India Pale Lager

March 22, 2016 by JohnnyO

Josh Jayne and I developed a recipe for an India Pale Lager sometime in late summer 2015. We were finally able to brew this on New Year’s Day 2016. The idea was to make a very hop-forward beer with the clean lines you find in a lager. To do so, we debated what the grain bill would look like first. Personally, I use German Pilsner malt in most of my lagers. However, that would add too much of a grain element in a beer that we wanted to focus on hops. The end result was to use basic American 2-Row malt as our base. We added 12% Munich to add a small amount of character and 4% Crystal 40 for some color.

As for hopping, we ended up using some traditional American C-hops in the boil. It was bittered with Columbus using a First Wort Hop addition. Centennial, Chinook and Columbus went into the flavor additions at 15, 10 and 5. We then used those same hops in a 20 minute whirlpool addition.

Josh and I did an 11 gallon batch and split the proceeds. We each used different yeast strains and dry hopping varieties and strategies.

I went with Wyeast American Lager yeast, and Josh went with the Bohemian Lager strain.

For dry hopping, I used 1.5 oz each of Chinook and Columbus (ran out of Centennial). My method for dry hopping this lager was to complete the initial fermentation and perform a diacetyl rest. After three days at 60-63 degrees, I added my dry hops and kept at that temp for 3 days. After that point, I began the process of lowering the temperature by 4-5 degrees every two days until I reached my lagering temp. At that time, I then transferred the beer to my keg, pressurized and let lager for 4+ weeks.

Josh went a different route for dry hopping. He used ~3oz of Horizon hops. His method was to dry hop into the already cold, lagering beer. Rather than the traditional 3-5 day dry hop you would do in your ale fermentation-temp beer, Josh lagered for a longer period as it was lagering.

For you folks who have tried these beers, it would be great to get a discussion on what you perceived.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 12.65 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 11.65 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 10.50 gal
Fermentation: Lager, Two Stages

Date: 23 Mar 2016
Brewer: Johnny O
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: My Herms Rig
Efficiency: 87.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 88.6 %
Taste Rating: 30.0

Taste Notes:

Ingredients
Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU
22 lbs 4.1 oz	Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)	Grain	1	84.0 %
3 lbs 3.0 oz	Munich Malt – 10L (10.0 SRM)	Grain	2	12.0 %
1 lbs 1.0 oz	Caramel/Crystal Malt – 40L (40.0 SRM)	Grain	3	4.0 %
2.00 oz	Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] – First Wort 60.0 min	Hop	4	44.7 IBUs
1.00 oz	Centennial [10.00 %] – Boil 15.0 min	Hop	5	7.2 IBUs
1.00 oz	Chinook [13.00 %] – Boil 10.0 min	Hop	6	6.8 IBUs
1.00 oz	Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] – Boil 5.0 min	Hop	7	4.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg	Bohemian Lager (Wyeast Labs #2124) [124.21 ml]	Yeast	8	–
3.00 oz	Chinook [13.00 %] – Dry Hop 0.0 Days	Hop	9	0.0 IBUs
3.00 oz	Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] – Dry Hop 0.0 Days	Hop	10	0.0 IBUs

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.076 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.6 %
Bitterness: 62.7 IBUs
Est Color: 7.5 SRM

Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Sparge Water: 7.55 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE
Est Mash PH: 5.65
Measured Mash PH: 5.20

Total Grain Weight: 26 lbs 8.0 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Target Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Acid Addition:
Sparge Acid Addition: