The Lusty Bock of May

5 gallons/19 L, all-grain; OG = 1.064; FG = 1.016; IBU = 25; SRM = 8; ABV = 6.2%

Ingredients:

• 6 lbs. (3.4 kg) Pils malt (~ 1.5 ºL)
• 3.25 lbs. (1.47 kg) light caramel malt (~ 1.5 ºL)
• 1.75 lbs. (0.9 kg) light Munich malt (~ 8 ºL)
• 6.75 AA Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops (1.7 oz./48 g at 4% alpha acid)
• 1 oz. (28 g) Hersbrucker (flavor/aroma)
• 1 package Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager), Wyeast 2308 (Munich Lager), White Labs WLP838 (Southern German Lager), or White Labs WLP920 (Old Bavarian Lager) yeast
• 1 cup corn sugar or dried malt extract (for priming)
  

Step by Step (infusion mash):

Dough in at about 135 ºF (57 ºC) and let the mash rest for 30 minutes. Then infuse the mash with near-boiling water, while stirring to avoid hot spots, to reach a mash temperature of about 145 ºF (63 ºC) for a 20-minute rest. Repeat the infusion to raise the mash temperature to about 160 ºF (71 ºC) for another 20-minute rest. Start sparging with near-boiling water until the mash temperature is at 172 ºF (78 ºC). Then reduce the sparge temperature to the mash-out temperature. Stop the sparge when the kettle gravity is at about 1.050 (12 ºP). Boil for 90 minutes. Evaporation losses should raise the density of the wort to the target original gravity of 1.064 (16 ºP). Add the bittering hops about 20 minutes and the aroma hops about 70 minutes into the boil.

After shut-down let the wort rest about 15 to 20 minutes so the trub can settle. Then heat-exchange the wort to a fermentation temperature of roughly 50 ºF (10 ºC). Next, aerate the cool wort and pitch yeast. Allow about two weeks for primary fermentation. Rack the brew when the gravity has dropped to about 1.028 (7 ºP).

Allow another week or two for secondary fermentation, until the gravity is terminal (about 1.014 or 3.5 ºP). Raise fermented brew’s temperature to room temperature for a two-day diacetyl rest. Then pull the temperature down incrementally by about 2 ºF (1 ºC) per day until it is as cold as your equipment or circumstances allow (slightly below freezing is best) and lager the beer for about 4 weeks. After a final racking, add the conditioning agent and package. Store cool for at least another four weeks to let the brew fully mature.

Decoction instructions:

If you wish to try a decoction Maibock, skip the first paragraph of the infusion mash instructions. Instead produce your wort as follows: Mix the milled grain with approximately 4 gallons (roughly 15 L) of water at 145 ºF (63 ºC). This should result in a mash-in temperature of 135 ºF (57 ºC).

Let the mash rest for 30 minutes. Ladle about 1.3 gallons (5 L) of the mash into a pot and heat it (while stirring occasionally to avoid scorching) to 160 ºF (71 ºC). Let the decoction rest at this temperature for 15 minutes. Then raise temperature to bring the mash to a boil. Cook the decoction for 15 minutes. Return the boiled portion of the mash to the main mash and mix thoroughly. This should raise the temperature of the main mash to about 145 ºF (63 ºC). Let the entire mash rest for another 20 minutes.

Repeat the decoction, only this time with 2 gallons (7.5 L) of mash. This should raise the main mash temperature to about 160 ºF (71 ºC). Again, let the mash rest for 20 minutes. Repeat the decoction for a third time, with about 1.5 gallons (5.7 L) of the main mash. This should raise the main mash temperature ready for lautering at 172 ºF (78 ºC). Sparge with 172 ºF (78 ºC) water until the kettle gravity is about 1.050 (12 ºP) for a 90-minute boil. Evaporation losses should raise the density of the wort to the target original gravity of 1.064 (16 ºP). After shutdown, continue as outlined in the second paragraph of the instructions for infusion mashing above.

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The Lusty Bock of May

5 gallons/19 L, extract plus grain; OG = 1.064; FG = 1.016; IBU = 25; SRM = 9; ABV = 6.2%

Ingredients:

• 6.45 lbs (2.9 kg) Pils liquid malt extract (such as Weyermann Bavarian Pils)
• 3.25 lbs. (1.5 kg) light caramel malt (~ 1.5 ºL)
• 1.75 lbs. (~ 0.8 kg) light Munich malt (~ 8 ºL)
• 6.75 AA Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops (1.7 oz/48 g at 4% alpha acid)
• 1 oz. (28 g) Hersbrucker (flavor/aroma)
• 1 package Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager), Wyeast 2308 (Munich Lager), White Labs WLP838 (Southern German Lager) or White Labs WLP920 (Old Bavarian Lager)
• 1 cup corn sugar or dry malt extract for priming

Step by Step:

Mill the specialty malt coarsely and divide it equally into three muslin bags. Place these in at least two gallons of cold water and raise the temperature slowly, for about half an hour, until it reaches 170–190 ºF (77–88 ºC). At this point bubbles should start to pearl up in the liquid, but the pot must not boil! Lift the bags out of the steeping liquid and rinse them with several cups of cold water. Do not squeeze them. Discard the spent grain. Turn off the heat, and stir in the canned extract. Fill the kettle and bring the wort to a boil. Add the bittering hops and continue with the rest of the instructions for the all-grain recipe.  

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The Lusty Bock of May

5 gallons/19 L, extract only; OG = 1.064; FG = 1.016; IBU = 25; SRM = 9; ABV = 6.2%

Ingredients:

• 9.66 lbs. (4.4 kg) Weyermann Bavarian Maibock liquid malt extract
• 6.75 AA Hallertauer Mittelfrüh (1.7 oz or ~50 g at 4% alpha acid)
• 1 oz. (28 g) Hersbrucker (flavor/aroma)
• 1 package Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager), Wyeast 2308 (Munich Lager), White Labs WLP838 (Southern German Lager), or White Labs WLP920 (Old Bavarian Lager)
• 1 cup corn sugar or dry malt extract for priming
  

Step by Step:

Mix the malts with your hot brewing liquor in the kettle. Bring the wort to a boil and add the Hallertauer Mittelfrüh bittering hops. Continue with the hop schedule, adding the Hersbrucker flavor/aroma hops, then continue with the instructions for the all-grain recipe.