There does seem to be a pretty broad interpretation of what makes a good vienna lager. The link below has a discussion of the style and a recipe many of us have brewed and riffed on over the years. I have it on tap right now from a brew day almost two years ago and it’s really good. Much cleaner and a bit more dry than say Sam Adams’ VL.
Exactly Sam Adams VL with no Vienna malt. Very loose interpretation. I’d at least have a sack of Vienna in the Brewery
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No vienna? haha…never seen their recipe but doesn’t really surprise me. Devils Backbone in Virginia made a really good Vienna Lager a few years ago but the last few times I’ve had one it reminded me of SA’s. Flabby and sweet in my opinion. I’ve honestly not found a commercial VL that I like as much as my own( @mattnaik’s ) recipe.
Ken Lenard had an interesting VL recipe too. Just Vienna and Pilsen malts. Been thinking of giving this one a try for this summer as well.
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Ken’s Website always amazes me!! Talented guy. I stole his method of making a red hued Oktoberfest.
Too bad he doesn’t post here anymore
Yea I miss Ken and Greg Muller both. Learned a lot from them both when I first joined the forum.
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I ended up deciding on
3lbs of Vienna malt
3lbs of Munich
3lb of Maris Otter floor malt
1lb of Caramunich
.25 of Chocolate 200 (for color)
.5 oz Saaz 60min
.5 oz Hallertauer 60 min
.5 oz Saaz 20min
.5 oz Hallertauer 20 min
1 oz Styrian Goldings @160 for 20 min
2 packs of Saflager W-34/70
Hi kids! 
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Oh snap
Have you been lurking the whole time?
No. I actually got an email because my screen name was used in the forum. I have not been on here in a long time but I’m brewing like I’m getting paid for it… which I’m not. 
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That’s why attached your name. Was hoping you’d get an email notification… it worked! 
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Here was my latest recipe about to be bottled:
4.5 lbs. Pilsner malt
4.0 lbs. Vienna malt
1.50 lbs. dark Munich malt
1.50 lbs. Weyermann Caraamber® malt (26 °L)
UK Kent Goldings hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz. at 6.1% alpha acids)
Magnum hops (60 min) (0.25 oz at 10.8 alpha acids)
Czech Saaz hops (20 min.) (0.75 oz. at 3.4% alpha acids)
2L starter of Imperial Yeast L17 (Harvest) lager yeast
Projected figures per software calculations:
OG = 1.057 FG = 1.015
IBU = 23.2 SRM = 8.8 ABV = 5.53%
This is supposed to be a clone of Devils Backbone.
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A blast from the past! Sneezles61
Just pulled a pint from an ESB for the first time in a few years. Just thought I wanted to brew something quick and easy so I brewed this Jan 1, kegged it Jan 16. It’s been on gas at 33F since. It’s pretty darn tasty. Not sure why I haven’t brewed this style recently.
Danny Boy’s NoMoFuggles ESB
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 88.9 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 11.1 %
0.50 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [6.00 %] - Firs Hop 3 12.1 IBUs
1.00 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [6.00 %] - Boil Hop 4 21.9 IBUs
0.26 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 5 -
0.64 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [6.00 %] - Boil Hop 6 5.1 IBUs
1.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) [35.49 Yeast 7 -
Recipe is for 5.5 gals in the fermenter and built for 80% efficiency. I fermented it on the cooler side to keep it clean. The simple grain bill and higher IBU than I’ve done on this style in the past makes it appeal to me more. My first time using 002. I think I like it. Seems cleaner than WY 1318 or 1968 but I also mashed it a little lower than in the past.
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Sometimes simpler is better
I brewed an ordinary bitter for the first time a couple of months ago. I tasted it before it was fully carbed and I thought it was going to be a dumper as it didn’t have much taste. But gave it a bit more time and I am shocked how quick that keg is near empty. So I have another batch of it scheduled to go into the keg this weekend. Nice change from all the ipa’s I had been brewing. Definitely appreciate the simpleness of the bitter.
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One of our standbys too. We toss a tiny bit of chocolate malt in just to give it a little something extra. Thanks for sharing this!
I add a bit of chocolate malt to my ESB but maybe not in an ordinary Bitter. They are nice drinking beers.
