Tuesday, September 12, 2017

#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

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