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His notes are in German and Spanish... so...
He implies that Carahell = Brumaltz, something similar to honey malt. Tasting it, it seems like a less harsh melanoiden, and not nearly as sweet as honey malt. I would definitely give it a try without melanoiden malt and see what happens.
Two other things - and take this as you will. It is fairly dogmatic.
1/ Base the mash schedule on the Kolbach of the grist. Lower than 34 or so, then decoction or step mashing starting at 132F should be considered. Above 35, then straight to 144F/160F/168F. Chit malt plays well with decoction, less well with step mashing, so that would be swapped in the case of decoction. Not sure about the rate.
2/ Manage O2 in the mash. He boils his water hard before brewing, and chills it to strike temperature. Using an O2 meter, he is handling HSA delicately. Post boil, he uses pure O2 after pitching yeast to between 9 and 12 ppm.
His BoPils = 90% Floor Malted Pils, 5% Carahell, 5% Carafoam; 70% AA FWH scheduled (depending on AA of Saaz) and the rest at 30 min.
His Helles = 95% Pils, 5% Carahell
That help? Will talk with him more this weekend during judging.
Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by mchrispen
Agree KidMoxie. I really wish as.homebrew we would just publish everything, water profiles, mashes, everything.
Matt, that's awesome! Basically the same as my current bo pils, minus 2% melanoidin.
Posted 34 days ago.
I hope to brew with him soon and see how he deals with things. Problem is his technique is pretty rigid but produces great beer... despite being dogmatic. He got angry when I told him I filtered my helles and pils. :)
I am hoping he is going to NHC. I suspect one or two of his lagers will move along.
Posted 34 days ago.
Haha, I am working on a post right now that will probably make his brain melt--about pursuing the two week lager.
Posted 34 days ago.
I think I went down the Weyermann carafoam = chit malt trail and determined it's not the same. Can't remember how I came to that conclusion, but seems like I found some literature recommending replacement rates for foam vs chit and they weren't the same.
Posted 34 days ago.
>reverse decocts
What?
Posted 34 days ago.
He boils EVERYTHING but occasionally takes some of the grist, let's it settle to 150F for ten minutes, then returns it to the boiling mash.
;)
Posted 34 days ago.
His terminology. He uses a BIAB recirculation system that I haven't seen yet. So he grains in at a low step temperature with a high water:grist ratio, rests, steps to beta/alpha rest, and pulls more than half of the liquor. I am not sure exactly how much, but he pulls the same amount and holds the liquor at rest temps. He then adds more liquor to the thick mash and brings this to a short high temp rest (above 160F, but below Mash Out). This is then boiled for some period of time. A third infusion of cold water reduces the temperatures, allowing the original liquor pull to be added back into now boiled thick mash. This is held at alpha rest temps for some period of time, assuming that the enzymes (alpha specifically) remain active and finish the mash. At this point, his water:grist is pretty high, and depending on gravity, he is essentially no-sparging. He claims he is achieving well over 95% extract efficiency with this method. He also manages mash pH slightly above 5.4, and acidifies the boil to 5.2/5.1 before adding hops. 90 minute boil, but FWH addition is after the adjustment. (This is where he diverges and uses mineral acid).
Again - this is based on discussions. I haven't had a chance to see this in action or brew with him, so no verification. He calls this a reverse decoction, and admits it is similar to a Schmidt decoction profile. Let me confirm before we weigh in on this - it seems that the beta would decay before being added back into the boiled mash, and quickly denatured at >160F, but would continue to act if held at <150F in the liquor.
Anyway - as I said, the beers I have sampled are mind blowing (Rob-level quality). There are other bits as well that I am trying to get clear, like his pitching rates and fermentation schedules. He claims that German beers are not as clean as Americans think... and that we tend to ferment too cold, but I may not be understanding him correctly.
Posted 34 days ago.
'Bout to say it sounded a LOT like Schmidt decoction I did. Boiled the WHOLE DAMN MASH. Very malty Dunkel.
Posted 34 days ago.
Mmmmmm. Malty dunkel
Posted 34 days ago.
I hope the Dunkel that I have lagering right now (if you can call it that, stinking fridge is trying to die again) turns out nice and malty..
Posted 34 days ago.
I really need to find a minifridge to get my lager fermenting chamber set up. Blarg.
I already have 2 batches im waiting to do (too fucking cold out on the weekends lately. Really nice during the week, but cold/snow/rain on the weekends....ugh...), though. Going to rebrew my BU Amber (my 'based on' recipe was good, but i want to try to replicate the BU beer), and im almost out of pale ale on tap...really need to brew one of those sometime. Mostly just have 'Red IPA' (too nutty/caramel-y), and that super caramel session beer based off of Brewdog's recipes.
But yeah, a pils, munich lager, maybe vienna...etc are all on my list. Blarg.
I already have 2 batches im waiting to do (too fucking cold out on the weekends lately. Really nice during the week, but cold/snow/rain on the weekends....ugh...), though. Going to rebrew my BU Amber (my 'based on' recipe was good, but i want to try to replicate the BU beer), and im almost out of pale ale on tap...really need to brew one of those sometime. Mostly just have 'Red IPA' (too nutty/caramel-y), and that super caramel session beer based off of Brewdog's recipes.
But yeah, a pils, munich lager, maybe vienna...etc are all on my list. Blarg.
Posted 34 days ago.
mchrispen, when you get a chance to talk to him can you ask him about the role of copper in a decoction? I'd be really interested to know how he does it, where (if) he incorporates copper in his system, and if he thinks decoction needs to be done in a cooper (or copper-base) kettle.
Posted 34 days ago.
This guy sounds like Bryan from forum.germanbrewing.net/
I would like to attempt an all carafoam beer to see if the final product is any good and to put to rest the idea of self convertability, as I am unsure if it is or not (I don't have access to Best Malz Chit, if anyone wouldn't mind mailing me 10 lbs... I would be receptive).
Any input on the recipe? I am thinking:
10 lbs Carafoam
1 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker 1.6AA @ 60 minutes ~ 20 ibus
WLP 860 Munich Helles
Decoction mash :
- 122 for 30 min
- 143 for 30 min
- 158 for 60 min
Posted 34 days ago.
If you do this, I want to see how it turns out!
Posted 34 days ago.
