Vienna Lager and Protein Rest

[jman300sd]

I am making a Vienna lager (80% vienna, 14% caramunich, 6% Crystal) and was contemplating doing a protein rest. The goal being to end up with a clearer beer and I have heard the protein rest does a good job with this. But then I read in How to Brew "Using this rest in a mash consisting mainly of fully modified malts would break up the proteins responsible for body and head retention and result in a thin, watery beer". So now I'm not so sure if it's a such a good idea.

What are everyone else's thoughts/experiences?

 

[lutherslagers]

I did a Vienna Lager this summer. It turned out well, scored a BJCP 38 at the Michigan Beer Cup. I did not do a protein rest. Just a sacc rest in the mid-lower temperature range. I like 149 F on my system.

 

[boo boo]

I never do protien rests with well modified malts.
I did a Vienna last year that I got a bronze in a national comp with. Didn't make any more than 35 with it but it was still a nice drop.

 

[Yooper]

I sometimes do a decoction with a Vienna lager, and it incorporates a short protein rest.

The thing is, though, I did a lot of reading on Braukaiser's site, and learned that the best way to do this (and still get great head retention as well as super clear beer) with a fully modified malt was to do a higher temperature protein rest (133) for a shorter time.

That works great! I pulled the decoction immediately, so the total time at 133 is about 15 minutes. The schedule was 133/149/156 I believe, but I can go back and double check- but I did the same beer with a 133/153 schedule and I can't tell the difference.

 

[jman300sd]

Thanks Yooper! I think I'm gonna give that a whirl....rest for about 15 mins at 132 and then amp it up to 152. Will let you know how it turns out... Unfortunately that probably won't be for another 3 months after all the lagering.

 

[asterix404]

Yea, I can tell you that doing a decoction with a protein rest does really kill carbonation but not head retention with a heff. I get a head that will not settle out but I drink it and it's really not carbonated at all. I think I am gong to skip protien rests and do a double decoct with a mash in at 142, decoct to 156 and 168.

 

[bwomp313]

Yea, I can tell you that doing a decoction with a protein rest does really kill carbonation but not head retention with a heff. I get a head that will not settle out but I drink it and it's really not carbonated at all. I think I am gong to skip protien rests and do a double decoct with a mash in at 142, decoct to 156 and 168.

Ummm...am I missing something here? Why would a protein rest kill carbonation? I think there must've been something else in your process that resulted in the lack of carbonation. Just my $.02

 

[ghpeel]

Slightly off topic, but you're putting 20% crystal malt into that beer (Caramunich is a crystal malt, its just made from Munich). That's a lot for a lager.

 

[jman300sd]

It is more than what many of the recipes I saw called for but I am hopping up to 40 IBU's with two additions of Saaz and want a little extra sweetness to balance things out. We will see how it comes out. I know it's not really within style.

 

[piteko]

Hi!
How did it turn out?

Cheers from Italy!
Piteko

 

[StMarcos]

I have to second the thought that maybe 20% xtal malt is too much for a vienna. Purist might say none is the correct amount. Me, I use a total of 5-7% mix of caramalts, including carapils.

I don't use any fancy rests. Best/Gobal/Wyermann/Castle

 

[jman300sd]

It came out very good, but like others have mentioned - maybe too much crystal. I just brewed this again two weeks ago and only used 5% ( for color). Protein rest at about 132 degrees seems to work well. Definetley improves clarity without reducing body