Popping my lager cherry

[bernerbrau]

So after 2+ years of brewing, I've finally got the time, the room, and the equipment. It's time to talk lager.

Here's my first crack at a recipe. Now, I've looked for a BJCP style and found none. This is basically an American Amber fermented with lager yeast (although I suppose it might pass for a hoppy American-style marzen??).

I also decided to try and make my starter drinkable because Mr. Malty is telling me to make a whole half a batch to get the yeast going, and DME ain't cheap.

So I'd like to get people's impressions and any red flags that come up, or perhaps just something I've overlooked in my perpetual noobery.

Stats:

Efficiency: 80%
OG: 1.048-1.056
FG: 1.013-1.016
ABV: 5.2%
SRM: 12 (Copper to Red/Light Brown)
IBU: 31.4
BU/GU: 58%

Grain:

7 lb Vienna
1 lb Caramunich 20L
1 lb Crystal 60L
1 lb Flaked Wheat

Hops:

1 oz Simcoe
2 oz Perle

Yeast:

WLP833 (German Bock Lager)

Starter:

3 lb DME
3 gallons water
1/2 oz Amarillo @15
7 days @ 52F
14 days @ 34F (rack to secondary and pitch the main event on the yeast cake)

Mash: Single Infusion, Batch Sparge

Conversion: 60 min @ 158F
Mashout: 15 min @ 167F
Sparge: 4 Gallons @ 175F

Boil:

1/4 tsp Irish Moss @ 15
1oz Simcoe @ 10
2oz Perle @ 5

Fermentation Schedule:

Primary: 14 days @ 52F
Diacetyl: 2 days @ Room Temp
Secondary: 60 days @ 34F

 

[markg388]

I hope you like hoppy beer, they stick out a lot more in lagers, and it'll probably be done fermenting after 9-10 days. Only other thing I'd add is don't do a d-rest if you don't need it; in my experience it helps with diacetyl but doesn't totally fix it. Then when you leave it at room temp that extra day to 'let it finish cleaning up', some new off-flavors join the party, so be very careful around the end of primary. Looks like you're off to a good start!

As for the drinkable starter, that's a good idea. I'm going to start doing that .

 

[ghpeel]

2 pounds of Crystal malt seems excessive for a lager of this gravity.

 

[bernerbrau]

2 pounds of Crystal malt seems excessive for a lager of this gravity.

It does, doesn't it? I needed that much to reach the color I was aiming for. What do you think, drop down to a pound and up the SRM of the crystal malts?

 

[ghpeel]

If you only want color, use Carafa II Dehusked Special, or better yet, Sinimar Extract. I'd go with 1/2 pound crystal and I would use 20-40L unless you want it to start getting the darker sugar flavor. For my personal taste, I'm kind of tired of the darker crystal malt, too much raisin/prune flavor.

This beer would be good with 100% Vienna. But I'm a SMASH fan