NHC Results: Vienna Lager and California Common

For my brewery in planning Burlington Beer Co. I wanted to create a beer for when people ask, "what's your lightest beer?". I wanted this beer to still be full flavored and something I would still like to drink. I came up with an idea to hybridize the bread-y malt complexity, German hop varieties, and clean lager fermentation of a Vienna style lager with the hop levels for bitterness and flavor of California Common style "Steam" beer. I called this beer 'Peasant Bread' and for Burlington Beer Company's first tasting event I described it as: "A hybrid between a California Common and a Vienna Lager. With the hop bitterness of a Common and the bready malt character of a Vienna Lager. Peasant Bread is cold fermented with a lager yeast strain creating a crisp, hoppy, lager."

Hybridized beer styles don't usually do well in BJCP events, but since this was my first attempt at the idea for a new beer I wanted to get some feed back. This beer was entered into each of the respective categories of inspiration, category 3a: Vienna Lager and 7b: California Common.

Peasant Bread

Pale Malt

Vienna Malt

Munich Malt

Carastan 30-37

mash at 151*f

Super Galena     :60

Tettnanger         :10

Delta                  :0

12.5*P (1.050sg)

Saflager 34/70

Judging

Category 3a: Vienna Lager

Aroma

#1- crisp, toasty malt with some spicy hop notes

#2- light toasted malt character with light sulphur

Appearance

#1- deep gold and clear, low head retention

#2- deep yellow color, minimal head, modest clarity with a slight haze

Flavor

#1- spicy hops hit first, should have more balance toward malt, firm bitterness may be a bit too firm, the malt is not enough to properly balance this beer

#2- crisp toasty malt sweetness with clean fermentation character and a dry finish, hop bitterness is in balance with the malt profile

Mouthfeel

#1- good body and pleasant carbonation, clean finish

#2- light to medium body, medium carbonation, finishes crisp and dry

Overall Impression

#1- I like it, but it's too aggressively hopped for the style, I'd also say that the bitterness isn't soft, consider using only noble varieties for this beer

#2- very nice clean drinking lager balanced toward malt as per style, exceptionally smooth and dry finish, slightly too light in color for the style and could use a touch more malt complexity

#1- BJCP Certified        35/50

#2- BJCP Recognized   33/50

Overall 34/50---Very Good (30-37)

Category 7b: California Common

Aroma

#1- light hoppiness, medium toasty malt, some fruitiness in background

#2- light hop aroma with minty/woody notes of classic northern brewer hop, slightly toasty malt character

Appearance

#1- lighter copper color, good clarity, generally clear

#2- light in color for style, medium straw color, a light white head displays good retention

Flavor

#1- toasty, moderate caramel malt, significant hop bitterness but balanced with malt, dry clean finish

#2- woody minty norther brewer hop flavor is in the fore front, backed by a toasty malt backbone, hop bitterness over powers malt sweetness, leading to a dry finish, with lingering norther brewer hop flavor

Mouthfeel

#1- medium body, medium carbonation, with a well retained off white head

#2- medium body with moderate carbonation, slight astringent hop flavor

Overall Impression

#1- pleasant example of the style, balance of bitterness and malt is good, more late kettle additions would increase hop aroma

#2- maltiness is a bit low, but it allows showcasing of the hop character

#1- non-BJCP          34/50

#2- BJCP Certified   31/50

Overall 33/50---Very Good (30-37)

The next time I brew this beer I'll be increasing the Vienna and Munich malt in the grist bill to increase the toasted malt flavors. I may also add some melanoidin malt, victory malt, or biscuit/aromatic malt as well to further increase the malt complexity. I'll also probably lower the bitterness, but increase hop flavor and aroma. I found it kind of hilarious that one judge was sure he was tasting and smelling Norther Brewer hops, which are traditional in California Common style beer when no such variety was used. Delta hops do provide a nice earthy and herbal flavor similar to Norther Brewer hops, which is why I used them. The hybridized beer idea worked, but as usually, can always be better.

German Pilsner

A crisp, clean, cold fermented Pilsner.  The subtle interplay of floral and spicy noble hops with a Graham cracker grainy malt flavor that is characteristic of the style is a thing of beauty.  Perfected in Germany but the new American renditions are new classics of the Pilsner style. Brewery's such as Victory Brewing's Prima Pils and Stoudts Pils.  With these American Pilsner's tending to be hoppier than their German brewed cousins. I brewed a few Pilsners at home last year. A pre-prohibition style Pilsner with Basmati Rice, a German style Pilsner with Sorachi Ace hops, and a Bohemian style Pilsner.  I also find full flavored Pilsners pair very well with Sushi.

Today's batch is a simple recipe of German Pilsner Malt. First wort hopped with Saaz and Tettnanger. Celeia hops for bittering and Saaz at end of boil. With a light dry hopping of Saaz. Fermented with Fermentis Saf-Lager 34/70.

This batch will be maturing for up to 8 weeks in traditional lager fashion. Cooler fermentation temperatures produce much more sulphur compounds than ale fermentation. Sulphur aroma and flavors fade with lagering (german for: to store). This is one reason for the longer maturation period of all lagers (35-90 days) compared to ales (10-28 days).

India Pale Lager

The idea for this batch is to brew a Vienna style Lager but increase the hop bill to IPA levels. While still using traditional German Noble hops Hallertau and Tettnanger. This batch will be fermenting outside in the cool early winter temperatures in the mid 40's to mid 50's. Perfect for fermenting lager beers. I'm brewing this beer to discover the flavor of an aggressively hopped German style beer. When Americans travel to Germany I've many times heard that the beers were great but that everyone missed the flavor of hops. Most German beer styles are barely hopped compared American Craft Beer. Using Munich malt as the base malt to create a traditional Vienna style lager malt character with Noble German hops being showcased.

Recipe: Munich Malt, Biscuit Malt, Honey Malt, and Carastan. Bittered with Super Galena hops, flavored with Celeia hops, and then finished with Hallertau and Tettnanger hops. Fermented with Fermentis Saflager 34/70 German Lager Yeast.

Munich Dunkel

As Winter approaches and the temperatures drop I'm able to brew Lager's at home. My first lager this season will be a Munich Dunkel, a rich, dark, and malty beer brewed with noble German hops. The cool fermented Lager yeast strains prefer temperatures around fifty degrees Fahrenheit (which it just happens to be outside right now). While Ales prefer fermentation temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (room temp, making it easier to brew ales at home). The BJCP comments that Munich Dunkels "can taste like liquid bread, with a yeasty, earthy richness not found in the exported filtered Dunkels". So the next best thing to going to Germany to try this style of beer is to attempt to create it at home in all it's unfiltered glory.

Recipe: American Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Carastan, Caramunich 60, Chocolate Wheat. Hopped with Super Galena for Bittering. Hallertua and Tettnanger for flavor. Fermented with Fermentis Saflager W-34/70 German Lager Yeast.

California Common

A style of beer resurrected by an early craft beer pioneer Fritz Maytag, who recently did an interview for Reason magazine. The style of beer that was resurrected was Steam Beer of Anchor Brewing who has trademark rights to be the only brewery to be able to call it Steam Beer. If another brewery makes this style they call it a 'Common'. Common beers are a hybrid style that's fermented with a lager yeast strain but at a higher temperatures. Most lager yeast strains ferment at less than 55*f making a cleaner crisper beverage, but this style pushes the normally cold fermenting yeast into warmer temperatures. Creating a reserved ale yeast fruit character while retaining some malt accentuating lager qualities. Generously hopped, traditionally with Northern Brewer variety, to have a lingering hop bitterness to complement the toasted malt flavors. My batch today will feature three hop variety's Super Galena, UK Goldings, and Northern Brewer. A busy triple brew day in eleven hours was a breeze with duel burners.

Maibock

Kegged two of my pilsners today and both were very clean with low esters and sulphur. So I decided to brew another lager on a 2nd generation yeast cake from my Bohemian Pilsner. A couple twists on today's brew will be the addition of Pecan Smoked malt and toasted flaked oats. The rest of the grist is American Pale two row, Maris Otter, dark Munich, Biscuit, and Crystal malts. The grist bill is much different from the 50/50 Munich/Vienna in traditional maibocks. Another part of today's brewing process will be to reduce the first gallon of first runnings in half and add back to start of boil. This process of reducing the first runnings aids in creating a malty finish in the brew. First wort hopped with Vanguard, Celiea, and Willamette. Bittered with Willamette and finished with Celiea and Willamette hops.

Bohemian Pilsner

The next few weeks are supposed to be cold. Lows in 20's and highs of 35f. I've never really been able to brew lagers at home because they ferment cool, around 45-57f. The basement where I'm living right now has been staying steady at 50-55f during the winter. I've been able to brew a couple lagers so far and I'm happy to brew another before temperatures start rising and I won't be able to brew anymore lagers this season at home. The other four lagers I've brewed this year are 'lagering'. The word lager by the way translated in German means 'to store'. Lagers are beers brewed to store and mature before drinking. The lighter and more subtle flavors of most lagers leaves little for the brewer to hide behind. Leaving only the ingredients and skill of the brewer to be judged. I prefer to brew and drink ales but lagers are a fun new challenge, weather permitting.

The Bohemian Pilsner, first brewed in 1842 was the original clear, light colored beer. I'm using Wyeast Bohemian Lager 2124 for a classic crisp pilsner flavor. Brewed with German pilsner malt and American pale two row.

Schwarzbier

Schwarz is German for black. So, schwarzbier is translated as 'black' beer. Traditionally a lager that is brewed with a little black malt to create a dark beer that can still be seen through when held to light to reveal a scarlet hue.

In the mash today, Dark Munich malt, Briess two row, CaraMunich III, Briess extra Special Roast, and debittered black malt. Hop bill is Vanguard first wort and whole leaf Glacier hops in the boil. Fermented with Saflager W-34/70.

History of the style is described by BJCP as, "A regional specialty from the southern Thuringen and northern Franconia in Germany, and probably and variant of the Munich Dunkel style." BJCP also states the overall imperession is, "A dark German lager that balances roasted yet smooth malt flavors with moderate hop bitterness."

Sorachi Ace Pilsner

A German style pilsner brewed with Sorachi Ace hops. A cross between the British hop brewers gold and Czech Saaz, it exhibits a strong lemon and spicy aroma. I've never brewed with Sorachi Ace hops before. Lager don't mask hop flavors as much as ales, so a little goes a long way and the flavor of the hop is more pronounced because in lagers yeast flavors are subdued compared to ales.

Grist bill today is Briess pale, German pils, wheat, and Victory malt. Bittering hops are whole leaf glacier and finished with two ounce of whole leaf Sorachi Ace hops. Fermented with Fermentis Saflager S-23.

Basmati Rice Pilsner

Happy New Year! Good to be back brewing after a great holiday. First brew of the new year will be inspired by the pre-prohibition style lager. My cellar is at 49f, a little warmer than I would like but I don't think it's going to get much colder down in the cellar. This style was created by German immigrants in the late 19th century. Using German brewing techniques, German lager yeast and American ingredients (six row barley, maize, rice, and Native American hop variety's).

My version today will be brewed with American two row, German pilsner malt, basmati rice, and wheat malt. Hopped with a heavy hand, for the style, of continental hops.

BJCP describes the style as, "History: A version of Pilsner brewed in the USA by immigrant German brewers who brought the process and yeast with them when they settled in America. They worked with the ingredients that were native to America to create a unique version of the original Pilsner. This style died out after Prohibition but was resurrected as a home-brewed style by advocates of the hobby.