[quattlebaum]

i have never made this style mainly because i can but it in bulk for sooooo cheep:) i have a steelhead fishing trip coming up and my bro in law wants me to give this style a shot for him to drink in mass quantities. I am really wanting to put a little Vienna in it to add just a little bit more character whats your thoughts

Recipe: Captain stubings light lager
Brewer: Quattlebaum
Asst Brewer:
Style: Lite American Lager
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.70 gal
Post Boil Volume: 7.80 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal   
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.040 SG
Estimated Color: 2.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 11.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 98.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
6 lbs 4.0 oz          Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)           Grain         1        75.8 %       
2 lbs                 Rice syrup solids  (0.0 SRM)             Grain         2        24.2 %       
1.00 oz               Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [2.70 %] - First Hop           3        5.2 IBUs     
0.85 oz               Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [2.70 %] - Boil  Hop           4        6.7 IBUs     
3.0 pkg               SafLager West European Lager (DCL/Fermen Yeast         5        -             


Mash Schedule: (208) Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out, Fly
Total Grain Weight: 8 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name              Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Mash In           Add 3.80 gal of water at 155.6 F        146.0 F       120 min       

Sparge: Fly sparge with 6.08 gal water at 168.0 F
Notes:
------

FG expected to be 1.008.

[HoosierBrew]

I think it looks solid. I think the long mash is good - you could even come down another degree F or so on mash temp to get that very light body. I'm not familiar with the yeast ,though. Think it would be neutral enough ? BTW, this is a weird position for me - advising somebody to make a lighter, blander beer.    It's definitely a challenge to brew one though.

EDIT - This is Annie Johnson's recipe that won her AHA Homebrewer of the Year in 2013 . You're on the right track, for sure.

http://byo.com/stories/issue/item/2910-mow-the-damn-lawn

[quattlebaum]

ya being i never make or drink this style i did use her recipe. i am struggling and wanting to add some other malt but that would be no so " to style" maybe a bit of vienna 3% maybe. this is some yeast my buddy is dumping at a local brew pub

[HoosierBrew]

I say go for it. Vienna is a great malt. Tell your bro in law to bring some BMC, just in case he doesn't like your superior-in-every-way beer.   

[quattlebaum]

i am sure he will he always does bring BMC:) Poor guy says homebrew gives him a headache. i told him he cant drink a case of IPA and expect to not have a headache:) 

[HoosierBrew]

Yeah that's right up there with the 'more hangovers from draft beer' BS floating around lately.  I bet it turns out good.

[a10t2]

Maybe switch out the base malt for a Pilsner (or Pils-Vienna if you're being adventurous)? Might make it just interesting enough to be good.

[S. cerevisiae]

I usually make a couple of batches of American-style lager during the winter.  What you want to make is old East Coast-style Lager, not Western Lager (Budweiser is Western-style lager).  The major difference between the two being the use of maize instead of rice.  Maize adds a level of sweetness and flavor to American-style lager that is missing in Western lager.  I would reformulate your recipe to be use 7lbs of 2-Row and 1lb of flaked maize or 6.5lbs of 2-row and 1.5lbs of flaked maize.  I guarantee that the resulting beer will become a house favorite that is enjoyed by craft beer drinkers and BMC drinkers.  Old East Coast-style lager is the most frequently requested style that I brew.  I would brew it year round if I had a dedicated lager refrigerator like I did before I left the hobby for a few years.

[quattlebaum]

Well a month later and here she blows. Couldn't help it had to add 10% vienna . Nice and clean that's for sure. It should be a sin to put it in that glass though:).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[HoosierBrew]

Pretty beer.  So is it American light lager-ish, even with the Vienna?  Don't get me wrong, I think it sounds great. And what yeast ?

[quattlebaum]

ya that was my attempt just had a bit of vienna around that needed using. I used S23. My local brewery was dumping that yeast and i grabbed a bit. never used it before not bad was gonna use 34/70 but couldnt pass on the free yeast

[HoosierBrew]

Regardless, I predict that keg is gone in a hurry !