#64 Dortmunder Lager

Brew date: Sept. 12, 2017

I have loved Dortmunder lagers for years -- ever since first trying Berghoff's Dortwunder -- but only now am I getting around to brewing one. They are the perfect balance between Pilsner crispness and and Munich maltiness.

Appearance: Pale straw gold color. Very very clear -- as clean as you can get a lager without filtering. Champagne bubble cascading up the glass. A white foamy head that quickly evaporates to a thin rim around the glass. White lacing remains throughout quaffing. Perhaps add a touch of dextrin malt to help with head retention, but not so much as to add more body.

Aroma: Sweet, spicy aroma. Bread, biscuit with honey, Mandarin citrus, and very slight sulfur. Perfect.

Taste: Dry, sweet bread transforms to crisp sulfur-lager flavor. Some spiciness from the hops comes through but only just a hint. Overall, malt dominates (as it should). Light body. Effervescent bubbles.

Final Thoughts: Really happy with how this turned out! Feels, looks, smells, and tastes like a Dortmunder should. This would be a great summer thirst-quencher. As it is, it's a great change of pace from hot weather IPAs and a refreshing transition before the late fall/winter onslaught of roasty beers. I love how the Bohemian lager yeast helped keep everything in proportion. I also think the Hallertauer/Saphir hop mix was really nice -- just the right spicy citrus. Water profile seemed pretty much spot on.

Next Time: Consider adding a touch of dextrin malt to help with head retention, but be restrained to keep body light. Would be interesting to try a little sourdough malt too. No need to go hoppier or have a higher ABV.

RECIPE TARGET

BATCH SIZE	TIME	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	60 min	1.053	1.013	5.23%	25	75%	4.37

ACTUAL

BATCH SIZE	TIME	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	60 min	1.067	1.017	6.61%	82	75%	10.75

FERMENTABLES

NAME	AMOUNT	%	BRAND
Pilsner malt	12 lbs	91%	Avangard
Munich 10L	10 oz	4.7%	Briess
Vienna	6 oz	2.8 %	Avangard
Acidulated	3 oz	1.4%	Best Malz

HOPS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	ALPHA %	OTHER
Hallertauer	1 oz	60 min	Boil	Pellet	3.8%	YCH
Saphir	1 oz	60 min	Boil	Pellet	2.4%	YCH
Hallertauer	1 oz	10 min	Boil	Pellet	3.8%	YCH
Saphir	1 oz	10 min	Boil	Pellet	2.4%	YCH

OTHER ADDITIONS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	OTHER
Irish moss	2 t	15 min	Boil
Yeast nutrient	0.5 t	10 min	Boil

YEAST

NAME	LAB	AMOUNT	ATTENUATION	TEMPERATURE	OTHER
2124 Bohemian Lager	Wyeast	2 L	73-77%	50 F	Starter

WATER

Profile link: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=9YX6VMW

NAME	AMOUNT	TIMING	OTHER
RO Water	7.5 gal	83-17 Mash/Sparge
Filtered Water	1.5 gal	17-83 Mash/Sparge
Gypsum	1 g	Mash
Calcium Chloride	2 g	Mash

SCHEDULE

STEP	TEMPERATURE	TIME	NOTES
Mash in	156 F	10 min	6 gal
Saccrification rest	148 F	60 min
Batch sparge	168 F	10 min	3 gal
Boil	212 F	60 min
Chill	50 F	15 min
Fermentation	48 F	7 days
Fermentation	52 F	3 days
Fermentation	66 F	3 days	Allow to free rise
Chill	60 F	11 days
Lager	36 F	14 days