This is my first lager, and from what I’ve been told, I decided to brew a lager that is formidable to get right, even though the ingredients therein are probably the most basic of any beer. This just inspired me all the more to give it my best shot. I researched everything I could about it, tasted about 5 different commercial examples of it, and just fell in love with it’s simplistic complexity if that makes any sense. I sought out a lot of advice from very experienced lager homebrewers (who all had different opinions of course), and kind of went down the middle with a compiled combination of their advice. At any rate, I’ve brewed a lot of ales and always get excited to taste them, but I really just can’t wait for this one! It better be good or I will be heartbroken! LOL
Oh, and I also found it quite amusing that my office (my keezer is in there) smells like sulpher infused rhino farts. I was told this is normal during the fermentation of lagers, and I shouldn’t be worried about it. I hope they were right, and I can still find it amusing!
Yes this is normal. Lager yeast throws a lot of sulphur and will dissipate with lagering. Lagers are “scary” at first but if you take your time and stay focused they’re not that bad. Hopefully it turns out as good as you hope!
Awesome style, especially for backyard summertime consumption.
Well, I’m definitely taking my time and not rushing this one. It’s been three weeks in primary at 49F, Bumping it up to 62 today for three days of d rest, then gradually down to 32F at 5 degrees per day and lager at 32F for 6 weeks.
I’ve admittedly had a few tastes of my ales before they were really fully “ready”, but this one is going to be born naturally, and not by cesarean!
I love a good Munich Helles. It’s the style I usually start out with when I want to do a series of lagers and yeast harvesting. The keys to a good lager is really pitching a ton of yeast and pitching the yeast a couple degrees below planned fermentation temp.
Good luck with the helles! Sounds like it may be time for me to brew one again…
[quote=“Beersk”]I love a good Munich Helles. It’s the style I usually start out with when I want to do a series of lagers and yeast harvesting. The keys to a good lager is really pitching a ton of yeast and pitching the yeast a couple degrees below planned fermentation temp.
Good luck with the helles! Sounds like it may be time for me to brew one again…[/quote]
+1^^^
I do the same thing. Did a Helles about 5-6 weeks ago… it tasted unbelievably good out of the primary, which is not always the case with lagers. Lagering away right now. Harvested 3 pint jars of yeast (German Lager X). Reused one in a Dortmunder already, and planning on using the other two for an oktoberfest and a Maibock(or maybe another Helles) this weekend.
The reason you are so excited is because they are awesome beers! By far my favorite styles to brew - helles, dortmunder, pils, etc. They are great beers for summer - light, crisp refreshing - but also packed with flavor.
These beers take some patience and planning - but well worth it.
[quote=“Braufessor”][quote=“Beersk”]I love a good Munich Helles. It’s the style I usually start out with when I want to do a series of lagers and yeast harvesting. The keys to a good lager is really pitching a ton of yeast and pitching the yeast a couple degrees below planned fermentation temp.
Good luck with the helles! Sounds like it may be time for me to brew one again…[/quote]
These beers take some patience and planning - but well worth it.[/quote]
This is the only issue for me not brewing lagers very often. I really need another chest freezer so I can have kegs lagering. I’d probably brew lagers at least half the time if that were the case.
I am lucky enough to have a serving/lagering fridge that will hold 6 kegs and I have a small chest freezer that will hold two fermentation buckets (or 4-5 kegs for lagering)… But I would still like more room:)
The curse of homebrewing… never enough - time, space, beer, hops…
[quote=“Braufessor”]I am lucky enough to have a serving/lagering fridge that will hold 6 kegs and I have a small chest freezer that will hold two fermentation buckets (or 4-5 kegs for lagering)… But I would still like more room:)
The curse of homebrewing… never enough - time, space, beer, hops…[/quote]
I am jealous. I’m still lagering in a swamp cooler and I was spoiled by a cold late winter/early spring. Now I’ve gotten bitten by the lager bug and summer is fast approaching. I need to get the wife to sign off on a fermentation fridge ASAP.
I am just finishing up a run of lagers that I am excited about. In order I have done a Red Lager (thanks Ken), a Maibock, a Dunkel, a Helles, a IPL (India Pale Lager) and an Octoberfest just Saturday. Got my starter going for a Czech Pils that I will brew this weekend. Been juggling 4 different lager yeasts for all of these.
Mostly I am excited because brewing these has corresponded with finally doing my water chemistry right. I was winging it by just adding some gypsum and salt until about 3 months ago. Now I am doing it to style using RO water and additions. I tapped a couple of ales that had proper water over the weekend and I think the difference is significant.
[quote=“braufessor”]I do the same thing. Did a Helles about 5-6 weeks ago… it tasted unbelievably good out of the primary, which is not always the case with lagers. Lagering away right now. Harvested 3 pint jars of yeast (German Lager X). Reused one in a Dortmunder already, and planning on using the other two for an oktoberfest and a Maibock(or maybe another Helles) this weekend.
The reason you are so excited is because they are awesome beers! By far my favorite styles to brew - helles, dortmunder, pils, etc. They are great beers for summer - light, crisp refreshing - but also packed with flavor.
These beers take some patience and planning - but well worth it.[/quote]
I also plan on harvesting the yeast from this Helles… And I was thinking of brewing a nice Dortmunder with it myself! I used 2 packs of rehydrated w34/70 for the Helles, and it took off like a shot about 14 hours after pitching. Seemed like good healthy yeast, so I would really like to reuse it for my next lager. And my Helles has no more rhino fart sulfur smell or taste after d-rest and racking to secondary for lagering 
