A Pair of European Classics
April’s styles are exciting and different: a complex and floral Belgian golden and a crisp maibock. And the ESB from March will be bottled and ready to drink this month.
The month starts right off with the maibock, since it will have to be lagered for four weeks to be ready to drink in May. For those of you who are celebrating the Passover, Good Friday, or Easter holidays with family, this month’s brewing schedule may get a little hairy.
Since bocks were extensively covered in the October issue of BYO (“Bock in Four Movements”), this column will just recap some of the main points to remember about brewing maibocks. Because this is the first official lager of the Style-of-the-Month calendar, there are also some special tips on lager-yeast management.
Rites of Spring
Historically, bockbiers are strong beers of Germanic origin that, according to some records, date as far back as 1250. Bocks were originally spontaneously top-fermented, dark beers made primarily of wheat. They were produced in the winter when fermentation temperatures were accommodating and stored in ice caves or underground cellars for drinking in the summer. The name, despite the many goat tales (bock is German for goat), comes from the name of the town where it was first brewed, Einbeck.
Maibocks, sometimes known as helles bocks, are very different from their original brothers. They are light gold to light copper colored with a slightly dry finish. They exhibit some noble hop character balanced by an underlying malt profile from the copious use of Munich and light crystal malts in the grain bill, not unlike a pilsner of higher gravity. Officially, maibocks must be made from an original gravity of 1.066 to 1.068 (16.5° to 17° Plato) and possess an alcohol content of 6 percent to 7.5 percent by volume. The bitterness ranges generally from 20 to 35 IBUs, and the color rating is 4 to 10 SRM.
Some German-brewed examples include Ayinger Maibock, a wonderfully flavorful lager exhibiting rich malt flavors and a soft, dignified yeast flavor; Hacker-Pschorr Bock, an aromatic and clean lager laced with abundant amounts of fragrant Hallertauer hops; and the master of them all, Einbecker Ur-Bock Hell. Ur-Bock means original bock, and this is the first. Ur-Bock is an experience in history, a spicy, slightly hopped, golden maibock that is a must for comparison.
As with most other beer styles, excellent maibocks can be found in the United States. Thomas Kemper Maibock; Rogue Maierbock; Ruffian Maibock, which uses German sauer (sour) malt as an ingredient; and H.C. Berger Maibock are but a few of the medal winners available.
Your maibock will be deep golden, very full bodied, smooth, and malty with a moderate emphasis on the hopping. It will be ready to drink seven weeks from the brew date but will continue to round out for months, because you will be breaking tradition and bottle conditioning the beer. That’s one of the advantages of homebrewing. The target numbers are original gravity 1.068 (17° Plato), color 15 SRM (it sounds too dark, but it really isn’t), bitterness 30 IBUs, and alcohol by volume 7.5 percent.
The Anatomy of a Maibock
When formulating maibocks the key is to balance noble hop flavors and aromas with rich malty and caramel character.
German Northern Brewer, Perle, Spalt, and Spalt Select all make good bittering hops, used sparingly of course. For flavoring and finishing, Hallertauer is a widely accepted hop to use, as are Saaz, Tettnanger, and Hersbrucker. All of these hops provide the expected nose and finish for a maibock, so it’s up to the brewer to make the choice. The maibock featured in last October’s BYO combines a fairly classic match of Northern Brewer, Hallertauer, and Saaz. The maibock here differs, using Perle as the replacement for the bittering hop. Both are good, but again, the change was made to add a little variety to your recipe index.
Hop rates for the beer will be moderate because you are going to have 30 IBUs, but you will notice that the finished product will not seem bitter. In fact after fermentation and conditioning time, the IBU level will probably be a bit lower for the finished beer.
The grain bill is fairly simple as well. Most maibocks are made with high percentages of Munich pale or pilsner malts. Light crystal varieties add color and depth, and some amount of dextrin malt is used for extra body. Some examples, particularly in the United States, contain wheat as part of the grist for added richness and body.
As for mashing, many brewers will challenge this assertion: Lagers do not need to be mashed by decoction or even by a step program. The malt available in this modern era is far superior to what existed in the beginning days of these beers. This superiority is a high modification in the malthouse resulting in low protein levels and very high extracts. That means that pretty much anything can be created by a single-infusion mash, which is the way these recipes are formulated.
Choosing Yeast
Lager yeast selection is a relatively simple process.
- Decide what flavor profile you want from your yeast. Most lagers should be free of estery flavors and should finish very clean.
- Choose a strain that produces low levels of undesirable diacetyl. Fermentation temperature is also a major factor in diacetyl production. Higher temperatures produce more diacetyl, but they also reduce it more quickly. On the other hand, cooler fermentation temperatures produce a lower concentration of diacetyl but do not reduce it as much. This inevitably requires longer storage times to bring the diacetyl below the flavor threshold.
- Look for yeast that is capable of reproducing in high-gravity environments. Large amounts of sugar create lower concentrations of water outside the cell and by osmosis will draw water out of the cell, debilitating it. Tolerance to alcohol is also important, particularly if you are brewing big doppelbocks or other strong lagers.
- Look for a yeast that is as flocculent as possible (the yeast settles out well) to expedite lagering. In addition to flavor maturation, the lagering process is employed to allow the yeast to settle out of suspension.
For maibocks in particular, yeasts such as Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian lager), 2206 (Bavarian lager), 2178 (lager blend) and 2278 (Czech pils) are all good. There are slight differences in the flavor profiles, but overall these are fairly equal. You will notice a distinct sulfury note to some lager strains during the initial stages of
fermentation, but it will dissipate as the process continues.
One nice thing about the lager blend is the high flocculation, something not normally found in traditional lager strains.
Alternatively, White Labs and GW Kent also have many of the same strains available if you wish to try a different company for a change.
Tips for Making a Yeast Starter
In each month’s calendar there is a day for starting the yeast. This is highly recommended for both lagers and ales. Technically, the pitching rate should be at least 12 million cells per milliliter pitched with a live cell count of 80 percent minimum. Well great. What does that mean? Basically that for a five-gallon batch you need at least a pint of actively fermenting starter, preferably one that has been fed a few times to double or triple in cell count. Here are some easy steps for making your starter.
- For a five-gallon batch make a primary starter wort of one pint at 1.020 (5° Plato) original gravity(a pint of water brewed withabout two tablespoons of dry malt extract). Pitch one activated liquid yeast packet.
- Allow it to grow in a sealed environment (one-pint Gatorade bottles work well with a stopper and airlock) for a day or two. Discard the beer on top and pitch a second pint of wort.
- After that has started fermenting, pitch the slurry into your beer. This type of starter can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator for future brews. It is also possible to grow twice as much (one quart) each time and save half (one pint) in the refrigerator, giving you a sterile yeast culture ready to start the process every time without having to buy new yeast for each brew.
There are two concerns with this method. First, you need to brew often enough to keep the yeast alive Don’t let it sit for more than a week between brews or feeding it with fresh wort. Second, to acclimate the yeast to its soon-to-be new environment, you need to warm the starter to the starting fermentation temperature before pitching. Beyond those issues, this is a great way to crop yeast without worrying about contamination or undesirable fermentation components being
carried over from the carboy.
A Gem from Belgium
There is no official “Belgian golden” category. Rather, it is “Belgian pale,” but this beer should not be confused with a regular pale ale of any sort. In fact if it were to be compared with anything, it would be Orval, the deep golden Trappist beer that contains the yeast recommend for fermenting ours or Chimay Cinq Cents, which is also a good choice.
The guidelines for a Belgian-style pale ale are: original gravity 1.044 to 1.054 (11° to 13.5° Plato), bitterness 20 to 30 IBUs, color 3.5 to 12 SRM, and alcohol by volume 4 percent to 6 percent. With that in mind, the profile for our version should shape up as follows: original gravity 1.052 (13° Plato), bitterness 26 IBUs, color 12 SRM, and alcohol by volume 5.4 percent.
Since some hop presence is expected, we will not be using stale, aged hops for this beer as some other Belgian and Trappist styles do. It is going to be malty like a tripel or Belgian strong but dry and crisp like a pale ale and low in alcohol like a saison or blonde.
Brewing Practice
As you can probably tell, brewing this beer is going to be a little different than most of the ales to which you are accustomed.
In the first place, it starts with a 90-minute mash to get more flavor out of the grain than normal, creating an earthy, full palate to the beer. The grain bill should consist of French and Belgian malts, particularly specialty malts, to further create an authentic-tasting beer. For pale malts choose a good pilsner malt of two- or six-row variety. If you choose six-row, select a malt that is as highly modified as possible. Good malt sources are Malteries Franco-Belges (France), De Wolf-Cosyns (Belgium), and Malt Products Corp. (Holland).
The composition of the beer may change slightly depending on which source and product you can get, if any. The Lovibond numbers have been provided for all of the malts in the recipe in case you have to substitute.
For authentic extracts the choices, unfortunately, are very limited, but Brewferm makes a variety of Belgian pale kits that serve as good bases.
The next primary change in your regular procedure is that you will be boiling a bit differently than normal. Rather than a full, rolling boil, you are going to simmer the wort for 120 minutes. This does several things: It prevents the alpha acids in the hops from isomerizing too much (converting into the compounds that create bitterness), keeping the bitterness low; it allows for a long and slow coloring of the wort; it allows the caramel and malt flavors to really develop strong character; and it allows the hot break to be very effective, giving us a nice clear product later. And even though it is not reaching a full, rolling boil, the length is sufficient to drive off the volatiles (unwanted flavor compounds) as usual.
Some Belgian beers, including Orval, simmer the wort slowly overnight, never really allowing it to reach a full boil. You will notice the difference. The extract version, however, will only receive a 90- minute boil because the syrup already has been cooked for so long in the making of the extract.
Hops: Think Noble
For the most part noble hops are the only choice for Belgian beers. The exception is French varieties, which possess noble-type characteristics while not being technically “noble.” Our recipe makes use of Hallertauer and French Strisselspalt grown in the Flanders region of Belgium and the Alsace region of France, respectively. The bitterness should be low to moderate at 26 IBUs, but like the bock, the emphasis will be on the aroma and flavor contributions of the hops.
Belgian Culture
Commercial examples to research for flavor and yeast harvesting include the Trappist pales Orval and Chimay Cinq Cents. The Cinq Cents is the lightest of the Chimay product line, a pale copper with refreshing French hop and Flemish yeast character. Its effervescence and dry finish make it very drinkable and refreshing, like this brew. The Orval is similar in color but has a very unique yeast character that is unmistakably floral and possesses a flavor some describe as “bubblegum.” But don’t let that deter you from trying the Orval yeast. It is so unique that it is perfect for this month’s brew. The other yeasts will do very well, but overall they have the same qualities with the exception of a
little spice or ester profile here and there.
Lighter in color but a great Belgian pale is Duvel, another legendary beer. Duvel is a golden straw color with crisp, dry character. Not sweet and definitely well balanced with Styrian Golding and Saaz hops, Duvel is a refreshing departure from the other brands. It is made with all pale barley, so it will not have the caramel balance that yours will.
On the hoppier side, Brasserie Dupont offers a Moinette Saison, a moderately bitter, deep golden beer with high acidity and a dry, earthy finish. It is a bit less malty, or caramel-like, than the Orval, Chimay, or your brew.
Christoffel Blond of the St. Christoffel in Roermond, Holland, is yet another similar style. Somewhat like the Leffe Blonde Abbey Ale and La Choulette Blonde, it is vibrantly golden colored, slightly hazy, but crisp and dry. Like the other beers, it is dominated by the yeast character that is really what sets these beers apart. If you decide on one of these yeasts, the finished product will closely resemble the original beer from which the yeast came.
Orval and Chimay Cinq Cents are readily available and generally better cared for due to turnover, which makes them better candidates for yeast harvest. As always, however, your taste is what is important. Some Wyeast packaged yeasts that will also do well are 1214 (Belgian Ale), although a bit estery if fermented too warm (warmer than 72° F); 1762
(Abbey II); and 1388 (Belgian strong ale), although this yeast is a very low flocculator (it doesn’t settle
out easily), so you have to condition cold for a long time to clear your beer.
One other thing to remember is that the bottled yeasts have been around for hundreds of years and are very mature in their flavor profile, whereas the new cultures will not begin to develop real outstanding flavors for several crops.
Maibock
(5 gallons, all-grain)
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. pilsner malt, 1° to 2° Lovibond
- 5.5 lbs. Munich pale malt, 8° to 12° Lovibond
- 0.5 lb. carapils or dextrin-type malt, 1.3° to 1.5° Lovibond
- 0.5 lb. crystal malt, 20° Lovibond
- 0.5 lb. crystal malt, 60° Lovibond
- 0.75 oz. Perle hops
- (7.3% alpha acid) for 90 min.
- 0.5 oz. Hallertauer hops
- (3.5% alpha acid) for 30 min.
- 1 oz. Saaz hops
- (3.1% alpha acid) at end of boil
- 2 pt. starter of Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian lager)
- 2/3 cup corn sugar for priming
Step by Step:
Mash grain in 3.75 gal. of water at 150° F for 60 min. Sparge with 168° to 170° F water to collect
5.75 gal. of wort.
Total boil time is 90 min. At beginning of boil, add Perle hops and boil 60 min. Add the Hallertauer and boil remaining 30 min. At end of boil, add the Saaz to finish. Whirlpool and cool to 45° F to pitch starter. Oxygenate/aerate well.
Ferment at 45° F for three days, raise to 55° F over four more days, then rack to secondary fermenter. Continue fermentation for seven more days until gravity is about 1.012 (3° Plato). At this point cool to 40° F or colder and let settle for seven more days. Prime and bottle. Age at least four more weeks before drinking.
OG = 1.068 (17° Plato )
30 IBUs
SRM = 15
7.5% ABV
Maibock
(5 gallons, extract with grain)
Ingredients:
- 9.5 lbs. pale malt extract syrup (preferably containing some Munich)
- 0.5 lb. carapils or dextrin-type malt, 1.5° Lovibond
- 0.5 lb. crystal malt, 20° Lovibond
- 0.5 lb. crystal malt, 60° Lovibond
- 1 oz. Perle hops
- (7.3% alpha acid) for 60 min.
- 0.5 oz. Hallertauer hops
- (3.5% alpha acid) for 30 min.
- 1 oz. Saaz hops
- (3.1% alpha acid) at end of boil
- 2 pt. starter of Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian lager)
- 2/3 cup corn sugar for priming
Step by Step:
Start with 5 gal. of 150° F water. Steep crushed grain for 30 min. Sparge grains with enough 170° F water to make 5.5 gal.
Heat to boiling and add extract syrup. Total boil will be 60 min. At beginning of boil add Perle hops, continue for 30 min., and add the Hallertauer charge. Boil for 30 min. more, add Saaz, and whirlpool. Cool to 45° F and pitch starter. Oxygenate/aerate well.
Ferment at 45° F for three days, raise to 55° F over four more days, then rack to secondary fermenter. Continue fermentation for seven more days until gravity is about 3° Plato (1.012). At this point cool to 40° F or colder and let settle for seven more days. Prime and bottle. Age at least four more weeks before drinking.
OG = 1.068 (17° Plato)
30 IBUs
SRM = 15
7.5% ABV
Belgian Golden
(5 gallons, all-grain)
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. Belgian pale malt, 1.8° to 2.5° Lovibond
- 0.5 lb. carapils or dextrin-type malt, 1.5° Lovibond
- 2 lb. crystal malt, 10° Lovibond
- 2 lb. Belgian aromatic pale malt,
- 3.5° to 5° Lovibond
- 1.5 oz. Hallertauer hops
- (3.5% alpha acid): 0.75 oz. for 90 min., 0.75 oz. for 15 min.
- 1.5 oz. French Strisselspalt hops
- (3% alpha acid) at end of boil
- 1 pt. starter of Orval yeast
- 2/3 cup priming sugar
Step by Step
Mash grain in 3 gal. of water at 150° F for 90 min. Sparge with 168° to 170° F water to collect
5.75 gal. of wort.
Total boil time is 120 min.; remember to only simmer the wort! (A simmer is defined as a gently bubbling boil, between 185° and 205° F, although temperatures vary with altitude and amount of sugar in solution.) Simmer for 30 min. and add the first charge of Hallertauer. Simmer for 75 min. more. Add the second charge of Hallertauer and simmer remaining 15 min. Add the Strisselspalt for finishing. Whirlpool and cool to 69° F to pitch starter. Oxygenate/aerate well.
Ferment at 69° F for seven days then rack to secondary fermenter, continue for seven more or until fermentation is done or gravity is about 1.008 to 1.010 (2° to 2.5° Plato). Prime and bottle. Allow to carbonate and age at least seven more days before drinking.
OG = 1.052 (13° Plato)
26 IBUs
SRM = 12
5.4% ABV
Belgian Golden
(5 gallons, extract with grain)
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. Belgian pale extract syrup
- 0.5 lb. carapils or dextrin-type malt, 1.5° Lovibond
- 2 lb. crystal malt, 10° Lovibond
- 2 lb. Belgian aromatic pale malt, 3.5° to 5° Lovibond
- 1.5 oz. Hallertauer hops
- (3.5% alpha acid): 0.75 oz. for 90 min., 0.75 oz. for 15 min.
- 1.5 oz. French Strisselspalt
- (3% alpha acid) at end of boil
- 1 pt. starter of Orval yeast
- 2/3 cup priming sugar
Step by Step:
Start with 5 gal. of 150° F water. Steep grain for 30 min. Sparge grains with enough 170° F water to make 5.5 gal.
Heat to simmering and add extract syrup. Total boil will be 90 min.; remember to simmer only the wort! Add the first charge of Hallertauer and simmer for 75 min. Add the second charge of Hallertauer and simmer remaining
15 min. Add the Strisselspalt for finishing. Whirlpool and cool to
69° F to pitch starter. Oxygenate/aerate well.
Ferment at 69° F for seven days then rack to secondary fermenter, continue for seven more or until fermentation is done or gravity is about 1.008 to 1.010 (2° to 2.5° Plato). Prime and bottle. Allow to carbonate and age at least seven more days before drinking.
OG = 1.052 (13° Plato)
26 IBUs
SRM = 12
5.4% ABV
