I havnt brewed one but I'd go all Vienna and see what that brings.

 

I would definitely go with the majority of vienna malt

 

I'd recommend 100% Vienna, subtracting enough for mash pH control with acidulated malt, maybe 2% - 3% Carafoam for head retention. Vienna Lager is a simple beer, just a little toastier than a Pils.

 

I personally would swap the carafoam for caramunich and add a couple oz of carafa to get the color right. Just me...

 

You're actually amplifying both the caramel and color away from style. I'm not knocking it at all, it's your beer, but it would be too dark and too sweet for a traditional Vienna lager.

 

Sorry I haven't seen many vienna lagers that are 5 SRM. I personally wouldn't use any cara malt in a vienna but I would try to match the style guidelines for color. I would probably go all vienna with enough carafa special to make it amber colored. I guess I'm crazy.

 

I honestly haven't seen too many traditional European Vienna lagers, the style having been commercially extinct for a great number of years. For the Mexican variants, you are correct in using caramel and adding color. I believe the style guidelines are attempting to separate the two where the Vienna lager I'm talking about would land in historicals.

 

So the Vienna Lager style in the BJCP guidlines refers to the Mexican variety? Good to know and makes sense since my international amber lager scores in the 40s when entered as a Vienna Lager. I do see some notes now about historical versions although it doesn't mention that they should be gold in color. Good to know for future reference.

Carry on. Sorry to sidetrack...

 

Nail it and it will be delicious !

 

Agreed. Either way will make a good beer. One is more European (and extinct, by the way) while the other is more Mexican (and thriving). Your choice: I'd make the extinct European style. You may like Modello more.

 

Sounds like they should remove the category then and just go with international amber lager.

 

I believe the intent is to put the classic European style into the Historicals (Category 27). Don't know what they're going to do with the current style - International Amber would be a good landing place for it.