Mash pH was 5.50. I accidentally had darker grains from a previous batch still plugged in when calculating, which ended up being a happy accident as a 5.50 mash pH is supposedly good for rounding out flavors in a darker beer.

I think I would've preferred a higher SRM, but it should have lovely light ruby tones like an amber or a brown ale, and that's fine with me.

I added the carafa for 10 minutes during my automated vorlauf process (full volume infusion no sparge, HERMS recirculation) to hopefully avoid roastiness. The Melanoidin was mashed in.

I pitched a little over 2 cups of very fresh slurry from a recent munich helles. It may be a slight overpitch at 1.44M cells per mL/P, but I'd rather overdo it on a lager than under. Pitched at 50F and will hold for 3 days before increasing temperature 2F per day up to 62F for diacetyl rest, which will be held for 4 days prior to kegging and placing in lagering freezer.