BNW water has acid malt built in. Just plug it in. Should be in the drop down.
100% pils for helles? I would think you would need more maltiness but I only brew 1-2 lagers a year. Does the yeast help? Never used 34/70 or WY2124/WL830. I see many good things about even using the dry 34/70.
Supposedly all 3 of these are the same strain.
Duh, it was in the mash tab not the water adjustment tab…i knew it was there too I just completely forgot 
[quote=“zwiller”]BNW water has acid malt built in. Just plug it in. Should be in the drop down.
100% pils for helles? I would think you would need more maltiness but I only brew 1-2 lagers a year. Does the yeast help? Never used 34/70 or WY2124/WL830. I see many good things about even using the dry 34/70.[/quote]
Yes, the yeast does help with the maltiness. I haven’t tried to brew one, but the Hopfbrau version of a Helles is very light and easy drinking. No problem knocking back a couple of liters in the beer garden at the end of the day.
Thanks. Got excited and looked at saflager 34/70. $7 at LHBS. Thought the dry stuff was cheap… :shock:
rebuilt - you still decocting? I am gonna do a single infusion and still think I should add some munich. Leaning towards 77%pils/20%lt munich/3% acid.
Yeah, it’s probably cheaper to do liquid and build a starter (even after the cost of DME) but with the hassle of making a starter (in my case would be a 2 step) it’s worth dropping a couple extra bucks for the convenience
Was hoping I could just get 2 packs of saflager and forgo the starter…
I am not crazy about starters but I think they’re appropriate for lagers. I have been using yeastcalc with Kai’s stirplate setting and getting some realistic numbers. 1 step with 2l starter for 1.050 lager.
So back to your pils. Recipe looks pretty good, but I have 2 thoughts: I like my NGP dry and would skip the crystal and I find hallerau’s floral thing distracting in a pils and would opt for saaz but I am being overly critical.
[quote=“zwiller”]Was hoping I could just get 2 packs of saflager and forgo the starter…
I am not crazy about starters but I think they’re appropriate for lagers. I have been using yeastcalc with Kai’s stirplate setting and getting some realistic numbers. 1 step with 2l starter for 1.050 lager.
So back to your pils. Recipe looks pretty good, but I have 2 thoughts: I like my NGP dry and would skip the crystal and I find hallerau’s floral thing distracting in a pils and would opt for saaz but I am being overly critical.[/quote]
The dextrine isnt supposed to add sweetness or flavor. it’s strictly for head retention. Not really sure why its called Carapils cause its not really a standard caramel malt.
The hops are already purchased but I do kinda see where you are coming from with the floral notes. I’ll see how this one turns out and keep that in mind for the next one.
[quote=“zwiller”]Thanks. Got excited and looked at saflager 34/70. $7 at LHBS. Thought the dry stuff was cheap… :shock:
rebuilt - you still decocting? I am gonna do a single infusion and still think I should add some munich. Leaning towards 77%pils/20%lt munich/3% acid.[/quote]
When I do a step mash (which isn’t very often these days) I do a decoction. Just the easiest way for me to step up mash temp. Used single infusion for the last couple of Helles I did, and they came out great.
Your recipe looks a bit heavy on the munich for a helles. I used 7% and 1% aroma malt, and that was plenty malty for my tastes, while still being very easy to drink. Though I have to say, there is nothing wrong with a lot of munich in a beer. Soon after brewing the helles, I did a dunkle with 97% munich malt.
[quote=“mattnaik”]
The dextrine isnt supposed to add sweetness or flavor. it’s strictly for head retention. Not really sure why its called Carapils cause its not really a standard caramel malt.
The hops are already purchased but I do kinda see where you are coming from with the floral notes. I’ll see how this one turns out and keep that in mind for the next one.[/quote]
I gotcha. I tend to look at carapils as crystal… I made a pils with nearly an identical recipe as yours and it was fabulous. I just wanted it drier and spicier. Best of luck!
[quote=“rebuiltcellars”]
When I do a step mash (which isn’t very often these days) I do a decoction. Just the easiest way for me to step up mash temp. Used single infusion for the last couple of Helles I did, and they came out great.
Your recipe looks a bit heavy on the munich for a helles. I used 7% and 1% aroma malt, and that was plenty malty for my tastes, while still being very easy to drink. Though I have to say, there is nothing wrong with a lot of munich in a beer. Soon after brewing the helles, I did a dunkle with 97% munich malt.[/quote]
Thanks. Will back it down. I like your aromatic addition. Do you prefer that over using more munich?
I actually printed your dunkel recipe out… Stumbled across it looking for helles. You made a comment that helles are harder to nail then dunkels and I agree.
Man, this is got me fired up! Never came close to nailing a good helles.
[quote=“zwiller”][quote=“mattnaik”]
The dextrine isnt supposed to add sweetness or flavor. it’s strictly for head retention. Not really sure why its called Carapils cause its not really a standard caramel malt.
The hops are already purchased but I do kinda see where you are coming from with the floral notes. I’ll see how this one turns out and keep that in mind for the next one.[/quote]
I gotcha. I tend to look at carapils as crystal… I made a pils with nearly an identical recipe as yours and it was fabulous. I just wanted it drier and spicier. Best of luck![/quote]
There is some confusion because Dingemanns also has (had) a Carapils which they changed to Cara8. This is 8L caramel pilsner malt. Briess Carapils is like 1.5L and is designed specifically for improving head retention
Gasp. American malt in a pils?! :cheers:
I am contemplating using my sack of briess 2 row as the base for the helles? Can’t say I really ever noticed any difference with the german malts.
[quote=“zwiller”]Gasp. American malt in a pils?! :cheers:
I am contemplating using my sack of briess 2 row as the base for the helles? Can’t say I really ever noticed any difference with the german malts.[/quote]
German-ish Pilsner 
[quote=“zwiller”][quote=“rebuiltcellars”]
When I do a step mash (which isn’t very often these days) I do a decoction. Just the easiest way for me to step up mash temp. Used single infusion for the last couple of Helles I did, and they came out great.
Your recipe looks a bit heavy on the munich for a helles. I used 7% and 1% aroma malt, and that was plenty malty for my tastes, while still being very easy to drink. Though I have to say, there is nothing wrong with a lot of munich in a beer. Soon after brewing the helles, I did a dunkle with 97% munich malt.[/quote]
Thanks. Will back it down. I like your aromatic addition. Do you prefer that over using more munich?
I actually printed your dunkel recipe out… Stumbled across it looking for helles. You made a comment that helles are harder to nail then dunkels and I agree.
Man, this is got me fired up! Never came close to nailing a good helles.[/quote]
The thing I like about the aroma malt is it gives you a strong malty aroma without making the beer heavy tasting. So it sort of fools the palate, so you get the sensation of “malty” without giving up easy-drinking. At least, it works that way if you don’t over do it, and with a light lager like a helles, it is easy to overdo it.
[quote=“zwiller”]Gasp. American malt in a pils?! :cheers:
I am contemplating using my sack of briess 2 row as the base for the helles? Can’t say I really ever noticed any difference with the german malts.[/quote]
NO! Don’t do it! Briess is shoddy, in my opinion…
I like a little melanoidin in a helles. That or like 20% munich or vienna. Adds a nice touch. I’ve seen plenty of helles biers that are almost amber in color and very munichy tasting.
Ok. I will get some weyermann pils…
I detect little difference between aromatic and melanoidin but have only used them in small percentages. I have them both. Never have been able to get those flavors and smells from the malt to translate into the beer. Maybe the 34/70 is the key.
[quote=“zwiller”]Ok. I will get some weyermann pils…
I detect little difference between aromatic and melanoidin but have only used them in small percentages. I have them both. Never have been able to get those flavors and smells from the malt to translate into the beer. Maybe the 34/70 is the key.[/quote]
They’re basically the same. You don’t need much, maybe 4-6% at most. Maybe decoction matters, but there is so much debate as to its merits, it makes you wonder… If decoction were for real, there wouldn’t be so much debate about its merits. I don’t think many German breweries even do decoctions anymore. I think water chemisty is more important for getting that malt profile.
Got the weyerman pils. No good liquid lager yeasts at the LHBS so I grabbed a pack of saflager 34/70. Looks like I need to rehydrate, make a starter, get another packet. Any thoughts? Based on my research if I do a starter I should only use half a packet so the growth rate is ok. Not sure I am buying that. Probably been 20 years since I used dry yeast and figured I would give it a shot…
Recipe is looking like:
86% pils + 4% acid (90%)
8% light munich
2% aromatic
Hallertau to 25IBU
[quote=“Beersk”][quote=“zwiller”]Gasp. American malt in a pils?! :cheers:
I am contemplating using my sack of briess 2 row as the base for the helles? Can’t say I really ever noticed any difference with the german malts.[/quote]
NO! Don’t do it! Briess is shoddy, in my opinion…
I like a little melanoidin in a helles. That or like 20% munich or vienna. Adds a nice touch. I’ve seen plenty of helles biers that are almost amber in color and very munichy tasting.[/quote]
Beersk, what is it you don’t like about Briess 2 row?
[quote=“zwiller”]Got the weyerman pils. No good liquid lager yeasts at the LHBS so I grabbed a pack of saflager 34/70. Looks like I need to rehydrate, make a starter, get another packet. Any thoughts? Based on my research if I do a starter I should only use half a packet so the growth rate is ok. Not sure I am buying that. Probably been 20 years since I used dry yeast and figured I would give it a shot…
Recipe is looking like:
86% pils + 4% acid (90%)
8% light munich
2% aromatic
Hallertau to 25IBU[/quote]
What’s your gravity and batch size?
Using
it appears you would need a 2L starter with the entire pack to reach the desired cell count for a 5.5gal 1.050 lager.
