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Author Topic: Dark Czech Lager  (Read 5725 times)

TXFlyGuy

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Dark Czech Lager
« on: March 18, 2020, 06:52:34 am »
Yes, I know this has been beaten to death here.
But let's beat it up some more!

Potential grain bill (5.5 gallon) for the dark lager:

Munich (6 lbs)
Vienna (6 lbs)
Caramunich I (1 lb)
Carafa II (1 lb)

All Weyermann.

Will this make what we are looking for, a nice dark (not black) intense ruby-red colored lager? Medium full body, with a smooth malt forward profile.

Saaz hops will be employed, as will a fresh slurry of Czech Pils Yeast.

Any ideas / suggestions?
« Last Edit: March 18, 2020, 06:54:24 am by Myron Oleson »

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2020, 07:30:02 am »
It might be BrewBama that has an excellent looking recipe. I will see if I can dig it up...

EDIT: Found it.

I really enjoyed this Dark Czech Lager. It is based on a recipe from another homebrewer Paulaner which is based on Pivovar Kout na Šumavě Koutský tmavý speciál 14°.

I used

77% Pils
10% Munich
10% Caramunich II
3% Carafa II

22 IBU Saaz at 60 min
13 IBU Saaz at 30 min

Bohemian Lager Yeast (I had to sub my preferred yeast to S-189 because my Homebrew shop was out of Bohemian Lager Yeast. Paulaner used 2278.)
« Last Edit: March 18, 2020, 07:36:44 am by Iliff Ave Brewhouse »
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
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Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

TXFlyGuy

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2020, 08:00:19 am »
It might be BrewBama that has an excellent looking recipe. I will see if I can dig it up...

EDIT: Found it.

I really enjoyed this Dark Czech Lager. It is based on a recipe from another homebrewer Paulaner which is based on Pivovar Kout na Šumavě Koutský tmavý speciál 14°.

I used

77% Pils
10% Munich
10% Caramunich II
3% Carafa II

22 IBU Saaz at 60 min
13 IBU Saaz at 30 min

Bohemian Lager Yeast (I had to sub my preferred yeast to S-189 because my Homebrew shop was out of Bohemian Lager Yeast. Paulaner used 2278.)

Thank you! This looks good.

How about these grains...Carabohemian and Carared?
« Last Edit: March 18, 2020, 08:02:18 am by Myron Oleson »

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2020, 08:38:58 am »
The best one I made had Weyermann Bohemian Pils, Dark Munich, Carabohemian, and some dehusked Carafa II. Saaz Hops, WLP 800. It was a 10P beer, tasty.

Weyermann makes a Bohemian dark malt, would use that in place of the Munich Dark next time. Anyone have luck finding Bohemian Dark?


If you want a bigger version search for U Fleku. Gordon Strong has a recipe for a copy of that in his last book. Should be around 13P or so.
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Online ynotbrusum

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2020, 10:23:00 am »
I had a sack of Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Dark about 3 years ago and the Czech Dark I made with it did pretty well in competitions.  I haven't seen it around since, though.  Probably a special order for most LHBS's when it is available.  I love this style.
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Offline BrewBama

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2020, 10:43:41 am »
It might be BrewBama that has an excellent looking recipe. I will see if I can dig it up...

EDIT: Found it.

I really enjoyed this Dark Czech Lager. It is based on a recipe from another homebrewer Paulaner which is based on Pivovar Kout na Šumavě Koutský tmavý speciál 14°.

I used

77% Pils
10% Munich
10% Caramunich II
3% Carafa II

22 IBU Saaz at 60 min
13 IBU Saaz at 30 min

Bohemian Lager Yeast (I had to sub my preferred yeast to S-189 because my Homebrew shop was out of Bohemian Lager Yeast. Paulaner used 2278.)



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Offline skyler

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2020, 03:01:37 pm »
I made one that I really liked and have wanted to recreate. It was with Best Pils, Weyermann Floor-Malted Bohemian Dark malt, carabohemian, and Carafa special II. Hops were saaz and yeast was S-189.

Online ynotbrusum

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2020, 03:52:00 pm »
I made one that I really liked and have wanted to recreate. It was with Best Pils, Weyermann Floor-Malted Bohemian Dark malt, carabohemian, and Carafa special II. Hops were saaz and yeast was S-189.

That sounds about what I used, but I used Caramunich instead of Carabohemian.  All the rest was pretty identical, though - I need to go back in my records and look for that one.  Cheers!
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline BrewBama

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2020, 04:02:27 pm »
Bob Hall and Randy Scorby presented on Czech Lagers in 2015. There’s a DCL recipe in this link:

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/presentations/pdf/2015/2015%20AHA%20Czech%20Lagers%20-%20History,%20Brewing,%20Judging.pdf


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TXFlyGuy

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2020, 05:42:34 am »
My local shop did not have quite what we wanted, but we are close.

This will be for an 8.5 gallon batch. 11.5 gallon boil. It will be split in two kegs after fermentation is complete.

All Weyermann

8 lbs Vienna
8 lbs Dark Munich
2 lbs Caramunich II
2 lbs Carabohemian
1 lb Carared

We wanted something with a higher OG in hopes of hitting 6.0+ ABV.

What should the target IBU’s be? 25? 30?

The total grain bill is a bit greater than what many would use, simply because we mill our grain on the course side, so we do not have the extract efficiency that most of you have.

Star Date Log Brew Date: 3/20/20
« Last Edit: March 19, 2020, 06:37:12 am by Myron Oleson »

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2020, 08:34:38 am »
That’s a lot of crystal malt. Looks closer to a dunkel to me
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2020, 09:38:11 am »
That’s a lot of crystal malt. Looks closer to a dunkel to me

The 10P I have made a couple of times uses 15% Carabohemian. The U Fleku recipe Modern Homebrew Recipes by Gordon Strong has just over 15% Cara.

I would agree that ~24% is a little high.

The Dunkels I'm familiar with are mostly Dark Munich, a touch of Carafa for color, maybe 5% or less of CaraMunich and/or Mellanoidin malt.


Myron, brew this as you wish, give us some feedback please.
Jeff Rankert
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BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2020, 09:47:31 am »
24% crystal malt is too much for any beer but that’s just my opinion which I realize doesn’t hold much weight. I would expect mostly pils as the base. Maybe push the ibus up around 35 to cut through the malt?

I’m sure it will make amazing beer. Disregard. Brew on
« Last Edit: March 19, 2020, 09:53:26 am by Iliff Ave Brewhouse »
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

TXFlyGuy

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2020, 10:09:51 am »
24% crystal malt is too much for any beer but that’s just my opinion which I realize doesn’t hold much weight. I would expect mostly pils as the base. Maybe push the ibus up around 35 to cut through the malt?

I’m sure it will make amazing beer. Disregard. Brew on

We will brew tomorrow. So the crystal can be reduced a bit. The basic recipe is not far off from a Dunkel recipe found on BYO.

How about we cut the CaraBohemian and CaraMunich by 50%?

What would you recommend? I am all ears!
« Last Edit: March 19, 2020, 10:14:46 am by Myron Oleson »

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Dark Czech Lager
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2020, 10:12:35 am »
Honestly I would brew something like the brewbama recipe. It seems like you have something else mind so I would just move forward.
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale