gallon of boiling water will bring my mash ration up to maybe 1.5qt/lb.

Might seem confusing at first, which is why I suggested maybe you should brew something more simple for your first all grain brew.

But either way, that's what I do for my German lagers, typically.

 

[Darwin18]

Do yourself a favor: use a little melanoiden malt and stick with a single infusion mash. I've got a keg of helles on currently on tap using the recipe from BCS. It's a very nice beer. Make sure that you have your fermentation temperatures done SOLID, your pitching rates SOLID, and you pitch at or below your target fermentation temperatures.

 

[beersk]

Do yourself a favor: use a little melanoiden malt and stick with a single infusion mash. I've got a keg of helles on currently on tap using the recipe from BCS. It's a very nice beer. Make sure that you have your fermentation temperatures done SOLID, your pitching rates SOLID, and you pitch at or below your target fermentation temperatures.

Good call. For a first all grain brew, a step mash isn't a good idea. A single infusion and all the other things listed by Darwin, would make a great beer.
To keep it even simpler, just rehydrate and pitch 2 packets of Saflager 34/70 instead of dealing with huge starters or step up starters (which is what I do for the first beer in a series of beers with a new yeast).