Vienna Lager Recipe Critique

[DSmith]

EDITED - Recipe OG bumped up to the Marzen category.

I'm looking at making an amber lager and am curious if anyone has input:

Weyermann Pilsner, Dark (12L) Munich & Vienna

Single infusion @ 152F
90 min boil
Bavarian Lager yeast

 

[JJL]

You're probably going to want to add about a pound of caramunich (60L +/-). That's typically a point of difference between a Vienna and a Marzen recipe. You also might consider backing down the Vienna a bit and using a little more Pilsner.

 

[DSmith]

My change from Vienna to Marzen was just increasing the malts. I was keying off this thread about crystal malt:

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=88486

 

[JJL]

Its really a subtle difference either way. If you leave the caramunich out it will still be a good bready beer just a little less sweet.

 

[BigEd]

I side with the no crystal contingent. Your recipe as is will make a very nice Festbier IMO. Adding a pound of crystal won't make it bad but it will make it taste more "American" and less "German". The crystal will add a definite sweetness (think Sam Adams Oktoberfest) and leaving it out a bit drier and base-malt forward (think Ayinger, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr).

 

[DSmith]

I simplified to this recipe below. Weyermann Vienna and Weyermann I (light, 5L-7L) Munich are very familiar ingredients so this is the safer route than Dark Munich (12-15L).

Mash 152F
Boil 90 Min
Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager

 

[mclamb6]

Your original recipe--Munich/Vienna/Pilsner--is very similar to mine. I emphasized Vienna in mine (if memory serves it was 5# Vienna, 3# Munich, 2# 2-row), with some caramunich and maybe aromatic in small amounts. Hops were Hallertau and Spalt--again this is off memory.

Anyways, it came out really nice. A light toffee/caramel flavor from the Vienna, nice and bready, without being particularly sweet. I'd go back to your original grain bill--it's a really nice combo.

 

[DSmith]

Your original recipe--Munich/Vienna/Pilsner--is very similar to mine. I emphasized Vienna in mine (if memory serves it was 5# Vienna, 3# Munich, 2# 2-row), with some caramunich and maybe aromatic in small amounts. Hops were Hallertau and Spalt--again this is off memory.

Anyways, it came out really nice. A light toffee/caramel flavor from the Vienna, nice and bready, without being particularly sweet. I'd go back to your original grain bill--it's a really nice combo.

Which Munich Malt did you use?

This is a pic of my Maibock with 50% Weyermann Pilsner & 50% Weyermann Munich I (5L-7L) when bottling. Loved this beer, this simple reciple was where my last revision to the Marzen came from but I could go back to a ratio of Munich/Vienna/Pilsner and still emphasize the Vienna (50%). I think I just need to go buy the grain and brew it.

 

[mclamb6]

Belgian Munich--4L - 7L. Like I said, I really, really like mine. Crystal clear, nice amber color, with good flavor.

 

[DSmith]

Belgian Munich--4L - 7L. Like I said, I really, really like mine. Crystal clear, nice amber color, with good flavor.

I'll use your mix. Updated recipe pretty close to my original plan but with a little more Vienna and light Munich (5-7L) instead. It'll be slightly darker than the Maibock pic.