Walked out of the LHBS with 100lbs of Vienna for $40

[Soulshine2]

It is. I highly recommend it. I think the yeast and flaked corn really give it a Mexican beer character. That's what separates this from a true Vienna lager I believe.

Not sure which brand ,but I've read that at least one of the mexican commercial breweries purposely runs their bottled beer through a UV light to give it that "Mexican beer taste"

 

[JonM]

Another vote for Vienna lager. I just kicked my annual keg of Vienna lager and wish I had more.

Since you have so much, why not experiment with maybe an all-Vienna barley wine?

Years ago I made an all-Maris Otter barleywine. I used a ton of MO, like 18 lbs or something, and did a 3.5 hour boil. (Rumor has it that’s how they make North Coast Old Stock Ale.) Anyway, I bet that same technique would be great with Vienna.

 

[Queequeg]

Drink Vienna lager for the rest of your life. Still that's no bad thing

 

[Barley_Bob]

Thanks for all the input guys! I think I'll do a Vienna/Saaz smash this weekend. I can't lager, but I can do a Kolsch. Okay, it won't really be a Kolsch. I don't have that yeast. Don't judge me. It'll taste good. And then I'll top crop and do my pale ale next week. After that, I'll have a ton of slurry for something bigger, like a barleywine.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Thanks for all the input guys! I think I'll do a Vienna/Saaz smash this weekend. I can't lager, but I can do a Kolsch. Okay, it won't really be a Kolsch. I don't have that yeast. Don't judge me. It'll taste good. And then I'll top crop and do my pale ale next week. After that, I'll have a ton of slurry for something bigger, like a barleywine.

Yeah! Sounds like a solid plan for all that glorious Vienna malt!!

 

[cyberbackpacker]

A tip you may want to consider for your pseudo-lager...

I find an overpitch of healthy and active 1056, fermented around 63F, produces a very clean drinking beer. I took second in best of show with an Eisbock doing exactly this-- and in an eisbock your flavors get very concentrated. So I take that as a good recommendation of technique!

 

[Lefou]

Not sure which brand ,but I've read that at least one of the mexican commercial breweries purposely runs their bottled beer through a UV light to give it that "Mexican beer taste"

You know, that just bugs the hell outta me if it's true.
I can see it happening to beer stored badly in clear bottles but it should be a punishable offense to do intentionally. Some people might like the mildly skunked beer, but to me, it's a flaw.

 

[jmcquesten]

You know, that just bugs the hell outta me if it's true.
I can see it happening to beer stored badly in clear bottles but it should be a punishable offense to do intentionally. Some people might like the mildly skunked beer, but to me, it's a flaw.

Guess it depends on what "Mexican beer taste" you're talking about. I don't consider skunky/light stricken flavor to correlate to Mexican beer. I almost find it hard to believe that anyone is purposely skunking their beer. More of a clear bottle and storage/transport temperature issue would be my guess.

 

[Barley_Bob]

Update - I brewed up the Vienna/Saaz smash. Brew day went as planned. I went under my mash temp by 2 degrees, but RDWAHAHB. Life goes on. It's alone in my apartment for the week with the heat at 65.

 

[thehaze]

Vienna malt, provided is not darker than 4L, then it can be used for so many styles of beer: Vienna Lager, Lagers blended with some Pilsner malt, IPAs, Pale Ales, Belgian beers, Porters, Browns, Stouts, ESBs, etc. Very good deal.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

I'm with Miraculix on this one. Do a simple Vienna SMaSH and get a feel for the flavor of this particular malt and see if there's any styles you could imagine using it in. I use it as a base in west coast IPAs all the time when great results.

 

[kh54s10]

I'm with Miraculix on this one. Do a simple Vienna SMaSH and get a feel for the flavor of this particular malt and see if there's any styles you could imagine using it in. I use it as a base in west coast IPAs all the time when great results.

He did brew a SMaSH and has probably brewed more with it since the OP was in February.