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Extremely light Lager w/ some Columbus?


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#41 neddles

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 05:53 AM

Hey, I never said it was not craft I feel left out :)

I don't think anyone here would say that.



#42 Poptop

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 06:03 AM

Hey, I never said it was not craft I feel left out :)


You Sir are certainly not left out. We're a smallish group here that definitely pushes the science, asks the questions, ponders the what-if's and furthers the craft. I learn a ton from you all.

#43 Big Nake

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 06:12 AM

Hey, I never said it was not craft I feel left out :)

:lol:

I have seen many, many homebrewers look down their nose at any style in this zip code but I didn't mean to imply that was you. Your post 36 tells all... although you did say that you would have scoffed at a beer like this a few years ago! :P

I have a guy who comes to my house twice a year to open and close my sprinkler system. The tradition is that he makes me his last stop of the day and he drinks a few of my beers. He always says, "Make sure it's one of the lighter ones, okay?" and I always have a blonde, a helles, an American lager, a kolsch, a pilsner, etc. He tells me that he drinks lighter American beers and then says, "Your beers are so good and they taste a little better than what I normally drink". Hooray.

#44 HVB

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 06:14 AM

:lol:

I have seen many, many homebrewers look down their nose at any style in this zip code but I didn't mean to imply that was you. Your post 36 tells all... although you did say that you would have scoffed at a beer like this a few years ago! :P

 

 

Prior to my trip to Germany I would have passed or looked away from many lagers.  Fresh, good beer changes your outlook.



#45 Poptop

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 06:18 AM

Prior to my trip to Germany I would have passed or looked away from many lagers.  Fresh, good beer changes your outlook.


Quotable quote.

#46 Big Nake

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 06:27 AM

Prior to my trip to Germany I would have passed or looked away from many lagers.  Fresh, good beer changes your outlook.

Right. And while we're at it, let's clear up one thing: When a homebrewer makes a beer in one of these styles, it's NOT going to be Corona or Miller 64 or any of that stuff. It's going to be a much more enjoyable beer... one with character and depth and calories and enjoyment. When I was in Europe in 2013, I had some very good beer in Austria, Czech Republic and Germany. Many of them were a polished gold, 5%, 25 IBUs (or so), fresh and delicious. Beers like that should not be confused with beers where you get 30 cans for $9.99. :D

#47 positiveContact

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 06:43 AM

Right. And while we're at it, let's clear up one thing: When a homebrewer makes a beer in one of these styles, it's NOT going to be Corona or Miller 64 or any of that stuff. It's going to be a much more enjoyable beer..

 

well, it's either going to be that are pretty awful b/c there are no hops/roast to cover up the obvious flaws in their process.



#48 Steve Urquell

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Posted 17 May 2017 - 07:06 PM

well, it's either going to be that are pretty awful b/c there are no hops/roast to cover up the obvious flaws in their process.

Maybe. My first lagers were crude attempts before refining my process. Just like my first ales. Learning.

 

Taking on something like this beer can drive you to improve your skills.



#49 positiveContact

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 03:39 AM

Maybe. My first lagers were crude attempts before refining my process. Just like my first ales. Learning.

 

Taking on something like this beer can drive you to improve your skills.

 

I've just had quite a few bad light lagers from noob homebrewers.  it's a very unforgiving set of styles.



#50 Steve Urquell

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 04:57 AM

I've just had quite a few bad light lagers from noob homebrewers.  it's a very unforgiving set of styles.

Oh, I see it happen all the time on the bigger brewing forums. Bad advice given from people who don't even brew the style. The harder path is drowned out by the lazy masses. Goes something like this:

 

"Hey, I want to brew something like Miller Lite for my FIL who hates craft beer. Anyone got a recipe?"

 

Random DA: "Yeah duder, just throw some S05 in a Munton's cervesa kit. Tastes exactly like Coors Light."

 

"I can't lager, will it be OK in my 80 degree closet?"

 

"Sure, anything you brew will be better than (insert macro here)" :stabby:



#51 Poptop

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 08:55 AM

Holy Fug, I thought I had some Columbus. Shifting gear to some Cascade. Also contemplating going Noble with some Haller's and/or Tett's.

#52 Big Nake

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 09:15 AM

Oh, I see it happen all the time on the bigger brewing forums. Bad advice given from people who don't even brew the style. The harder path is drowned out by the lazy masses. Goes something like this:
 
"Hey, I want to brew something like Miller Lite for my FIL who hates craft beer. Anyone got a recipe?"
 
Random DA: "Yeah duder, just throw some S05 in a Munton's cervesa kit. Tastes exactly like Coors Light."
 
"I can't lager, will it be OK in my 80 degree closet?"
 
"Sure, anything you brew will be better than (insert macro here)" :stabby:


Can't tell you how many times I've read something like that. Also can't tell you how many samples of a beer in this style (or American wheat, blonde ale, cream ale, golden ale, etc) I have choked down and I just can't believe that the brewer doesn't taste what I taste. I understand that when you brew something you REALLY want it to be good and maybe you're a little blind to it. I get it. But I have hyper-critical of my own beers and I would never want anyone else to taste a beer where I obviously whiffed. Then you have all of the pH stuff, the water stuff, etc. These styles can be very tough to brew and you really have to get everything right if you expect it to make a great glass of beer.

Holy Fug, I thought I had some Columbus. Shifting gear to some Cascade. Also contemplating going Noble with some Haller's and/or Tett's.

So going to use Cascade for bittering? I guess I'm not getting the Columbus part or the Cascade part. I probably wouldn't want those flavors in a light lager myself but if it's just for bittering I'm sure it would be fine. I'd probably use Magnum if it were me.

#53 HVB

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 09:55 AM

So going to use Cascade for bittering? I guess I'm not getting the Columbus part or the Cascade part. I probably wouldn't want those flavors in a light lager myself but if it's just for bittering I'm sure it would be fine. I'd probably use Magnum if it were me.

At 60 I doubt you get much flavor from the hops.  I know some may disagree with me but that is my stance.  For me, doing a 30 minute boil I would go neutral or Nobel.



#54 neddles

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 09:58 AM

American light lager is typically what? 8-10, maybe 12 IBUs? Throw in a pellet and a half of Apollo at 60 and call it good.



#55 Big Nake

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 11:44 AM

American light lager is typically what? 8-10, maybe 12 IBUs? Throw in a pellet and a half of Apollo at 60 and call it good.

:lol:

I think I've used Cascade to bitter something (like a Yuengling clone) and I agree that you're not going to get much from it. But because the beer is so light, I would probably still go with noble hops like Hallertau, Spalt, Hersbrucker, Saaz or Tettnanger or even one of these American nobles like Mt. Hood, Sterling, Santiam, Crystal, Liberty, Glacier, US Golding, Ultra, etc.

#56 Poptop

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 11:57 AM

I'm leaning toward like .4 oz Magnum. I want the malt front and center. However I have some Crystal never used. Would a one dimensional addition be okay?

#57 Big Nake

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 11:59 AM

.4 ounces of Magnum around 12% would work well. You just want bittering and you want it as clean as you can get it and you may as well use the least amount of hops (.4 ounces of Magnum as opposed to maybe 1.5 ounces of Crystal). Crystal makes a great late hop in just about anything... light lager, pale ale, amber, blonde, etc.

#58 Poptop

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 12:07 PM

Thank you Ken. My recipe keeps evolving, with minor complexities in an attempt to hide any unforeseen yet potential process or water flaws. Perhaps a little magnum on the front and a pinch of crystal on the back.

#59 Big Nake

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 12:13 PM

Thank you Ken. My recipe keeps evolving, with minor complexities in an attempt to hide any unforeseen yet potential process or water flaws. Perhaps a little magnum on the front and a pinch of crystal on the back.

That sounds good. I also tend to take a beer like this and add a bit of something that will give it a little depth... Vienna, Munich 1, pale ale malt or MO, GP, etc. I have no problem with "light" but I don't want Corona so if I just use pilsner malt and maybe flaked corn, I tend to get something that's a little too wimpy for me. But this thread is about "extremely light lager" so using pilsner malt, some corn, keeping the ABV on the low side (less grain) and even keeping the pH in check will help to keep the color very pale if that's your goal. Keep us posted.

#60 Poptop

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Posted 18 May 2017 - 12:19 PM

Dropping the pants. 12# is my sweet spot and this is what I'm looking to do. I know it's not "lite" as originally discussed but somehow I see this as a real thirst quencher.

6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
5 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger Barke
1 lbs Vienna Barke Vienna
0.40 oz Magnum [14.00 %] 16.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Crystal [3.50 %] 4.3 IBUs
Slurry DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70)


Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.3 %
Bitterness: 20.9 IBUs
Est Color: 4.6 SRM


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