Munich Helles

I recently started really appreciating this style. In my research for attempting to create a good example of this style I found a really amazing beer that has a wonderful German Beer character—Spaten Premium Lager. I'd like to recreate something similar. Spaten Premium Lager will likely be my gold standard (as Ballast Point Sculpin is for my IPA), which is to say: it's the beer against which I will be judging my homebrewed examples.

As a first pass at this style, I'm keeping it simple, but I'm also testing a theory.

Fermentables

• 12 lbs Weyerman Pils Mals

Hops

• 1 oz Sterling FWH

Yeast

• Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager

Notes

Double decoction

• Dough-in 133°F
• Pull 1st decoction, raise to 158°F, hold for 10 mins
• Bring 1st decoction to a boil for 10 mins
• Remix mash to 148°F
• Pull 2nd thick decoction, raise to 158°F, hold for 10 mins
• Bring 2nd decoction to a boil for 10 mins
• Remix to 158°F
• Raise to mashout at 168°F

I also used Servomyces and Whirlfloc in this batch.

The theory I'm testing here is: I don't necessarily think you need to have temperature control to ferment a fine lager. I'm fermenting at ~68°F (I have no temp control right now). Also, I pitched 1 smack-pack without a starter. We'll see how all this works out. Seems to be fermenting happily for the time being.