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Author Topic: water profile for black lager  (Read 6011 times)

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2016, 08:30:45 pm »
Mine has 4.6% carafa II and 1.1% midnight wheat. The rest is 55% light Munich, 37% pils, 2.3% caramunich


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This one is very similar to yours but with the amounts of pils vs Munich pretty much swapped. I use some amber malt for no reason whatsoever but I like it.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #16 on: February 03, 2016, 09:49:10 pm »
Brew what you like for yourself and guests - there are no rules and a nice roasty lager can be quite flavorful.  But if entering into competition, a significant roast flavor is usually dinged - the Schwarzbier should not be terribly roasty and definitely not acrid...so for me, I get that sweet spot by adding Carafa III at vorlauf.  YMMV.

I just note what I hear at comps while judging....
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Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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water profile for black lager
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2016, 06:16:32 pm »
Just my opinion.....if someone hands you a Schwarzbier and you are blind folded and when you taste it you think " that's a great pils" then you don't have a true to style Schwarzbier . There should be subtle coffee and chocolate roast. It's smooth and not bitter or harsh. You pick it up ever so slightly in the nose. as you sip, it presents itself but doesn't linger or bite in the finish. While there are different varieties out there, I also prefer the ones with a noticeable Munich contribution vs just pils.


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« Last Edit: February 04, 2016, 07:47:01 pm by Wort-H.O.G. »
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #18 on: February 09, 2016, 08:27:16 pm »
Just my opinion.....if someone hands you a Schwarzbier and you are blind folded and when you taste it you think " that's a great pils" then you don't have a true to style Schwarzbier . There should be subtle coffee and chocolate roast. It's smooth and not bitter or harsh. You pick it up ever so slightly in the nose. as you sip, it presents itself but doesn't linger or bite in the finish. While there are different varieties out there, I also prefer the ones with a noticeable Munich contribution vs just pils.


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I agree, which is exactly what I get by adding the Carafa at the initial vorlauf.  Munich is a nice add, but you need restraint with that to avoid stepping into Dunkel territory.  I have also heard that Danish Lager yeast gets the right yeast profile for this style.  I will be brewing it again as soon as I kill off the 10 gallon batch I am drinking now.  Enjoy!  It's a great style.
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Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #19 on: February 09, 2016, 09:19:56 pm »
My recipe has 33% munch 9l which seems about right for what I like. I just used 34/70 out of convenience. What is an example of a Danish strain?
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #20 on: February 10, 2016, 12:42:30 pm »
Wyeast 2042 - but I've never used it.  I just ran my Schwarzbier by a local guy who was German trained and he said to give it a try on this style.  He said that I would like the result.  Since he is a pro, I have to consider the yeast as part of the equation....
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Offline denny

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #21 on: February 10, 2016, 12:45:31 pm »
Wyeast 2042 - but I've never used it.  I just ran my Schwarzbier by a local guy

Being a "pro" doesn't necessarily mean someone knows what they're talking about.

I really like 2042. Should work great for a schwarz.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #22 on: February 12, 2016, 12:28:48 pm »
I hear you, Denny, but this particular pro spent a lot of time in German breweries and has formulated lager recipes for a few Midwestern breweries.  My lagers improved greatly by his advice over the last few years, so I trust his palate...and it sounds like the Danish strain will be on my list of things to try for myself.
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Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: water profile for black lager
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2016, 10:36:23 am »
Thanks for the help guys. Kegged this last night and it seems to be spot on for what I was going for. Very pleased.

The first version of this beer used domestic malt and was very very tasty. The change to continental malt is quite noticeable and seems to be very very tasty in a different way. It's probably the first time experimented with the same recipe in this way.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2016, 10:57:07 am by goschman »
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
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Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale