20 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

The first time I made this beer, I screwed up the hop schedule. I don't know why but I added some late Hallertau and the beer ended up more like a Pils than what I originally envisioned. To top it off, this was the batch where the Hallertau pellets were vegetal, sort of stinky-gym-sock and so the whole beer was just a trainwreck. It looked beautiful but that was about it. So I have retooled the recipe. The inspiration here (believe it or not) is Hofbrau Bock which is a Trader Joe's product (brewed by someone else, clearly). It's pale, soft and smooth. It has some good depth from something like Vienna or Munich 1 and there is firm bitterness but no real late-hop character. My recipe is below and if anyone sees a way to steer it in the right direction, please do. This is my next batch with the 2352.

Pale Bock

5 lbs German Vienna
2 lbs German Pilsner
1.5 lbs Munich 1
1.5 lbs Munich 2
1.5 ounces Hallertau pellets 3.2% for 60 (4.8 AAUs, 20 IBUs)
.5 ounces Hallertau pellets 3.2% for 30
Wyeast 2352 Munich Lager 2

OG: 1.055, FG: 1.014, IBU: 25 SRM: 6, ABV: 5.3%

This is not necessarily a Maibock because the gravity is lower than that. I would mash in my typical 150-151° range and keep the water low in sulfate so that it's softer as opposed to crisper. I'm not really well-versed with bocks in general so I'm not really sure how they're typically hopped. Most Maibocks I try seem to have bitterness without late hop flavor or aroma and they're usually pretty boozy. Anyone see anything they would adjust? I have a lot of German Magnum I could use to bitter and I could punch that bitterness level up a little and either screw the Hallertau or add a small amount at 30 or something.

[Bklmt2000]

Looks good.

 

For the gravity being in the mid-50's (OG-wise), 20 IBU's from bittering looks good; the 30-min additon will add some subtle hop character, but nothing that would scream out "hoppy".

 

Other than that, I'd brew it as is and see how it turns out.

[Brauer]

The Trader Joe's Maibock is brewed by Gordon Biersch. Decent beer, especially for the price. They make most of the good Trader Joe's lagers; I don't know about the American light and Mexican lagers.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

Your recipe is similar to Jamil's North of the Border Vienna recipe. It should be tasty.

 

httpss://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/jamils-north-of-the-border-vienna

[Big Nake]

Okay, thanks Beerheads. I was looking at this again last night and thought that I might hit the bittering addition a little harder and instead of wasting Hallertau for that purpose I might use Magnum and just push it up towards 30 IBUs and then use Hallertau for the second addition at 30. Brauer, some of the TJ's beers are quite good. They have a Vienna that is very nice as well. I brought a sixer of this "pale bock" to my dad's house a few years ago and we sat out on his back deck drinking this beer. He kept saying, "Bock is supposed to be dark. What's going on here?" and I was explaining that it was designed to be more pale. He just kept drinking it! Cheers.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I still want to brew a version of Denny's Einbecker Mai Bock. Mostly Pils with a little Munich and c15.

[denny]

I still want to brew a version of Denny's Einbecker Mai Bock. Mostly Pils with a little Munich and c15.

 

Yeah, that's an amazing beer.  If you can find carahell, you can use it instead of the c15.

[neddles]

I still want to brew a version of Denny's Einbecker Mai Bock. Mostly Pils with a little Munich and c15.

Link to recipe/article?

 

ETA: oh wait, it said "Denny's" Do you have a link, Denny?

Edited by neddles, 14 March 2016 - 10:13 AM.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

Here's a version. 

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

Yeah, that's an amazing beer.  If you can find carahell, you can use it instead of the c15.

Thanks! I'll definitely order some.

[Brauer]

Okay, thanks Beerheads. I was looking at this again last night and thought that I might hit the bittering addition a little harder and instead of wasting Hallertau for that purpose I might use Magnum and just push it up towards 30 IBUs and then use Hallertau for the second addition at 30. Brauer, some of the TJ's beers are quite good. They have a Vienna that is very nice as well. I brought a sixer of this "pale bock" to my dad's house a few years ago and we sat out on his back deck drinking this beer. He kept saying, "Bock is supposed to be dark. What's going on here?" and I was explaining that it was designed to be more pale. He just kept drinking it! Cheers.

I like the Vienna, too. It's also from Gordon Biersch.

[Dave McG]

Ken, is this the beer you brought over? If so I might have to pop my lager brewing cherry with it. It was fantastic.

[MyaCullen]

Ken, is this the beer you brought over? If so I might have to pop my lager brewing cherry with it. It was fantastic.

do ittttt! Once you do a lager, and realize that it's not that hard, you'll damn near slap yourself for not doing it earlier.

Edited by miccullen, 27 June 2016 - 06:47 PM.

[HVB]

do ittttt! Once you do a lager, and realize that it's not that hard, you'll damn near slap yourself for not doing it earlier.

That was me last year. I had brewed 12+ years at that point without brewing a lager. Decided it was time and I am glad I did, I try to keep one on tap all the time now.

[Big Nake]

Ken, is this the beer you brought over? If so I might have to pop my lager brewing cherry with it. It was fantastic.

Dave: Yep, this is the beer and I brewed it just as its posted here... I just went and checked my notes. I'm really glad I had that beer available and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. A lot of the character we tasted in that beer on Friday came from the yeast which is no longer available (Wyeast 2352 Munich Lager 2). You could get very close by using Wyeast 2124 and you can also head over to Ritebrew.com and order the Omega yeast called Bayern Lager which is supposed to be the exact same yeast as the 2352 (I believe it's Augustiner's yeast). As long as you have a way to ferment on the cool side, you're good. Then I'll invite you over to my house and you can bring your version! Cheers.

EDIT: I know you said that you have Bev-Art in your neighborhood and that they sell White Labs. The 830 could work here but I think the character would be different. WYeast 2308 could work as well but again... different yeast. Cheers.

[MyaCullen]

The nice thing is, 2124 ferments really clean into the mid 60s, you can brew a pale lager with it with almost no change from standard ale technique, just use good pils malt and appriate hops and your golden, Im drinking a damn tasty pilsner I did @ 65F.

[Big Nake]

The nice thing is, 2124 ferments really clean into the mid 60s, you can brew a pale lager with it with almost no change from standard ale technique, just use good pils malt and appriate hops and your golden, Im drinking a damn tasty pilsner I did @ 65F.

That's true. What's surprising is that this 2352 was called "MUNICH LAGER 2" which I thought would be closer to 2308. It's closer to 2124, IMO and the character is really, really nice. This pale bock is not everyone's beer, for sure. It's malty and it only had about 25 IBUs. But the flavor and balance came out really nice. It seems like the type of beer my grandfather would drink on a Sunday afternoon and then fall asleep by 4pm.

[shaggaroo]

Is W34/70 the same as 2124? And as an aside my phone extension at work is 2124...

[positiveContact]

Is W34/70 the same as 2124? And as an aside my phone extension at work is 2124...

 

I would guess they are the same in the same way that US-05 and 1056 are the same.  came from the same place but due to processing you get a slightly different but very similar result.  just speculation here.

[shaggaroo]

I would guess they are the same in the same way that US-05 and 1056 are the same.  came from the same place but due to processing you get a slightly different but very similar result.  just speculation here.

OK cool, thanks!