Vienna Malt v. Biscuit malt

sa_brew · December 11, 2011, 3:45am

I have caught a lager bug and am trying to figure out a way to compromise on a 10 gallon batch that will get me 5 gallons of Belgian Pale ale, and 5 gallons of Vienna Lager. I usually use 5% biscuit malt, but was thinking that using a larger portion of Vienna malt may get me the same toasty results. I have used 50% Vienna malt in a Belgian pale before, and I liked the flavor, but it was not not as malty and a bit light in color. I prefer Munich malt to the Vienna in my Belgian Pale recipe, but am not sure how the lager will turn out with the biscuit malt.

Any suggestions? I did post my recipe in the recipe section, but it did not get very many views so I am trying again in a different section.

ipa · December 12, 2011, 5:26pm

You should be fine using biscuit in the lager, it will just be a dark vienna lager with a little more body than usual.

tom_sawyer · December 12, 2011, 6:07pm

I think I’d brew a true Vienna lager recipe and just use that for the BPA. It’ll have the hops and spicy Belgian character out front anyway.

sa_brew · December 13, 2011, 5:28am

Actually, Belgian pale ale should be very clean and malty with just a hint of hops. Some have a toasty malt character and a hint of sulfur so they have a lager like finish. I have not tasted any fresh examples with a spicy character. Of course most of the imported examples are very phenolic which is why I make my own. If you drink them in Belgium or order some fresh, they should be very clean. If it has the usual spicy, Belgian character, I call it a blond or a Belgian amber. This is why I think the two recipes will work together. Both beers are clean and malty, I just have not used Vienna malt enough to know if it will compensate for the toasty malt character of biscuit malt.

sa_brew · December 16, 2011, 5:24am

I have decided to go with 15 Lbs Weyermann Vienna, and 5 Lbs Weyermann German Pilsner malt. I may add in 1/2 Lb Cara-Vienne. I will do a side mash/separate boil and add 1/2 Lb biscuit and 1/2 Lb Cara-Vienne to add to my Belgian pale ale.

Wyeast Bohemian Lager yeast for the Vienna and WLP 515 Antwerp for the Belgian Pale.

Saaz hops.