Munich Helles... maybe?

[Hman1962]

I have been reading about and might attempt to brew a Munich Helles. I will be doing an extract as I don't have the equipment for an All Grain. I have found a few recipes that I have been looking at. I tried to convert one of the recipes to an Extract version. I will post both recipes but basically will be using 5.4 lbs. of Briess Pilsen Light DME, instead of 9 lbs. of Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner. The Munich Helles-d is the recipe that I am thinking of brewing.

I am open to suggestions about anything and everything with this recipe.. different DME?, Different grains, or quantities, and Hops... Strain and amounts.

I would like some feedback on this recipe.. especially from people that have brewed an Helles. I look forward to any thoughts and ideas. I have brewed quite a lot of beer this last year, but have always used a recipe kit, and never attempted to make my own up. I guess I am saying I will not be offended if any or all of this recipe picked apart.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I like the all grain version, but to create a Helles flavor profile might be tough with extract. I think you can make a great beer, but it may end up more like an International Lager rather than a Helles. But I'm splitting hairs at this point.

If you can, do a mini mash with the Best Munich, cara-pils and melanoidin malt. The last two don't need conversion, but the Munich malt needs to be converted (for sugar and flavor), so you may as well throw all those grains together in the mini-mash.

This mini-mash can be done on the stove top with a larger sauce pan. Heat up 2.5 quarts of RO water to 155F and add the milled grains. To simplify the recipe you can just use one pound of Munich and 4 ounces of the other two grains. The temperature will drop to 146-148. Leave it there for 30 minutes. You can wrap it in a towel (off the stove/heat) and just let it set. After 30 minutes, bring it up to 168 or so and hold for 5 minutes or so. Drain and rinse the remaining grain with the water you are going to use for the extract portion of the brew(a kitchen strainer works well for this). No need to watch pH if you use RO or distilled water. Steeping Munich malt will not work as it does for crystal malts because it needs conversion. Taste the wort from this mini mash, it should be sweet.

I always recommend RO or distilled water for extract beers, it doesn't mess with the overall pH of the beer.

The bitterness is a little high and I think it should be @ 15-20 IBU's, Helles' are wonderfully soft, clean and malty lagers. You can just use one hop for the 60 minute addition, either hop will work. The 5 minute addition is optional, but it would give a nice floral note (BJCP says it shouldn't have much in the way of hop aroma, but it's your beer and a floral note is always nice). The yeast is a good choice and will give you that extra "malty" bump Helles' are famous for.

Don't add any gypsum or baking soda, if anything add a little calcium chloride (3 grams). The gypsum will give it a minerally note found in a German Pils. Some say it adds a drying note, either way it's not really needed in a Helles. The baking soda will raise pH, it's likely going to be too high anyway, so keep it out. If you want sodium in the beer for maltiness, just add 1-2 grams of table salt. If it were my beer, I wouldn't add any water salts, but I would add 1/4 tsp of 88% lactic acid to the boil to keep the pH in check (leave the acid out of the mini-mash). The pH most certainly will be above 5.0 for the yeast pitch and likely below 5.2, this is the where the yeast and beer likes it. Aerate the beer after pitching as best you can for the yeast's health.

Good luck, sorry to ramble on, but I love a good Helles. It should be smooth and very approachable. Too often I taste a Helles that's too bitter and it should be the kind of beer a Bud Light and a craft beer drinker can agree on.

 

[Hman1962]

I like the all grain version, but to create a Helles flavor profile might be tough with extract. I think you can make a great beer, but it may end up more like an International Lager rather than a Helles. But I'm splitting hairs at this point.

If you can, do a mini mash with the Best Munich, cara-pils and melanoidin malt. The last two don't need conversion, but the Munich malt needs to be converted (for sugar and flavor), so you may as well throw all those grains together in the mini-mash.

This mini-mash can be done on the stove top with a larger sauce pan. Heat up 2.5 quarts of RO water to 155F and add the milled grains. To simplify the recipe you can just use one pound of Munich and 4 ounces of the other two grains. The temperature will drop to 146-148. Leave it there for 30 minutes. You can wrap it in a towel (off the stove/heat) and just let it set. After 30 minutes, bring it up to 168 or so and hold for 5 minutes or so. Drain and rinse the remaining grain with the water you are going to use for the extract portion of the brew(a kitchen strainer works well for this). No need to watch pH if you use RO or distilled water. Steeping Munich malt will not work as it does for crystal malts because it needs conversion. Taste the wort from this mini mash, it should be sweet.

I always recommend RO or distilled water for extract beers, it doesn't mess with the overall pH of the beer.

The bitterness is a little high and I think it should be @ 15-20 IBU's, Helles' are wonderfully soft, clean and malty lagers. You can just use one hop for the 60 minute addition, either hop will work. The 5 minute addition is optional, but it would give a nice floral note (BJCP says it shouldn't have much in the way of hop aroma, but it's your beer and a floral note is always nice). The yeast is a good choice and will give you that extra "malty" bump Helles' are famous for.

Don't add any gypsum or baking soda, if anything add a little calcium chloride (3 grams). The gypsum will give it a minerally note found in a German Pils. Some say it adds a drying note, either way it's not really needed in a Helles. The baking soda will raise pH, it's likely going to be too high anyway, so keep it out. If you want sodium in the beer for maltiness, just add 1-2 grams of table salt. If it were my beer, I wouldn't add any water salts, but I would add 1/4 tsp of 88% lactic acid to the boil to keep the pH in check (leave the acid out of the mini-mash). The pH most certainly will be above 5.0 for the yeast pitch and likely below 5.2, this is the where the yeast and beer likes it. Aerate the beer after pitching as best you can for the yeast's health.

Good luck, sorry to ramble on, but I love a good Helles. It should be smooth and very approachable. Too often I taste a Helles that's too bitter and it should be the kind of beer a Bud Light and a craft beer drinker can agree on.

Thank You for your reply! I will do the mini-mash process instead of the steeping suggestion! I will play with the recipe and more than likely remove one of the 60 min additions.

 

[Hman1962]

I like the all grain version, but to create a Helles flavor profile might be tough with extract. I think you can make a great beer, but it may end up more like an International Lager rather than a Helles. But I'm splitting hairs at this point.

If you can, do a mini mash with the Best Munich, cara-pils and melanoidin malt. The last two don't need conversion, but the Munich malt needs to be converted (for sugar and flavor), so you may as well throw all those grains together in the mini-mash.

This mini-mash can be done on the stove top with a larger sauce pan. Heat up 2.5 quarts of RO water to 155F and add the milled grains. To simplify the recipe you can just use one pound of Munich and 4 ounces of the other two grains. The temperature will drop to 146-148. Leave it there for 30 minutes. You can wrap it in a towel (off the stove/heat) and just let it set. After 30 minutes, bring it up to 168 or so and hold for 5 minutes or so. Drain and rinse the remaining grain with the water you are going to use for the extract portion of the brew(a kitchen strainer works well for this). No need to watch pH if you use RO or distilled water. Steeping Munich malt will not work as it does for crystal malts because it needs conversion. Taste the wort from this mini mash, it should be sweet.

I always recommend RO or distilled water for extract beers, it doesn't mess with the overall pH of the beer.

The bitterness is a little high and I think it should be @ 15-20 IBU's, Helles' are wonderfully soft, clean and malty lagers. You can just use one hop for the 60 minute addition, either hop will work. The 5 minute addition is optional, but it would give a nice floral note (BJCP says it shouldn't have much in the way of hop aroma, but it's your beer and a floral note is always nice). The yeast is a good choice and will give you that extra "malty" bump Helles' are famous for.

Don't add any gypsum or baking soda, if anything add a little calcium chloride (3 grams). The gypsum will give it a minerally note found in a German Pils. Some say it adds a drying note, either way it's not really needed in a Helles. The baking soda will raise pH, it's likely going to be too high anyway, so keep it out. If you want sodium in the beer for maltiness, just add 1-2 grams of table salt. If it were my beer, I wouldn't add any water salts, but I would add 1/4 tsp of 88% lactic acid to the boil to keep the pH in check (leave the acid out of the mini-mash). The pH most certainly will be above 5.0 for the yeast pitch and likely below 5.2, this is the where the yeast and beer likes it. Aerate the beer after pitching as best you can for the yeast's health.

Good luck, sorry to ramble on, but I love a good Helles. It should be smooth and very approachable. Too often I taste a Helles that's too bitter and it should be the kind of beer a Bud Light and a craft beer drinker can agree on.

I listened to your pH podcast a few times. I will need to listen a few more times and probably take notes, but I loved the information!

 

[Donoroto]

I listened to your pH podcast a few times. I will need to listen a few more times and probably take notes, but I loved the information!

Note that @HighVoltageMan! won the 2025 Homebrewer of the Year award, and has several national medals for his beers.

Everything he wrote above is absolutely spot-on advice. I have nothing to add or dispute there.

 

[Craigerrr]

Note that @HighVoltageMan! won the 2025 Homebrewer of the Year award, and has several national medals for his beers.

Everything he wrote above is absolutely spot-on advice. I have nothing to add or dispute there.

This from a well renowned Helles brewer, sage advice about sage advice!

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Thanks guys! Please keep in mind, despite all that, I’m still quite capable of making some crappy beer!

 

[dmtaylor]

(I wrote the following before reading anyone else's responses at all = independent viewpoints): Recipe looks pretty good. I would first recommend using distilled water or RO water without adding any salts. Especially do not add any baking soda, not appropriate for this style. The extract contains all the salts you could ever need in a helles. I would also suggest perhaps not adding any hops in the last 5 minutes of the boil, as this is not traditional, but if you want to then of course go ahead and do it anyway. Recipe looks pretty darn good other than that.

Consider also my general guidance for brewing great extract beers:

 

[dmtaylor]

The bitterness is a little high and I think it should be @ 15-20 IBU's, Helles' are wonderfully soft, clean and malty lagers.

HighVoltageMan is absolutely right. There is some problem with the IBU calculation in your software. I would suggest using perhaps 1/3 as much hops as what your software has indicated, as it is way way off.

 

[Minbari]

Believe it or not, light ales and lagers are harder to do right than a heavy, highly flavored beer.

The light ones just have no where to hide the mistakes.

 

[Hman1962]

HighVoltageMan is absolutely right. There is some problem with the IBU calculation in your software. I would suggest using perhaps 1/3 as much hops as what your software has indicated, as it is way way off.

I do use RO water. I will modify the recipe and get rid of Baking Soda and adjust Hops. I appreciate all of the response's, as I am learning a lot being on this forum

 

[Hman1962]

Trying to take the advise from both @HighVoltageMan, and @dmtaylor I made some changes to the recipe. Let me know what you think. I am open to more critiques and changes.

Thanks

 

[Minbari]

Glad you got rid of the gypsum. Helles should be malty and not overly bitter.

 

[Hman1962]

Glad you got rid of the gypsum. Helles should be malty and not overly bitter.

This shows how much I need to learn! No idea what the different additions do, or don't do for the final product as far as taste , etc...

 

[Bigbre04]

Thanks guys! Please keep in mind, despite all that, I’m still quite capable of making some crappy beer!

thoughts on subbing out some dextrose for some the DME in order to lighten up the body? I havent used DME/LME in probably 20 years so i cant add anymore then that. It could also help with the overly malty flavor?

 

[Dave Y]

thoughts on subbing out some dextrose for some the DME in order to lighten up the body? I havent used DME/LME in probably 20 years so i cant add anymore then that. It could also help with the overly malty flavor?

It should work, but if you nail the balance with the hops, I think it won't be as necessary.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

thoughts on subbing out some dextrose for some the DME in order to lighten up the body? I havent used DME/LME in probably 20 years so i cant add anymore then that. It could also help with the overly malty flavor?

Not at first. The DME may not attenuate as well as all grain, but it shouldn’t be sweet. Likely the DME will give it a fuller mouthfeel and head retention. If turns out to thick or big, then add dextrose or even table sugar.

 

[Bigbre04]

Not at first. The DME may not attenuate as well as all grain, but it shouldn’t be sweet. Likely the DME will give it a fuller mouthfeel and head retention. If turns out to thick or big, then add dextrose or even table sugar.

thats what i meant. using Dextrose to lighten up the body of the final product so that it isnt so chewy(pilsner malt vs 2row malt). I cant prove this, but i feel like adding a little dextrose can help the yeast get started and cause an overall stronger fermentation.

 

[dmtaylor]

New recipe looks better. I do agree that swapping a pound of extract for a pound of plain white sugar, consistent with my generic guidance document, would be beneficial for this recipe. If your finished beer has too much body and/or color, you'll know how to adjust it for next time.

Cheers -- enjoy!

 

[Hman1962]

New recipe looks better. I do agree that swapping a pound of extract for a pound of plain white sugar, consistent with my generic guidance document, would be beneficial for this recipe. If your finished beer has too much body and/or color, you'll know how to adjust it for next time.

Cheers -- enjoy!

I will make the change now!