Mill the grains. Mash in at 110°F (43°C), rest 10 minutes; raise to 122°F (50°C), rest 15 minutes; raise to 140°F (60°C), rest 15 minutes; raise to 150°F (66°C), rest 20 minutes; then raise to 168°F (76°C) and mash out. (Alternatively, you can do a single-infusion mash at 150°F/66°C for 45 minutes.)
Recirculate until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6.5 gallons (25 liters) of wort, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. After the boil, do a whirlpool step: Stir for 5 minutes to create a vortex, then add hops and steep 15 minutes. Chill to 55°F (13°C), aerate well, and pitch plenty of healthy yeast. Ferment at 57°F (14°C) for 1 day, then drop to 55°F (13°C). When fermentation is complete and the gravity has been stable for at least 3 days, crash to 32°F (0°C) and lager for 4 weeks, then rack, package, and carbonate.
BREWER’S NOTES
Mash pH: We adjust using a homegrown lactic culture, but you can use food-grade lactic acid and/or brewing salts to keep runoff below 5.6, targeting 5.1–5.2 in the kettle.
Water profile: Our chloride-to-sulfate ratio for this beer is 3:1.
HBC 1134: This is an experimental hop, not yet available on the market. However, its typical alpha acids and floral-spicy-lemon character are not unlike Aramis—or substitute another new hop you want to try.
First brewed 1/26/24. Used 9 lb of German Pilsner malt. Also added more Lorien hops as AA was much lower than expected. Used ph meter for the first time and this showed ph was much higher than planned - 6.1 to start. So added a total of 7 ml of 10% phosphoric acid to the mash. This lowered ph to 5.68 at the start of boil. No other salt or water additions were made.
Followed the step mash, which took a lot longer than single infusion. Would not recommend again. Mashed out at 168 and added 1 gallon of 168 sparge. Pre boil gravity was 1043, which was higher than target.
Added Lorien hops at 90 mins vs first wort by mistake.
Added rest of hops to schedule. Whirlpool was at 173 for 30 mins and I did not use a whirly just did some recirculation with pump.
Cooked to 55 then moved to fermenter and added yeast.
After 1 week gravity was 1017.
Put into keg after 17 days in fermentation. FG was 1011, so higher attenuation than expected.
Largered in fridge for 4 weeks. Then put in CO2. After a week the lager was very drinkable - smooth, light, but not very distinctive. After a 2nd week with CO2 the beer is clear, straw to golden yellow, and pours with a heavy head. The nose is mostly malty and the hops are disappointing- not as much bitterness as I’d like and no distinctive flavor. Beer is very drinkable and thirst quenching, but nothing special. I’d score it a 2.8/5.
