“This is a delicious, year-round, go-to beer," says Hagen Dost, brewer and cofounder at Chicago’s Dovetail Brewery. "Refreshing, medium-bodied, with an aroma of grain and the pleasant floral and citrus of Saphir hops. The ultimate easy-drinker, it makes a friend wherever it goes.”
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.042
FG: 1.008
IBUs: 20
ABV: 4.4%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
6.1 lb (2.77 kg) Pilsner malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.4 oz (11.5 g) Saphir [3.3% AA] at 50 minutes
0.4 oz (11.5 g) Saphir [3.3% AA] at 30 minutes
0.8 oz (23 g) Saphir [3.3% AA] at 0 minutes
YEAST
Weihenstephan 206 (or Fermentis Saflager S-23, Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager, or White Labs WLP920 Old Bavarian Lager)
DIRECTIONS
For strike and sparge water, use a mixture of 90 percent distilled water and 10 percent moderately hard, dechlorinated water. Mash in at 127°F (53°C) for 20 minutes. Raise the entire mash to 147°F (64°C) over 9 minutes, then rest for 15 minutes. For the single decoction, pull about 30 percent of the mash—it should be “thin” (i.e., well homogenized)—and boil it for 15 minutes. Slowly and gently return the decocted portion to the main mash to achieve a temperature of 160°F (71°C) and rest for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 170°F (77°C) and mash out. Lauter. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.
After the boil, allow the wort to cool to 167°F (75°C), then crash cool to 41–45°F (5–7°C). Pitch the yeast and allow the temperature to free rise to 48°F (9°C). Hold at 48°F (9°C) until 50 percent attenuation (3 to 4 days), then raise to 54°F (12°C) for a diacetyl rest. When the beer reaches its final gravity (typically 5 to 7 days), crash to 30°F (-1°C) and lager for 3 to 4 weeks. Rack and package at 2.6 volumes.