Lager for winter

[Bigveees]

It has got rather chilly here, so I can brew a lager now and not have to use cooling facilities to brew a lager! I'm tired of trying to get my hands on a decent lager, so why not make my own.

So:

3.2KG Lager Malt (Weyermenn Bohemian)
1.5KG Pale Malt (Simpsons Pale)
0.8KG Wheat Malt (Dingemanns)

EBC 6

3gram Gypsum (for the mash)

CRS to reduce alkalinity to ph 5.4

24L batch

Aiming for 5.2% ABV

Saaz Whole leaf 3.3% AA 25grams 75Min
Mosiac Whole 6.5%AA 25gr 30Min
Bouclier Whole 7% 25gr 45min

IBU 37

Whitelabs WLP830 German lager

15C fermentation

Any Comments Welcome

PS, just opened the Mosiac, Beautiful aroma. First time I've used after enjoying Duvel multi Hop

[Barley Water]

If I'm interpreting your post correctly it looks like you are using the lowest alpha rated hop for bittering (saaz) and an ale hop for flavor (mosiac). I can't speak for the Boulier since I have never used it. What I try to do when making lagers like that is to use the higher alpha stuff for bittering to keep the vegital flavors down (I like Magnum for instance). I would then use the Saaz near the end of the boil since you don't care as much about the contribution to the bitterness but are more interested in the flavor and aromatics. I do have experience with Mosiac and it is an interesting hop but it is extremely fruity and more commonly found in ales over here (I have used it in a couple of IPA's with nice results). I suspect that if used in conjuction with Saaz the Mosiac will completely overwhelm it.

Now, having said all that this is homebrewing and you can do whatever the hell you want so take that for what it's worth.

[Charles1968]

Yes you want lots of noble hops such as Saaz for that distinctive spicy flavour that lagers have. In my experience that flavour carries through from early and mid boil additions, but I load up at the end if the boil too as I like it. Hallertauer hersbrucker is probably the spiciest but Saaz is the classic choice for pilsner.

I think mosaic is wasted at 30 mins. It's a very fruity sweet tropical aroma more often used in pale ales, so if you use it in lager you're making something very experimental and it won't have the classic lager flavour. If you do decide to use it, put it in in the last 2-3 minutes as mosaic is really an aroma hop.

[Bigveees]

Having smelt the Mosiac, I do expect it will be the upfront lead Hop by some way. It was posted as I was making it and now 26hrs later the WLP830 has failed to launch! My backup yeast is a dried Mongrove Jack M10 (apparently suitable for light lager through to baltic porter!) This is the second white labs vial that has let me down. Not in my good books.

[Charles1968]

It's too early to give up on the yeast. It can take two or three days before you see any action in a lager if you haven't made a big starter.

I think the mosaic will be good if the flavour comes through. Hoppy lagers can work well - Brooklyn lager is dry hopped with cascade and tastes great. It's not a conventional lager though.

[keith1664]

If you're making a lager at lager temperatures then you need to pitch a lot of yeast, one vial of white labs is going to struggle.
You either need to make a big (5L) starter as mentioned before or pitch 3 or so packets of dried lager yeast.

[Bigveees]

The Mongrove Jack M10 went in after 30 hrs of no apparent action. At bottling it tasted fine but I reckon another 2-3 weeks before it is ready, so update to follow.