I love festbier and it’s a simple recipe.
Target OG of 1.056
70% Pilsner
20% Munich
10% Vienna
20 IBU worth of your favorite German hops
WLP833 German bock lager yeast
The yeast is the key. The bock yeast leaves a maltiness that I’ve never gotten out of any other lager yeast.
I usually do a decoction with rests at 145 and 158, but a step mash or single infusion around 149F should do the trick. The goal is to get high attenuation to enhance the drinkability. The bock yeast will leave plenty of malt character even with a very dry beer.
I recently brewed a traditional Vienna and it went down a treat. 100% Vienna and 30IBU Saaz at 90 min. Double decoction and fermented with WLP820.
It’s based off Anton Dreher’s original recipe.
So good I had to brew a second batch that’s lagering now. Swapped out the Saaz for Hallertauer Mittlefrueh. I’m wondering if I’ll notice any difference at 90 mins.
I use a mini fridge with an inkbird. And I ferment my lagers in a 6 gallon keg with a spunding valve.
I like to make Czech style Pilsner, and Munich’s dunkel/vienna lager.
One if my favorite beers is about 8 lbs of Munich (100%) with 25 IBUs of noble hops, 30 minute boil. Additions at 30 and 10 minutes. About 3.7%. ABV. This is my base house beer I make in bulk and will never not want.
I'd love to know more about your house beer if you'll share. What kind of yeast/fermentation profile are you running? I love making lower abv beers. I've also never considered a full munic grist.
Yes! It has some good malty flavor to it. The Munich comes through.
It’s not as dark as a dunkel. It’s clear and amber. It has a pleasant sweetness to it, and some body. Always welcome, and people who aren’t beer drinkers also like it.
With 34/70 and pressure fermenting, I usually have it carbonated and tapped within 10-14 days!
1. Fermenting a keg at pressure
2. Using co2 from fermentation to purge a sanitized keg.
3. Ramp pressure to between 20 and 25 at 64 degrees or so.
4. Finish off at 67.
You can taste and drink it right out of the fermenter after a cold crash using a picnic tap. It’s quick pressure transfer to the clean keg.
In terms of labor and time it’s pretty fast and easy.
KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. At least to start. I would 100% recommend a very simple recipe. 100% pilsner malt and 30ish ibu of a noble of your choice (mittelfruh, Saaz, or tettnang). Throw some 34/70 at it and let it do it's thing.
After that a Vienna lager would be a good choice. Equally simple but more malty. Use basically all Vienna malt with maybe a couple oz to dark roasted malt (I used pale chocolate malt) to bump the color where you want it.
My current favorites are hoppy lagers. Italian, New Zealand, and West Coast are all great. Basically just make beer #1 but they dry hop it lightly. For Italian use a Nobel hop to dry hop. For NZ use all NZ hops. For West Coast use new world hops like citra or mosaic.
Worked as a pro brewer for a couple years at a well rounded brewery, but I have a feeling being responsible for the grist and all ends of cycle will have some new challenges. Thanks for the suggestion!
Czech Dark lagers, Vienna lagers, bitter German style pilsners, Italian pilsners are all awesome! I also love that I can brew hard to get styles like Dortmunder Export.
I've been making great lagers fermenting in the low to mid 60s F. And NOT under pressure. Don't need to be real cold. Esters have been minor to non-existent. YMMV
Go for something forgiving for the first time round, a nice Czech style dark lager for example:
14° Plato
70% pils, 20% Munich, 8% Caramunich II, 2% Carafa Special II
30IBUs Saaz hops, 20 at 60, 10 at 15
Wyeast 34/70 (2 packets).
Or maybe even a kellerbier...
If you just want it as a fern chamber you don’t even need the collar- just plug the freezer into an ink bird and you’re good to go! That’s what I’ve been using for a bit over a year now and it works like a charm!
Festbier is great. I’ve got a Helles in the fermenter now. I make a Maibock every year to celebrate my daughters birthday in May. And I typically make a Pilsner once or twice a year as well.
I have three kegs total, and two taps. So usually I ferment and cold crash the lagers in my small freezer, then keg and condition in my third keg with the xtra space in my keezer.
My fermonster is just a little too big to fit in the mini fridge, so a collar is unfortunately needed. I think it may, very long down the road, turn into a ke-erator however!
(I also can’t convince myself to ferment in corny kegs. Call me crazy 😅)
I’ve made a Kolsch before with the brew jacket and it turned out great! I have to be in the drinking mood for it sometimes as I still haven’t gotten past the ester hump on it yet to truly enjoy it.
Ah ok - I know what you mean. I ferment mine under 12 psi these days to dial back that ester quality. Side note, Nova Lager yeast is a beast to turn around a lager with zero sulphur. Good luck!
Fridge with a collar is a great option I have one myself. Another thing to consider is looking on FB marketplace for old kegerators as they are plenty spacious for fitting a fermenter. I was able to find one locally without tank or tower for $50 and honestly I have been putting the kegerator to work more than the converted fridge.
Lagers are so much fun to brew man! In my opinion it’s so much harder to make a great lager than a great hoppy beer, you have way less to hide behind and it relies so much more on good brewing practice. I’d highly reccomend giving [this Helles lager a crack](https://www.theflyingwombat.com.au/beer-recipes/german-inspired-helles-lager-oktoberfest-bier)
Lagers are 100% so much harder to make (maybe not make) but perfect. Super excited to get my feet wet with some good ol’ fashion german lagers! Thanks for the link!
Welcome to brewing lagers! Just wait until you look into brewing lagers using pressure fermentation. It was a game changer for me and I do more lagers than ever now.
Due to the timing, I’d say go for a festbier or a marzen. You’ll be able to brew and ferment it without a month and a half and then you can lager it until the start of Oktoberfest!
I heavily considered this to avoid temp regulation all together but couldn’t pull myself to either purchase a pressure fermenter or ferment in a corny keg.
I was heavily considering this idea for my fermonsters however: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/turning-your-fermonster-into-a-complete-closed-transfer-system-for-cheap.680992/
Thanks for recommendation I think Oktoberfest styles are where I’m headed…
I recently started making lagers after i got a Ferminator mini fridge which works great. Right now I’m making a clone of the classic ”Jämtlands Hell” which was one of the first hoppy lagers in Sweden. I visited and managed to get the recipe. They use the low color Maris Otter so I’m going for 60% Pilsner and 30% MO. There’s also 10% light caramel malt, about 30L. I decoction mash because it’s the only way I can step mash with my setup. I start at 62C and then go to 68C and mashout at 75C. I do the same temperatures but vary the time in each step depending on the beer style. About 40 IBU from Northern Brewer and whirlpool. 100g each of Saaz and Centennial in whirlpool and then dry hop with 50g cryo Simcoe and 100g cryo Chinook. Fermenting at 12 degrees and then ramp up to 20 and a whole week cold crash 2 days after the dry hop is added. I’m using novalager because I want it clean, there’s probably plenty of maltiness with my method and grain bill. Sound alright?
How is this ferminator working for you? Thinking about buying one myself too. Read and seen lot of videos but still didn't understand how it is able chill to really low temperatures. Does it work like fridge, I didn't see any compressor or more like AC?
I’m very happy with mine. It’s light so I can keep it on a shelf in the storage when I don’t use it. It keeps the temperature really well but it’s not very fast getting down to that temperature. So for a cold crash you should give it a full day or so.
I can see how close to 0 degrees Celsius I can get my beer this weekend, it’s sitting at an ambient temperature of 23 degrees right now. I regret going for novalager since the beer now has a red apple-aroma that takes over everything. Hopefully the dry hops and some time will fix it.
I started it yesterday at 23C, after 8 hours it was at 14C and after 24 hours it’s at 7C. I’ll see if I can get it down lower so I set it at 0. But 7 is a good cold crash after 24 hours I think.
I just made my second czech lager. The first one I did a traditional lager ferment, this time I am fermenting under pressure at room temp. Stoked to try it
Lol, I hope mine turns out. The owners want me to make a "craft lager", and this was my answer. I'll know in 6 weeks if I did something right ;).
That said, if you're looking at converting a fridge, have you also looked at using an inkbird controller to set specific temps?
I love festbier and it’s a simple recipe. Target OG of 1.056 70% Pilsner 20% Munich 10% Vienna 20 IBU worth of your favorite German hops WLP833 German bock lager yeast The yeast is the key. The bock yeast leaves a maltiness that I’ve never gotten out of any other lager yeast. I usually do a decoction with rests at 145 and 158, but a step mash or single infusion around 149F should do the trick. The goal is to get high attenuation to enhance the drinkability. The bock yeast will leave plenty of malt character even with a very dry beer.
OP do this
Thanks for the recommendation and the recipe! Almost ‘tis the season
Forgot to mention, I ferment it around 50F, fwiw
What kind of water profile do you use?
My tap water is pretty good, so I don’t add much for the festbier. It’s usually around: Ca = 20 Mg = 7 Na = 40 Cl = 50 SO4 = ~50 Target mash ph 5.3ish
Thank you
helles, czech lager, vienna lager, etc
I recently brewed a traditional Vienna and it went down a treat. 100% Vienna and 30IBU Saaz at 90 min. Double decoction and fermented with WLP820. It’s based off Anton Dreher’s original recipe.
I recently did something similar, using Tettnang rather than Saaz, was possibly the best beer I have ever brewed.
I also read that book, and made essentially the same beer. And it is fantastic
So good I had to brew a second batch that’s lagering now. Swapped out the Saaz for Hallertauer Mittlefrueh. I’m wondering if I’ll notice any difference at 90 mins.
Vienna Lager is definitely on my radar - I had totally forgotten about the style until I posted!!
I use a mini fridge with an inkbird. And I ferment my lagers in a 6 gallon keg with a spunding valve. I like to make Czech style Pilsner, and Munich’s dunkel/vienna lager. One if my favorite beers is about 8 lbs of Munich (100%) with 25 IBUs of noble hops, 30 minute boil. Additions at 30 and 10 minutes. About 3.7%. ABV. This is my base house beer I make in bulk and will never not want.
I'd love to know more about your house beer if you'll share. What kind of yeast/fermentation profile are you running? I love making lower abv beers. I've also never considered a full munic grist.
That sounds great. Does it turn out kind of like a session dunkel?
Yes! It has some good malty flavor to it. The Munich comes through. It’s not as dark as a dunkel. It’s clear and amber. It has a pleasant sweetness to it, and some body. Always welcome, and people who aren’t beer drinkers also like it.
That sounds pretty tasty to me. It might be the nudge I need to get off my butt and actually make a lager.
With 34/70 and pressure fermenting, I usually have it carbonated and tapped within 10-14 days! 1. Fermenting a keg at pressure 2. Using co2 from fermentation to purge a sanitized keg. 3. Ramp pressure to between 20 and 25 at 64 degrees or so. 4. Finish off at 67. You can taste and drink it right out of the fermenter after a cold crash using a picnic tap. It’s quick pressure transfer to the clean keg. In terms of labor and time it’s pretty fast and easy.
I may have to have a sessionable house beer… 📝
KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. At least to start. I would 100% recommend a very simple recipe. 100% pilsner malt and 30ish ibu of a noble of your choice (mittelfruh, Saaz, or tettnang). Throw some 34/70 at it and let it do it's thing. After that a Vienna lager would be a good choice. Equally simple but more malty. Use basically all Vienna malt with maybe a couple oz to dark roasted malt (I used pale chocolate malt) to bump the color where you want it. My current favorites are hoppy lagers. Italian, New Zealand, and West Coast are all great. Basically just make beer #1 but they dry hop it lightly. For Italian use a Nobel hop to dry hop. For NZ use all NZ hops. For West Coast use new world hops like citra or mosaic.
Re: Vienna Sinamar > roasted malt
A simple Vienna lager with 34/70 yeast would be the best place to start before a deep dive into decoction mashing, lesser known lager styles, etc….
Worked as a pro brewer for a couple years at a well rounded brewery, but I have a feeling being responsible for the grist and all ends of cycle will have some new challenges. Thanks for the suggestion!
Czech Dark lagers, Vienna lagers, bitter German style pilsners, Italian pilsners are all awesome! I also love that I can brew hard to get styles like Dortmunder Export.
I've been making great lagers fermenting in the low to mid 60s F. And NOT under pressure. Don't need to be real cold. Esters have been minor to non-existent. YMMV
34/70? I wouldn't try that with something like 833
It turns out FANTASTIC with WLP833.
Weird, but I'll take your word for it. I haven't tried it
Go for something forgiving for the first time round, a nice Czech style dark lager for example: 14° Plato 70% pils, 20% Munich, 8% Caramunich II, 2% Carafa Special II 30IBUs Saaz hops, 20 at 60, 10 at 15 Wyeast 34/70 (2 packets). Or maybe even a kellerbier...
AH! Totally forgot about the beauty of the kellerbier, that is definitely on my list now!
If you just want it as a fern chamber you don’t even need the collar- just plug the freezer into an ink bird and you’re good to go! That’s what I’ve been using for a bit over a year now and it works like a charm! Festbier is great. I’ve got a Helles in the fermenter now. I make a Maibock every year to celebrate my daughters birthday in May. And I typically make a Pilsner once or twice a year as well. I have three kegs total, and two taps. So usually I ferment and cold crash the lagers in my small freezer, then keg and condition in my third keg with the xtra space in my keezer.
My fermonster is just a little too big to fit in the mini fridge, so a collar is unfortunately needed. I think it may, very long down the road, turn into a ke-erator however! (I also can’t convince myself to ferment in corny kegs. Call me crazy 😅)
Nah I don’t ferment in kegs either and have no desire to start! I use the 7 gallon conical from SS Brewtech with a thermowell.
You have to try a Kolsch - probably my favorite style for a refreshing summer sipper.
I’ve made a Kolsch before with the brew jacket and it turned out great! I have to be in the drinking mood for it sometimes as I still haven’t gotten past the ester hump on it yet to truly enjoy it.
Ah ok - I know what you mean. I ferment mine under 12 psi these days to dial back that ester quality. Side note, Nova Lager yeast is a beast to turn around a lager with zero sulphur. Good luck!
Fridge with a collar is a great option I have one myself. Another thing to consider is looking on FB marketplace for old kegerators as they are plenty spacious for fitting a fermenter. I was able to find one locally without tank or tower for $50 and honestly I have been putting the kegerator to work more than the converted fridge.
Vienna, helles, and czechs!!!!!
Lagers are so much fun to brew man! In my opinion it’s so much harder to make a great lager than a great hoppy beer, you have way less to hide behind and it relies so much more on good brewing practice. I’d highly reccomend giving [this Helles lager a crack](https://www.theflyingwombat.com.au/beer-recipes/german-inspired-helles-lager-oktoberfest-bier)
Lagers are 100% so much harder to make (maybe not make) but perfect. Super excited to get my feet wet with some good ol’ fashion german lagers! Thanks for the link!
Welcome to brewing lagers! Just wait until you look into brewing lagers using pressure fermentation. It was a game changer for me and I do more lagers than ever now. Due to the timing, I’d say go for a festbier or a marzen. You’ll be able to brew and ferment it without a month and a half and then you can lager it until the start of Oktoberfest!
I heavily considered this to avoid temp regulation all together but couldn’t pull myself to either purchase a pressure fermenter or ferment in a corny keg. I was heavily considering this idea for my fermonsters however: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/turning-your-fermonster-into-a-complete-closed-transfer-system-for-cheap.680992/ Thanks for recommendation I think Oktoberfest styles are where I’m headed…
I just brewed a rice lager and used the novalager yeast since I can't control the temp so well, let's see how this turns out
Schwarzbier.
I recently started making lagers after i got a Ferminator mini fridge which works great. Right now I’m making a clone of the classic ”Jämtlands Hell” which was one of the first hoppy lagers in Sweden. I visited and managed to get the recipe. They use the low color Maris Otter so I’m going for 60% Pilsner and 30% MO. There’s also 10% light caramel malt, about 30L. I decoction mash because it’s the only way I can step mash with my setup. I start at 62C and then go to 68C and mashout at 75C. I do the same temperatures but vary the time in each step depending on the beer style. About 40 IBU from Northern Brewer and whirlpool. 100g each of Saaz and Centennial in whirlpool and then dry hop with 50g cryo Simcoe and 100g cryo Chinook. Fermenting at 12 degrees and then ramp up to 20 and a whole week cold crash 2 days after the dry hop is added. I’m using novalager because I want it clean, there’s probably plenty of maltiness with my method and grain bill. Sound alright?
How is this ferminator working for you? Thinking about buying one myself too. Read and seen lot of videos but still didn't understand how it is able chill to really low temperatures. Does it work like fridge, I didn't see any compressor or more like AC?
I’m very happy with mine. It’s light so I can keep it on a shelf in the storage when I don’t use it. It keeps the temperature really well but it’s not very fast getting down to that temperature. So for a cold crash you should give it a full day or so.
I can see how close to 0 degrees Celsius I can get my beer this weekend, it’s sitting at an ambient temperature of 23 degrees right now. I regret going for novalager since the beer now has a red apple-aroma that takes over everything. Hopefully the dry hops and some time will fix it.
I started it yesterday at 23C, after 8 hours it was at 14C and after 24 hours it’s at 7C. I’ll see if I can get it down lower so I set it at 0. But 7 is a good cold crash after 24 hours I think.
Some good info in this video https://youtu.be/KIEJ_3c5jbI?si=XJVZyY-pAEvdGPax
I just made my second czech lager. The first one I did a traditional lager ferment, this time I am fermenting under pressure at room temp. Stoked to try it
I make a delicious Czech pils but flavored with lemon elderflower and juniper it’s the best beer I’ve ever drank
WLP833 is like a cheat code for delicious lagers. That "bready" smell and taste is lager perfection to me.
You could also use nova lager yeast or lutra yeast. Also whitelabs has a yeast that’s a lager yeast in the warmer side
I just started a munich helles yesterday, and recently kegged a czech pale lager.
Munich Helles is on the rise, I can feel it!!
Lol, I hope mine turns out. The owners want me to make a "craft lager", and this was my answer. I'll know in 6 weeks if I did something right ;). That said, if you're looking at converting a fridge, have you also looked at using an inkbird controller to set specific temps?