Sheppy Brew

Calendar

Inventory

Site Search

Decemberfest

Will-o-Wisp

1519 Barker

X-Mas Ale

Hooligans Stout

Brews on my blog

		Tweet

Colorado Vienna Lager (previous batches)

This is the archive page for the Colorado Vienna Lager.

Late 2021 / Early 2022, I noticed that one of my favorite local homebrew shops was adding more and more malts from local Root Shoot Malting.

Some of their are really unique, and I really liked the character / color that the malts add to my homebrews.

I started using them more and more ... especially their Vienna Malt and their Dark Munich Malt.

My Colorado Strong IPA used all Root Shoot malts, and shortly after brewing that beer, I decided to try a Vienna lager featuring their Vienna Malt and their Dark Munich Malt.

Colorado Vienna --- Batch 1 (306)

Style	Vienna Lager	Batch Size	5.50 gal
Type	All Grain	Boil Size	6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency	68.00	Boil Time	60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity

1.053 SG

Estimated FG

1.012 SG

Recipe Bitterness

29.1 IBUs (Rager)

Alcohol by Volume

5.4 %

BU : GU

0.550

Recipe Color

11.0 SRM

Color

Measured OG:

1.051

Measured FG:

1.011

ADF:

Measured ABV:

5.3

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
7.98 gal	Denver, Colorado	Water	1	-	-
5.00 g	Calcium Chloride (Mash)	Water Agent	2	-	-
3.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)	Water Agent	3	-	-
0.50 tsp	Lactic Acid (Mash)	Water Agent	4	-	-
9 lbs 8.0 oz	CO Vienna Malt (6.0 SRM)	Grain	5	79.2 %	0.74 gal
2 lbs	CO Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)	Grain	6	16.7 %	0.16 gal
8.0 oz	CO Cara Ruby (28.0 SRM)	Grain	7	4.2 %	0.04 gal
0.500 oz	Magnum [14.40 %] - Boil 35.0 min	Hop	8	18.5 IBUs	-
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)	Fining	9	-	-
0.500 oz	Magnum [14.40 %] - Boil 15.0 min	Hop	10	7.9 IBUs	-
1.00 tsp	Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins)	Other	11	-	-
1.000 oz	Tettnang [3.90 %] - Boil 5.0 min	Hop	12	2.7 IBUs	-
1.0 pkg	Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) [50.28 ml]	Yeast	13	-	-
0.50 tsp	Gelatin (Secondary 5.0 hours)	Fining	14	-	-

Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 31.92 qt of water at 158.8 F	152.0 F	45 min
Heat	Heat to 158.0 F over 10 min	158.0 F	15 min
Mash Out	Heat to 170.0 F over 7 min	170.0 F	10 min

If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Make 1.4 liter (6 cups) yeast starter a day before brew day.
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to "Balanced Amber"
Ca=85,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=106,Cl=103,HCO3=104
Acid addition to bring calculated pH around 5.4
Brew as directed from recipe.
Cool wort to as close to 50 degrees as possible.
Ferment in 50's for about 5 days, let rise to high 60's for another week.
Keg carbonate.
After the keg is chilled, add geletin to keg.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:		Strike Temp:
Mash Temps:
Pre-boil OG	(1.048 SG)	Pre-boil Vol	(6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency		Pitch Temp
Fermentation
Day 1:
Day ...
Day ...

Brewing Notes:

02/13/2022 esheppy
Brew day today. Started around 4:30. Yeast pitched at 9. OG 1.051. Low, even though my pre-boil gravity was right on. I think maybe I need to reduce my expected mash / brew house efficiency. Maybe reduce my boil off rate again.

02/15/2022 esheppy
Took awhile to get going, but bubbling strong now. Tilt says 1.040 at 52 degrees. Control set at 52 as well.

02/16/2022 esheppy
Still bubbling strong. Tilt says 1.025 at 52 degrees. Raised the controller to 53. Batch seems to be on track.

02/17/2022 esheppy
Forgot to switch ice bottles before going to bed last night. Temp was up to 60 this morning. Set the controller to 57 so I'm not dropping too much. Tilt has gravity of 1.020.

02/18/2022 esheppy
Still bubbling. Tilt says 1.007 at 58F. Took a little sample. Still very cloudy, but I love the color. Certainly lighter than what I generally think of Vienna lagers. The flavor is very nice too. Certainly more malt forward than hoppy. Very balanced, though, and certainly not sweet. Love the cracker / bread of the Vienna and Munich malts. This is going to be a great beer.

02/20/2022 esheppy
Tilt says 1.003 at 61. Unplugged the pump. Might keg this week.

02/22/2022 esheppy
Tilt says 1.004 at 64. Took a little sample. Still not looking clear, but certainly not as cloudy as before. Color is a light copper. Maybe a little hops coming through but mostly a great cracker / toast malt flavor and aroma. Nicely balanced. Not really sweet at all. Going to be a great beer.

02/27/2022 esheppy
Kegged today. Couldn't get flow going with closed transfer, so I opened it up. 1.011 fg. Color a bit darker than I thought, but which really puts it more to-style. Nice Vienna lager flavor. I'm gonna really like this beer. The keg is chilling. Really full.

03/01/2022 esheppy
Fat Tuesday. Had some big pours to add some headspace. Then I added the gelatin and pressurized. Giving up beer for Lent so I'll try on Sunday. ??

03/06/2022 esheppy
On Boo Berry brew day, had a pour from the tap. Carbonation seems pretty good. Clarity not great, but that is probably pulling bottom sediment. Great flavor. A little more malt sweetness than I remember from kegging day. Nice amber lager.

03/11/2022 esheppy
Everything pretty much perfect now. Carbonation and clarity right where I want them. Yummy flavor. Beautiful color.

03/13/2022 esheppy
WTF. Somehow my tap wasn't completely attached overnight, causing a leak. This keg is done. This doesn't make me happy. Dammit. ?? Need to aggressively brew.

Comments:

http://sheppybrew.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?id=201

SheppyBrew Home Page