Vienna Lager (sort of)

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Bigbre04

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Looking for feedback on this guy. I have grain ordered, but it will not be delivered until Friday and I need to brew on Thursday. I have enough 2r plus Vienna malt to make this guy. I have plenty of colored malts, just tight on 2 row(about 1.5 bags on hand after tomorrows brew).

let me know what you would change!

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/embed/1474638
 
Bigbre04 said:
Looking for feedback on this guy. I have grain ordered, but it will not be delivered until Friday and I need to brew on Thursday. I have enough 2r plus Vienna malt to make this guy. I have plenty of colored malts, just tight on 2 row(about 1.5 bags on hand after tomorrows brew).

let me know what you would change!

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/embed/1474638
Click to expand...
My completely non-expert opinion is that a vienna should be lighter in color than that. But I usually don't worry about color

The grain bill plus yeast will let it taste fine.
 
Donoroto said:
My completely non-expert opinion is that a vienna should be lighter in color than that. But I usually don't worry about color

The grain bill plus yeast will let it taste fine.
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I think technically its within style, but i dont disagree. Im really trying to differentiate it from a smoked apricot lager that im brewing today which is at 8SRM

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/embed/1462231

I updated it down to 10 SRM. dropped 2#s of spec x and the dextrin
 
I'm actually going to try one in a couple of weeks, but nothing anywhere near that complicated. Planning on doing 97% low SRM Vienna and about 3% chocolate, if that. Weyermann Vienna is 2.3-3.6 SRM.
 
Sandy Feet said:
I'm actually going to try one in a couple of weeks, but nothing anywhere near that complicated. Planning on doing 97% low SRM Vienna and about 3% chocolate, if that. Weyermann Vienna is 2.3-3.6 SRM.
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What would you change on mine? I am flexible. Do you have a recipe?

Also lol i thought this one wasnt too complicated compared to my previous recipes! i guess its baby steps right?
 
I'm trying to get 5 or low 5's out of mine. Going to use only one hop too. Going straight Saaz.
I have tried a few locally and over in Tampa Bay, and I really like them simple and not too dark. I'm hoping 1/4 lb chocolate in 5 gallons is just enough to give it a little color. I'm going all Vienna for the rest.
 
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Herm brews said:
Here is the simple recipe for my first ever lager that came out pretty dark, but that’s OK for me. Kinda like Dos XX Amber.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1428002/vienna-garage-lager
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That looks tasty. You didn't get that kind of attenuation with the Munich Dark did you?
I did a version of a Festbier last year where I used a bunch of the lighter Munich, and it did not attenuate well. I initially though it was the Vienna, but I used 30% Munich in it, and I think that was the issue. It did taste quite nice though, and I drank a shitload of it on Thanksgiving.
 
Sandy Feet said:
That looks tasty. You didn't get that kind of attenuation with the Munich Dark did you?
I did a version of a Festbier last year where I used a bunch of the lighter Munich, and it did not attenuate well. I initially though it was the Vienna, but I used 30% Munich in it, and I think that was the issue. It did taste quite nice though, and I drank a shitload of it on Thanksgiving.
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So yall have once again swayed me. I think i will redo this recipe and go for a slightly lighter option. My smoked apricot "helles" came out a little darker then expected. so maybe ill go with a lighter colored vienna? I dont have enought Vienna todo all vienna, so i will have to do vienna and 2R. My actual recipe isnt too different then the one that @herms brews posted. Tough choices lol
 
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So reading the BJCP standards for a Vienna Lager, I am confused where they would be getting enough color to be a reddish amber color without adding caramel or roasted malts??? I can obviously add things like Midnight Wheat or Black Prinz, but those are much more modern malts than they would have originally had.

My Vienna malt is only 3L. it says that Munich malt is common, but even M2 is only 20L. It would take a fairly high percentage to get it up to the style range?
 
Putting my recipe in the other software, 1/4 lb Chocolate and 11 lbs Vienna put me right in the middle of the color range. Much of what I saw online suggested that. They also have some interesting discussions on the original Vienna and the Mexican Vienna.
 
Sandy Feet said:
Putting my recipe in the other software, 1/4 lb Chocolate and 11 lbs Vienna put me right in the middle of the color range. Much of what I saw online suggested that. They also have some interesting discussions on the original Vienna and the Mexican Vienna.
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Where did you see the discussions? i would like to read that. I also saw a lot of recipes with choc. I think that the small amount of Spec X(3%) along with the chocolate(<1%) will give a very nice depth to the flavor without adding too much overall caramel/roast. Thoughts?
 
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