Help with a Helles
Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 5:46 pm
Hi Everyone - I'm about to tackle my first Helles. So far I have only a few lagers under my belt although I've been home brewing ales for a few years now. I wanted to run my procedure & recipe by you guys for some feedback:
The Mash: So far I've only done single infusion mashes but my plan is to tackle a Hockhurz (no decoction) for this one. The plan is to start with a 135f protein rest for 10m, 145f rest for 30m, and finally a 158f rest for 45m. Targeting a mash pH of ~5.5 (using 88% lactic acid). As far as grain bill goes I was originally planning on going either 100% Weyerman Pils or 98% Pils/2% Carahell. I had been under the understanding that Helles were all Pils but it looks like a lot of you guys throw 10 to 15% Vienna into the mix. Would 85% Pils 15% Vienna be a better choice? My assumption is that the breweries control the malting process and this mix is to try to approximate that. Water for the style is pretty soft right? Any suggestions on Calcium, Sulfate, and Chloride levels? Thinking about full volume no sparge. I know the germans mash thin (but not this thin) but my thoughts are that could more be a production brewery decision. Anyone predict any negatives from this approach?
The Boil: I'll adjust the boil pH to 5.1 - any thoughts on 60m vs 90m and boil intensity?For hops I was planning on a single FHW addition of Saaz probably but am definitely open to later hoping or different varieties if you guys think it will produce a better result.
Fermentation: I plan to pitch at fermentation temp and ferment in a corny in my chest freezer. I have access to free lager yeast from a local brewpub (he calls it czechvar, I think it may be Wyeast 2000). This allows me to easily pitch a lot of cells without building a starter. Think this is a good call? I know it's Czech but hell, didn't the Czechs originally get their lager yeast from Bavaria? I'm open to buying some yeast and building a starter. I'll do a diacytel rest at 65f (room temp) for a few days, jump it to another keg, crash cool, gelatin, and carbonate. I'll check the final pH and could adjust it down to 4.2 with lactic acid if fermentation doesn't do that for me.
The resources I've used mostly so far has been Kai's stuff (of course) and the Quest for Edelstoff blog - Feel free to poke some holes in this, it's new turf for me and I'm looking forward to learning from you guys.
The Mash: So far I've only done single infusion mashes but my plan is to tackle a Hockhurz (no decoction) for this one. The plan is to start with a 135f protein rest for 10m, 145f rest for 30m, and finally a 158f rest for 45m. Targeting a mash pH of ~5.5 (using 88% lactic acid). As far as grain bill goes I was originally planning on going either 100% Weyerman Pils or 98% Pils/2% Carahell. I had been under the understanding that Helles were all Pils but it looks like a lot of you guys throw 10 to 15% Vienna into the mix. Would 85% Pils 15% Vienna be a better choice? My assumption is that the breweries control the malting process and this mix is to try to approximate that. Water for the style is pretty soft right? Any suggestions on Calcium, Sulfate, and Chloride levels? Thinking about full volume no sparge. I know the germans mash thin (but not this thin) but my thoughts are that could more be a production brewery decision. Anyone predict any negatives from this approach?
The Boil: I'll adjust the boil pH to 5.1 - any thoughts on 60m vs 90m and boil intensity?For hops I was planning on a single FHW addition of Saaz probably but am definitely open to later hoping or different varieties if you guys think it will produce a better result.
Fermentation: I plan to pitch at fermentation temp and ferment in a corny in my chest freezer. I have access to free lager yeast from a local brewpub (he calls it czechvar, I think it may be Wyeast 2000). This allows me to easily pitch a lot of cells without building a starter. Think this is a good call? I know it's Czech but hell, didn't the Czechs originally get their lager yeast from Bavaria? I'm open to buying some yeast and building a starter. I'll do a diacytel rest at 65f (room temp) for a few days, jump it to another keg, crash cool, gelatin, and carbonate. I'll check the final pH and could adjust it down to 4.2 with lactic acid if fermentation doesn't do that for me.
The resources I've used mostly so far has been Kai's stuff (of course) and the Quest for Edelstoff blog - Feel free to poke some holes in this, it's new turf for me and I'm looking forward to learning from you guys.