Double Lager... Second Attempt!

[Bigbre04]

Hey all,

First version of the double lager was really tasty and sold well, but it ended up on the sweet/boozy side. I would like to brew another batch of this when i get a chance and a tank open. here is where i ended up on the updated version. heard Dan Carey talking about their double pilsner winning a medal and he mentioned that they dryhopped it! that makes perfect sense for carrying the hop flavors through.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/embed/1580173

I adjusted the recipe a fair amount, reduced the vienna since i dont really want the sweetness from it, ditched the dextrin and shifted some things around. I could def get rid of the Spec x as well?

I also recently got some Perle so i subbed that for the willamette that i was using before. I also added a fairly heavy dryhop(for a lager). The overall IBUs went up a little bit as well.

Hops flavor wise i really like the concept of a big ass pilsner, but without the booze that was in the first batch(or atleast hidden better).

I will also use Apex Augustinian yeast and ferment it at 52-54f....current double batch of my normal golden lager is taking FOREVER, gonna be a full 2 week fermentation. So far...i have resisted the urge to turn up the temp on it. i think the sweet spot will be around 54f.

here is the first recipe:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/embed/1554840

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

Could you perceive the promised flavors from SpecialX at that low concentration in prior batches? It is an interesting malt, but I would think you'd need more than 1% to get much from it. It likely also is out of style. I'd just simplify and trade it for more Munich.

Also, those IBUs seem really low. For balance I'd shoot for closer to 70 to match your OG. 60 wouldn't be bad. Of course, that assumes you've had your brews lab tested and you're using a custom utilization in the calculator. If not, expect that your actual IBUs are one-half to one-third of the estimate. And take that as a grain-of-salt caveat because regardless of the estimation math, the more important thing is do *you* perceive it to be balanced or to-style. I generally find shooting for the top end of the IBU range or exceeding it a bit always results in a more drinkable product. If you're finding it is too sweet, up the hops. This isn't an IPA chasing its ABV tail, but the same idea applies.

 

[Dave Y]

I think 42 IBU is enough for what you’re shooting for; my triple weighs in at 9.4%ABV and is only 38 IBU. It’s not overly hot and pretty well balanced.
If it were me I’d pull a little Munich, the spec. and dextrose and sub in some decent Pils, then brew.

if you really think it won’t have the balance needed, maybe kick up to the 45-50 range using a moderate AA hop.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

What else can you use other than Columbus?

 

[The Brew Mentor]

My thoughts would be to drop the special x and possibly up the Munich.
The corn sugar will help with the attenuation on a beer this big and in this amount won't hurt the body.
I'd use a lower cohumulin hop for the bittering as Columbus can be sharp.
I haven't used the loral but the description looks interesting.
I didn't look at the water, but I'd lean towards a balanced profile as there will be plenty of malt characteristics coming through with this.
Fwiw.
Cheers