1D Helles Bels

Munich Helles (1D)
Based on Munchen Grobes Bier from "Brewing Classic Styles" Zainasheff and Palmer.

Info:

• Brewer: Ryan
• Mash: 2-step Decoction
• Date: 1/13/2008
• Size: 5 (and a bit) gallon post-boil
  

Grain Bill:

This is a bit lower than the recipe called for based on my previous experience with the Czech Pils. In retrospect I might have been getting higher efficiency because of the 10 gallon batch (the full 3 stage decoction probably didn't hurt either) because I was a little on the low side on this one - a little below style. Oh well.

• 8.9lb weyerman pilsner malt
  
• 0.7lb Munich
  

Yeast:

• Wyeast 2308 - Munich Lager™
• Starter made on previous day with light DME
• and (through fault of my own) 3944 - Belgian Witbier™
• Starter made on previous day with light DME

The Mash:

Mash schedule based on "German 2-Mash Decoction" in "The Brewers Companion" by Randy Mosher

• strike (acid rest)
  
• Added 150F water plus 2 quarts cold to hit 98F (1qt/lb total)
  
• rest 15 minute

• Protein rest
• Added 150F water to 125F (0.5qt/lb)
• rest 30 minutes

• First decoction
• thick 1/3 of mash removed
• raise to 156F over 12 minutes
• rest 20 minutes
• raise to boil over 20 minutes
  
• immediately return to main mash (we don't want the color here, just the malt)
• adjust to 150F
• rest 25 minutes
  

• Second decoction
• Remove thin 1/2
• raise to boil over 20 minutes
  
• immediately return to mash
• rest 30 minutes

• Sparge @180F

Right before the sparge we started the witt bier since apparently I have the sense of a snail and don't know when I should just slow the hell down. Ironically I was doing the witt because I had the yeast (why thats ironic will become apparent below - read on)

The Boil (90 minutes):

• 30 minutes naked boil (the wort not the players)
  
• 1.1oz Mt Hood (4.1aau) @ 60
• Total: 18 IBU(ish)

The Pitch:

• OG: 1.040 (low but close, we'll call it good enough - I knew it was a smidge low preboil, but figured I'd rather not risk changing the color/flavor profile by adding DME to adjust).
• Pitched 3944 Witt Beer starter
• Realized mistake
• Cindy made a new quick starter from some dry wheat beer yeast (see next blog post) while I
• pitched 2308 Munich Lager (sigh)

I think this may be ok, the wheat yeast is a low ester, and I'm fermenting it pretty cold so I'm hoping the lager yeast out competes. It had a nice big krausen by the next morning so its fermenting anyway. I was originally going to call this To Helles and back, but given this screwup I decided to change the name. How will it turn out? Well we'll find out I guess.