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Yuengling Traditional Lager: Brewed, tasted and verified!

Beer Recipe Design
#1

Yuengling is not available where I live. I have tasted it on occasion (NY, DC, Atlanta) and thought it was nice. Not really a homebrewer’s “clone” recipe but it could be that it’s not available everywhere that makes it fun to try to make or maybe it just falls in line with my tastebuds. It could also be that it’s the oldest US brewery so let’s give them a nod. Last time I tried it was in March at Reagan airport in DC and my wife and I both thought it was very nice. So I looked at A LOT of homebrewer’s suggestions and also looked at the Yuengling site. I made this recipe in July, lagered it and have it on tap right now. One of my sisters from Atlanta was in this past weekend and drank quite a bit of this beer with me & my wife. I told her that I was going for Yuengling and she said that it was very much like Yuengling and that they keep the Traditional Lager in their fridge at all times. So take it for what it’s worth.

[b]Yuengling Traditional Lager

7.5 lbs Pilsner Malt (I could easily see domestic 2-row here but I used Best Malz Pils)
1.5 lbs flaked corn
14 ounces C60°L
.5 oz Cascade pellets 7.6% for 60 mins (3.8 AAU)
.5 oz Cluster pellets 7.2% for 10 mins
Wyeast 2035 American Lager yeast

OG: 1.055, FG: 1.014, IBU: 22, SRM: 9, ABV: 5.3%[/b]

I mashed at 150.5°, single infusion for 60 minutes. I diluted my bicarb-heavy water 50% with distilled for final water numbers of Ca 50, Mg 6, Na 7, Cl 60, SO4 26, Bicarb 57. These are two hops that are almost always mentioned when this recipe comes up and I believe the Yuengling site mentions them as well. I rarely use either of these hops but neither one of them stick out in this beer… possibly because the beer doesn’t have a lot of hops in it. I think the key to the flavor profile is the 2035 yeast which has a very distinct character. I also made another Amber Lager with it as well as a Pilsner and I was about to retire the yeast but I think I’ll make one more batch of the Traditional Lager with it because we put quite a dent in the keg over the weekend. Cheers Beerheads.

Missing old post--German Lager discussion
#2

Funny you posted that. I brewed the same recipe four months ago. BUT, I wasn’t paying attention and switched the hops. Needless to say mine isn’t very much like Yuengling with the sweet grapefruit flavor… :oops:

#3

Yeah, I think you could make this beer with various hops and I think you could also steer it away from its original character with other hops. I have more Cascade but only about ¼oz of Cluster left so I will use Cascade for 60 and that small amount of Cluster and then boost that late addition with something else like Mt. Hood and I don’t think it will matter. I also considered Willamette, Northern Brewer or US Golding to make up the rest but I think the Mt. Hood would be the best sub. OTOH, using something like Amarillo, Citra or other bold hop with its own character would cause a problem in this particular beer. Not that it would be bad, just not Yuengling. I’m not sure how much of this keg is left but I’m guessing that it’s getting light. Cheers.

#4

Sounds good, Ken. But I don’t make beer I can’t spell. :smiley:

#5

… and I keep calling it YOUNG-ling and get corrected by numerous people telling me it’s YING-LING so we’re in similar boats.

#6

Thanks for posting your recipe. I’m going to give a try. I haven’t brewed a lager before but planned to when the weather cooled a bit. I drive to Dayton, OH occasionally from Indianapolis to buy Yuengling.

#7

Yeah Ken I agree about the hops and feel mt hood would be a good sub. Personally I would steer clear of the fruity hops in a lager. Mine isn’t undrinkable but its not that crisp dry lager either.

#8

I work in Philly, and work with people in Colorado Springs, they want to come out here for the Yuengling, and we all want to go out there for the Fat Tire.

Just shows; the grass is always greener on the other side…

#9

[quote=“JMcK”]I work in Philly, and work with people in Colorado Springs, they want to come out here for the Yuengling, and we all want to go out there for the Fat Tire.

Just shows; the grass is always greener on the other side…[/quote]

LOL. That’s true.
But to be fair, Yuengling Traditional is a good beer of it’s type, and some of their other products are quite worthwhile as well (I particularly like their ale and their porter). Actually, the restraint shown in their products is quite refreshing compared to so many of the fad-ish, over-the-top brews coming out lately.

Soon,Yuengling will be 200 years old and it’s still family owned.
I’m really rooting for them to last another 200 years (assuming mankind hasn’t blown itself to smithereens by then…which sadly seems more likely).

#10

I used to live on the east coast and “met” my wife over this beer.

Funny time for this post. Her sister and her boyfriend are coming in early February and I was trying to figure out what to brew this fall to be ready by then. I never considered a Yuengling clone, but do remember that they did enjoy this beer when they came to visit years ago.

It’s funny how quite a few breweries in that area way back when used to use minut amounts of cascade hops in their beers.

If you made it again, would you use 6 row? I made a Shiner Bock clone (when in Rome…) this past spring with 6 row that was spot on.

#11

[quote=“brewingdan”]I used to live on the east coast and “met” my wife over this beer.

Funny time for this post. Her sister and her boyfriend are coming in early February and I was trying to figure out what to brew this fall to be ready by then. I never considered a Yuengling clone, but do remember that they did enjoy this beer when they came to visit years ago.

It’s funny how quite a few breweries in that area way back when used to use minut amounts of cascade hops in their beers.[/quote]
It seems that Cascade and Cluster have been around forever and when you see some of the older American breweries, Cluster (more than most) is still used. Leinenkugel has been around since 1867 and as a Chicagoan, I see (and drink) quite a bit of it. If you go to their site, you’ll see that they use Cluster as well. I heard a number of people say that they moved into a new house or went camping, biking or hiking somewhere and found a boatload of wild hops growing all over the place. A number of people have mentioned that if you see this, it’s a good bet that they’re Cluster. I don’t think I would want to drink a “CLUSTER BOMB” but they work well at this level and with the Cascades. Cheers Brewing Brothers.

#12

Ha, looks like you caught me in mid edit. See the comment about 6 row?

#13

I got a pound of cluster for 10 bucks and did a SMaSH APA using 4.5 oz in the boil and 1 oz dry hop just to see how it was and I got a nice grapefruit flavor. I thought it turned out pretty good espicially for how cheap the beer was to make, few bucks for hops like 6 or 7 bucks for some 2 row and some harvested yeast. :cheers:

#14

The yuengling brewery is very close to where I live. It’s one of the best brewery tours I’ve been on, so much history. They brewed right through prohibition with the help of the local police and church according to our tour guide. They also lagered their beer in huge caves that they dug by hand. Pretty cool

#15

I have never used 6-row. I know that some American breweries are into it and that you’re supposed to get a good “grainy” flavor from it. But I have to admit that I brew my American ales with (usually) with Rahr Pale Ale malt, my English ales with Paul’s UK malt or other good MO and my lagers with either Durst or Best Malz pilsner. I occasionally get something along the lines of a GW or Canada Malting 2-row for ales but I have not used 6-row.

I would LOVE to take that tour. I know that some in that part of the country might roll their eyes and consider Yuengling to be “no big deal” but I love that it’s the oldest brewery in the US and I think their beer is delicious. Again, it might be that we can’t get it east of Ohio that would make people think it’s cooler than it really is but I still like it. :expressionless:

#16

Ken, when Yuengling started distributing in Ohio I thought the novelty would wear off. Boy was I wrong as they still sell the hit out of it. I think its for two reasons:

  1. the beer is pretty good
  2. as the craft beer revolution continues, people turn to this as a gateway to more flavorful beers.

Funny thing, AB hadn’t started their Black Crown until Yuengling started to distribute to Ohio… even stranger is that AB has a brewery in Columbus… :wink:

#17

[quote=“Loopie Beer”]Ken, when Yuengling started distributing in Ohio I thought the novelty would wear off. Boy was I wrong as they still sell the hit out of it. I think its for two reasons:

  1. the beer is pretty good
  2. as the craft beer revolution continues, people turn to this as a gateway to more flavorful beers.

Funny thing, AB hadn’t started their Black Crown until Yuengling started to distribute to Ohio… even stranger is that AB has a brewery in Columbus… :wink: [/quote]
Very interesting. I would consider Yuengling Traditional Lager as a good gateway because it’s not “gold” and has some color but the hops are not going to blow your doors off by any means. I like that I’m seeing a lot of people who may have only drank Coors Light years ago branch out at least a little bit and drink something with some color and flavor. I had my sprinkler guy here this week to close my system and I always give him a beer or two while he’s working. He always says, “Remember… something lighter okay?” so this one was the lightest thing I had and he drank two of them and said, “Mmm, yeah that’s really good. You know, when I go out I’m typically a Bud Light Lime guy but this beer is really nice”. I shook my head thinking, “Oh great, I’m big with the Bud Light Lime crowd”. :lol:

#18

Look on the bright side Ken, I don’t think that crowd is TOO big. :o

#19

Look on the bright side Ken, I don’t think that crowd is TOO big. :o [/quote]
LOL. Good point.

#20

You can’t imagine the excitement of seeing this thread!! I ‘found’ Yuengling while on a business trip to Daytona in 2011. It has been my sole favorite ever since! My wife’s Aunt and Uncle live near Orlando so I get a present when they come to visit in Missouri. You all probably know that it is not distributed West of the Mississippi. :frowning:
Anyway, I am a beginner at brewing. I have made two batches (Irish Red Ale and Am. Wheat) and the third (Cream Ale) is doing it’s magic as we speak.
My question is;
What do all of these terms mean?
Mashed at 150
Single Infusion
Diluted Bi-Carb Heavy Water
C 60 degree L
I want to try a little more complicated recipe rather than just Steeping grains and adding hops during boil.
Is it possible to get a step by step process?
I think I would actually invest in kegging if this turned out well.
Right now I just bottle.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

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