ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.012
IBUs: 35
ABV: 5%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
6 lb (2.7 kg) Vienna malt
3 lb (1.4 kg) Pilsner malt
4 oz (113 g) Carafa II
4 oz (113 g) Melanoidin malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.38 oz (11 g) each Northern Brewer [8% AA] and Hallertau [4.5% AA] at 60 minutes
0.38 oz (11 g) each Northern Brewer and Hallertau at 30 minutes
0.38 oz (11 g) each Northern Brewer and Hallertau at 10 minutes
YEAST
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager)
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mix with 3 gallons (11.2 l) of 163°F (73°C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 4.3 gallons (16.5 l) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.
After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 50°F (10°C). Aerate the wort and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 50°F (18°C) for five days, and then allow to free-rise, but not higher than 64°F (18°C). Upon reaching terminal gravity, cold crash and bottle or keg the beer, and carbonate to about 1 volume of CO2 for “cask-feel” lager or 2 volumes for more conventional carbonation.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Drink this beer as soon as it’s carbonated! Kellerbier is, by tradition, a “young” beer and should be consumed early, rough edges and all. Some versions exhibit signs of incomplete fermentation (acetaldehyde, for example) but here we’re relying on the Vienna malt to provide a nice raw graininess. Don’t worry if it isn’t clear yet: hazy versions of this beer abound, and you needn’t take any particular steps to clear it up!