23 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

I thought I posted this recipe but apparently not. This is the beer that I thought I was going to have to bottle because I was having keg issues but luckily that wasn't the case. I've made this beer now with S-189 and WL830 and I'm about to make it again with 2124. The vision was a light, easy-drinking lager with character. I'm calling it an American Premium because it's got flaked corn in it but the malts, hops and yeast usually end up being German. I split the base malt between pilsner and 2-row to make it seem "more American" but I also see that some brewers are finding that a combination of pilsner and 2-row (especially pale ale malt) can produce a very nice pale lager. This is an outstanding beer to have on tap in warm weather or anytime.

American Premium Lager

4.00 lbs Weyermann Barke Pils
3.75 lbs Domestic 2-row (I used Rahr)
1.00 lbs flaked corn
4 ounces CaraHell
4 ounces CaraFoam
.40 ounces Magnum pellets 13.0% for 60 minutes (about 21 IBU)
1.50 ounces Hallertau Mittelfruh 3% (or any mild late hop of your choice) for 5 minutes
S-189, 830, 2124, 2000, 2001, 2278, etc.

OG: 1050, FG: 1.012, IBU: 25, SRM: 3-4, ABV: 4.8%

I used all filtered tap water and added only CaCl to the mash which left my sulfate at around 27ppm and got the chloride up to about 70ppm. Mash pH of 5.2 to 5.3. It will end up having the character of whatever yeast you use... American, Czech, German, Mexican, etc. Chils would dig it.



An EDIT: This beer has been made with the base malt as "all pils" (both Barke and Swaen) and also with small amounts of Vienna or Munich 1. I skipped the idea of adding plain 2-row. I have also used 2124, S-189 and the Omega Bayern yeast and all versions have been stellar.

[positiveContact]

looks great.  

 

does it taste "corny" at all?  never used flaked corn before.

[Big Nake]

No. I don't think you would be able to tell its in there other than it lightens the body a little. At only 10% I don't think it stands out.

[Bklmt2000]

Looks like a beer I'd demolish. 

[Big Nake]

Beerheads will like it and swill drinkers (IME) have really liked it.

[Bklmt2000]

Always a good time for a good lager.

[Big Nake]

If a beer called an American Lager sounds good to you, you would like this one. If a beer called American Lager sounds like something that should have an umbrella in it, look away. I think it's time to go downstairs and tap me one of these... right now.

[MyaCullen]

yep, I've made very similar lagers, I like em

[positiveContact]

No. I don't think you would be able to tell its in there other than it lightens the body a little. At only 10% I don't think it stands out.

 

other than for the sake of being authentic is there a reason to not use table sugar instead?  I've always found that to do a good job of lightening body so that my higher ABV beers aren't too heavy.  I can't imagine it wouldn't work on something of more moderate gravity as well.

[Big Nake]

I don't know. When I was a new brewer I heard that table sugar (in higher percentages) would lend a cidery character. I also remember brewing at this BOP before I homebrewed and a recipe called for something like 800g of dextrose (12-13 gallon batches) and my friend knew that more sugar meant more alcohol so he added more than that. It was a Czech Pilsner and it came out AWFUL. I realize it's because the dextrose was overdone. Other than using some brown sugar occasionally in a Scottish, I don't really use much in the way of sugars.

[positiveContact]

I don't know. When I was a new brewer I heard that table sugar (in higher percentages) would lend a cidery character. I also remember brewing at this BOP before I homebrewed and a recipe called for something like 800g of dextrose (12-13 gallon batches) and my friend knew that more sugar meant more alcohol so he added more than that. It was a Czech Pilsner and it came out AWFUL. I realize it's because the dextrose was overdone. Other than using some brown sugar occasionally in a Scottish, I don't really use much in the way of sugars.

 

I'm just thinking it would only take a small amount of sugar to provide the fermentables of one pound of flaked corn and I would tend to think it would be even cleaner than corn would be.  at lower amounts I've found it to not contribute any flavor at all.

[positiveContact]

To be fair I've only used sugar in Belgians and higher gravity ales. I'm not sure how it would do in a light lager.

[MyaCullen]

To be fair I've only used sugar in Belgians and higher gravity ales. I'm not sure how it would do in a light lager.

just fine, it works exactly lie you described above

 

quick cooking or instant grits from the grocery store work as well as flaked corn

[positiveContact]

just fine, it works exactly lie you described above

 

quick cooking or instant grits from the grocery store work as well as flaked corn

 

I do enjoy using stuff from the grocery store in my beers.  feels like I'm sticking it to the man!  

[MyaCullen]

I do enjoy using stuff from the grocery store in my beers.  feels like I'm sticking it to the man!  

quick oats and flaked wheat from the bulk section as well

 

store brand minute rice also works 

[Big Nake]

Adding a visual here...

[Jub]

Looks amazing, nice job.

 

How's your head retention?  My lighter lagers always pour with a big beautiful head but die quickly, even if I use a scrupulously clean glass.

 

Does the carahell/carafoam help? Never used either of those

[Big Nake]

Head formation and stability has been good on all my beers and it seems like paying close attention to water composition and pH helped with that. I honestly don't know if the carahell and carafoam contribute to it or not but I use them with that hope along with the possibility that they're adding some body and depth. I still don't really know the best way to get that good thick & rich head but something changed in my beers a few years ago where it went to that soft, fluffy, creamy head that sticks to the side of the glass. Here's a helles from last year with a nice head on it... Someone on this board with a PhD and who works in a commercial brewery (Molbasser) said that one of his jobs at the brewery was to look at their beer's "TTC" which is basically how long the head sticks around or "Time To Collapse". My TTC has been getting better.

[Big Nake]

The last few batches of this beer have been outstanding. I killed the most recent keg of it over the weekend. It's probably getting further away from being an "American Premium" because the last two batches have had some Munich 1 in them.


5.75 lbs Barke Pils
2.00 lbs Munich 1
1 lb Flaked Corn
4 ounces CaraHell
4 ounces CaraFoam
20-22 IBUs of Magnum to bitter
1 oz Hallertau pellets for 5 minutes


I'm going to try to make it again late this week (Friday evening possibly) with the Omega Bayern yeast. It turns out to be a delicious "gold lager" regardless of what I call it. It's crisp, refreshing, well-balanced. I add ZERO sulfate so the 27ppm that is in my water is all that's there. No dilution with distilled.

[positiveContact]

the munich and high quality pils are what make it premium.  otherwise it would just be an American pils right?