Warm fermented Märzen

[Sacred Knot Brewing]

Alright guys, once my fermenter opens up I’m going to start a Märzen. I’ve done a lot of reading on warm fermenting lagers and I’m going to give it a shot. I don’t really want to debate the warm vs. traditional lager fermentation method, I feel like enough people are getting good enough results that I want to try it given my set up. I’m currently using a cooler bag with a pot of water and some ice packs/frozen water bottles to keep temps down.

I’m still new to home brewing so any tips on the recipe I’ve come up with would be much appreciated!

“Grovetoberfest”
Partial Mash
Batch size: 1 gallon
Boil size: 1.7 gallons
OG: 1.052
FG: 1.009
Total Fermentables: 2.06 lbs
IBUs: Approx 21
SRM: 13.5

Grain bill:
8 oz (24.2%) Munich DME
12 oz (36.4%) Vienna malt
8 oz (24.2%) Dark Munich malt
4 oz (12.1%) CaraMunich I (for color and flavor)
1 oz (3.0%) Carapils (for body and head retention)

Hop schedule:
5g Hallertau mittelfruh @ 60 min
3g Hallertau mittelfruh @ 30 & 15 min

Yeast:
Saflager 34/70

Protein rest ~122 for 20 min. Pull a decoction (amount?) and boil for 15 min. Add back to main mash and equalize to 150 for 45 min. Vorlauf until clearing then add 1st wort to boil. Sparge and let rest for 10 min, add 2nd wort to boil. Add water to full boil volume, whisk in DME and boil for 60 min, following above hops schedule. Chill wort to low to mid 50s and pitch rehydrated yeast (half a packet for a 1 gallon batch)? Hold in 50s until heavy fermentation completes, then allow to rise to high 60s to complete primary/d rest (about 3 weeks total). Rack to mini keg and lager for 1 month. Force carb for last 1-2 weeks.

I’ve posted this question before and was told to drop the carapils because it wasn’t doing anything for the recipe. But through some research I feel like it would benefit from it. Anyways any thoughts on the above?

thanks and cheers!

 

[catalanotte]

I’ll offer My thoughts as I make quite a few Marzens. Try what you like, but from you recipe I’d suggest the following

Drop the Carapils. Go to a 50/50 split of Munich and Vienna for your base malt. For a 1 gallon batch I’d also keep the CaraMunich And dark Munich combined under 10%, perhaps 3 oz at most combined. I’d also target your IBU with a single bittering addition at the start of the boil and skip the 30/15 min additions. Not knowing your system, I’ll presume the first/second wort approach is needed based on you equipment as opposed to a simple fly sparge to your target pre boil gravity. Not much need for a protein rest with that mash bill, but it can’t hurt. Same for the decoction. I had good luck with the 34/70 in the mid 60s, however, if your going to ferment at that temp, try a Kolsch yeast, I actually like the results better than a warm fermented lager for a Marzen. And you’ll be drinking your beer at least a month earlier. Good luck. Just my opinions, there are a lot of ways to make a good fest beer.

 

[Sacred Knot Brewing]

I’ll offer My thoughts as I make quite a few Marzens. Try what you like, but from you recipe I’d suggest the following

Drop the Carapils. Go to a 50/50 split of Munich and Vienna for your base malt. For a 1 gallon batch I’d also keep the CaraMunich And dark Munich combined under 10%, perhaps 3 oz at most combined. I’d also target your IBU with a single bittering addition at the start of the boil and skip the 30/15 min additions. Not knowing your system, I’ll presume the first/second wort approach is needed based on you equipment as opposed to a simple fly sparge to your target pre boil gravity. Not much need for a protein rest with that mash bill, but it can’t hurt. Same for the decoction. I had good luck with the 34/70 in the mid 60s, however, if your going to ferment at that temp, try a Kolsch yeast, I actually like the results better than a warm fermented lager for a Marzen. And you’ll be drinking your beer at least a month earlier. Good luck. Just my opinions, there are a lot of ways to make a good fest beer.

Ok, I’ve tweaked my grain bill a bit and dropped the Carapils. As for sparging, yes, I have a basic cooler with a spigot for a mash tun with no mods for a sparge arm. For yeast, a Kölsch yeast was something I was initially considering. Don’t the usually impart some fruity esters though?

 

[catalanotte]

For yeast, a Kölsch yeast was something I was initially considering. Don’t the usually impart some fruity esters though?

I found the esters from a cold fermented Kolsch and a warm fermented lager to be a wash, at the same temperature of about 62 deg. Personally I found the Kolsch esters to stand out less. Others may have a different perception of the flavors. Try it both ways and see what you prefer.

 

[Sacred Knot Brewing]

I found the esters from a cold fermented Kolsch and a warm fermented lager to be a wash, at the same temperature of about 62 deg. Personally I found the Kolsch esters to stand out less. Others may have a different perception of the flavors. Try it both ways and see what you prefer.

That definitely makes sense. Do you have suggest a specific yeast? I’ve only ever used dry yeast so I was looking at k97 previously.

 

[catalanotte]

Do you have suggest a specific yeast?

I have used Wyeast 2565 quite a few times and like it. No experience with K97 but really like other Fermentis dry yeasts, so worth a try. Was not a fan of the Lalbrew Koln Kolsch.

 

[Sacred Knot Brewing]

I have used Wyeast 2565 quite a few times and like it. No experience with K97 but really like other Fermentis dry yeasts, so worth a try. Was not a fan of the Lalbrew Koln Kolsch.

Just noticed my awful grammar above lol. Anyways thanks for the suggestions! I think I’m going to order grain for two batches and give both a cold fermented Kölsch and warm fermented lager a shot!