Bohemian Dunkel

The year was 1295 when good King Wenceslas II of Bohemia convinced Pope Boniface VIII in distant Rome to revoke a papal ban on secular beer brewing in Wenceslas’ kingdom. With this reversal of papal policy, the king wasted no time granting 260 burgher families in Pilsen the right to make their own beer — a progressive homebrewing act that was to have momentous consequences for the evolution of beer throughout the world.

The citizens of Pilsen, as history is witness, have definitely been putting their privilege to excellent use ever since. By 1307, they had their first commercial brewery in operation. Soon they formed their own brewers guild, as did many other European brew cities. Under feudalism, such guilds were essential for the blossoming of the secular brewing trade, because burgher-brewers had to compete commercially on an uneven footing against the many monastery breweries, which were exempt from all feudal taxes and could rely on the free labor of their brethren in the brew house. In gratitude to their benefactor, Czech brewers named King Wenceslas II their patron saint.

Wenceslas had started a trend in his medieval realm that still reverberates today. “Kde se pivo vari, tam se dobre dari” goes an old Czech saying (“where beer is brewed, the people do well”) — a motto to which Wenceslas’ descendants obviously still subscribe with unfailing dedication, because the Czechs have become the world’s most stalwart beer drinkers, downing more than 36 U.S. gallons (137 L) of beer per capita per year — almost double the amount of the average American. Wenceslas clearly would be proud of his subjects.

The brew, however, for which King Wenceslas fought and won in his struggle with the Holy See, was a far cry from what most modern beer lovers now have in mind when they think of Czech beers. While the wonderfully aromatic deep-golden lager from Pilsen, the Pilsner, first created in 1842, is now considered the epitome of Czech brewing and the symbol of that nation’s beer identity, the standard medieval Czech brew was decidedly dark, not blond, and it probably was not even a lager.

Though replaced in popularity by the blond Pilsner in the 19th Century, the original dark Czech brew did not die out entirely, just as, around the same time, the Dunkel in neighboring Bavaria held its own, albeit in much reduced circumstances, against the Munich Helles. Today, the Bohemian dark lager is often referred to internationally as Bohemian Dunkel or by its German name of Böhmisch Dunkel.

Now, always a lager, the Bohemian Dunkel is a rich, dark brew made, like its blond Pilsner cousin, with plenty of very malty base malt as well as aromatic Saaz hops. The brew’s slight residual sweetness is offset by some roastiness from a good addition of chocolate-flavored caramel malt.

The Bohemian Dunkel reveals a more pronounced hop character and roastiness than does the Bavarian Dunkel. It is more reminiscent, in its overall character, of a Schwarzbier. The more robust interpretations might even remind one of a porter. Perhaps the most readily available modern commercial offering of the traditional Czech dark lager in the New World is the Staropramen Cerny by Pivovary Star-opramen of Prague (now a subsidiary of Belgian brewing giant InBev).

Bohemian Dunkel malts

The authentic Bohemian Dunkel relies on barley grown exclusively in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic. This area has been known for producing some of the maltiest malts in the world. Traditionally, Moravian malt is flavorful, with a clean, slightly sweet finish. In the old days, Moravian malt tended to be high in unmodified proteins and thus required extensive decoction.

Today, however, the maltster already takes care of most of the protein conversion, thus making the job of the brewer much easier. Modern pale Moravian malts nowadays have a “standard” protein value of 9.5–11% and a color value of roughly 1.5 to 2.5 °L. Because they are high in enzymatic strength, saccharification in the mash rarely takes longer than 10–20 minutes. Moravian malt is very brewer-friendly in an efficient brew house, where it can reach an extract potential of slightly above 80%. If you start out with top-quality malt for your Bohemian Dunkel, therefore, a multi-step infusion with a protease, beta-glucanase and hydration rest of 30 minutes at
122 °F (50 °C), a beta-amylase rest of 20 minutes at 144 °F (62 °C) and an alpha-amylase rest of 20 minutes at 162 °F
(72 °C), as well as a mash-out temperature of 172 °F (78 °C) is perfectly sufficient to produce a rich and satisfying brew.

Even if you do not have the time, means or inclination to ramp up your mash from a cool dough-in to a hot mash-out, a single-step infusion at the conventional diastatic conversion temperature of 152 °F (67 °C) will still lead to a more than acceptable result.

Moravian malt is now grown not just in its land of origin, but also abroad, including in Germany and the United States. In recent years, several malting companies have added pale base malts from Moravian barley strains to their portfolio. These are all of the pale variety, because they are intended primarily for blond Czech lagers. The most recent of these is the Briess Anniversary Malt — introduced in 2006 and named for the Briess Company’s 130th anniversary this year.

It is made from domestically grown two-row Moravian-type barley. Wey-ermann of Bamberg, Germany, too, has been offering a Bohemian Pilsner malt since 2004. Theirs is made entirely from a Moravian-grown summer barley variety called Hanka, which happens to be a distant genetic derivative of the Hanna variety that was used in the first batch of Plzensky Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquell), in 1842.

In a typical Bohemian blond lager, the amount of Pils malt in the grain bill is rarely less than 90% and may be as high as 100%. The non-Pils malt portion, if any, is often made up of pale caramel malt for body and acidified malt for a reduced mash pH. In Bavaria, even the darker lagers tend to have a relatively high portion of pale Pils base malt in their grain bill, perhaps as much as 70%. These Bavarian brews impress with their soft, but pronounced, caramel notes that gently envelope the brew’s smooth, malty body.

The Dunkels from the Czech Republic, by contrast, come across as more robust and slightly earthy, because they are made from a grist bill with a much smaller proportion of Pils base malt. In fact, in our recipe for Wenceslas Dunkel (see page 20), there is even less pale base malt than Munich malt!

Czech hops, water and yeast

Because Czech water is naturally soft (and thus ensures a low mash pH value), it — together with the slightly acidic character of the dark grains — mellows the brew and ameliorates perceived hop bitterness. The desired mash pH should be around 5.2 to 5.5. Should your mash lack acidity because your local water is too hard, consider replacing up to 5% of the grain bill with acidified malt, and reduce the pale Pils malt portion of the grain bill accordingly.

The Bohemian Dunkel, like its Bavarian counterpart, shows an even balance of maltiness and aroma in the finish, only on a much higher level. The balance is still there, but both the malt and the hop character of this Bohemian brew seems bigger to the pallet, while the Bavarian brew shows more restraint in both hops and malt. While the Czech brew relies more on strong aroma hops reverberations, the Bavarian brew relies more on typically German, floral, often citrus and sometimes slightly grassy hop notes.

An authentic dark Bohemian lager, therefore, like virtually all Czech lagers, fares best when hopped entirely with Saaz from Zatec, the Bohemian hop-growing center. Zatec is known for producing some of the world’s most aromatic hops. These give a brew an almost perfumey note, which is especially noticeable in the long-lingering finish. Saaz tends to have alpha-acid ratings between 3.5 and 4.5%, depending on the growing year and age of the hops. If your supplier does not carry imported Saaz, transplanted Saaz grown in the Pacific Northwest is a serviceable substitute.

For yeast, you can use a dry Fermentis Saflager W-34/70 (about 0.7 oz. or 20 g per 5 gallons/19 L). There are also Czech specialists available, such as Wyeast 2278 Czech Pils, White Labs WLP800 Pils, or White Labs WLP802 Czech Budejovice Lager. These Czech yeasts produce just a slight touch of buttery diacetyl that adds a bit more complexity to the brew. All of these Czech yeasts are very happy at a primary fermentation temperature of around 53 °F (12 °C). To mature a Bohemian Dunkel, lager it after primary fermentation for three or four weeks at 41 °F (5 °C). The optimum serving temparature of the finished beer is between 45–50 °F (7–10 °C).

Extract tips

Extract-plus-grain brewers can substitute the entire grain bill of approximately 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) — calculated for a system with a nominal extract efficiency of 65% — with approximately 4.0 lbs (1.8 kg) unhopped pale Pilsner-style liquid malt extract and then rely on the steeped grains for color and flavor.

Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to find a genuine Moravian barley-based unhopped liquid malt extract, either in light or dark. In this less than perfect situation, therefore, your best compromise is a malt extract such as Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner liquid malt extract. It produces a brew of 6.2 to 7.3 SRM if used just by itself. The 5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) of steeped specialty grains supply the required color, extra flavor and a small amount of fermentables.

For all-extract brewers, too, the best solution is a combination of pale liquid malt extracts. To approximate the color and flavor of our authentic all-grain Bohemian Dunkel, use a 7.0-pound (3.2-kg) mix of Bavarian Pilsner and Bavarian Dunkel liquid malt extract, at a ratio of approximately 3:7.

The Dunkel liquid malt extract is very suitable for the Bohemian purpose, because this malt is produced entirely from a double-decoction mash of a grain bill that resembles our all-grain Bohemian Dunkel mash. On its own, this extract makes a deep-amber to dark brown brew of roughly 24 to 29 SRM. Though the foundation malts in these partial and whole extract recipes are “merely” Bavarian, not Czech, our Wenceslas extract brews are not without proper Czech elements. These are furnished by Czech Saaz hops and Czech specialist yeasts.

Horst Dornbusch is the author of several books on German beer and writes “Style Profile” in each issue of BYO.

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King Wenceslas Dunkel

5 gallons/19 L, all-grain; OG = 1.048; FG = 1.012; IBU = 21; SRM = 32; ABV = 4.7%

Ingredients:

• 4.2 lbs. (1.9 kg) Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt (1.5–2.5 °L)
• 5.2 lbs (2.4 kg) Weyermann Munich Malt Type II (9–11°L)
• 14 oz. (0.40 kg) Weyermann Caramunich® Type II (110–130°L)
• 0.1 lbs (0.05 kg) Weyermann Carafa® Special Type I (300–340°L)
• 4.1 AAU Czech Saaz hops (bittering) (1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acid)
• 1 oz. Czech Saaz hops (flavor/aroma)
• 1 package of Wyeast 2278 (Czech Pils), White Labs WLP800 (Pils), or White Labs WLP802 (Czech Budejovice Lager); or 0.7 oz. (20 g) dried Fermentis Saflager W-34/70
• 1 cup light dried malt extract (for priming)

Step by Step:

Dough in at about 122 °F (50 °C) and let the mash rest for 30 minutes. Then infuse the mash with near-boiling water, while stirring to avoid hot spots. Infuse until the mash reaches a temperature of about 144 °F (62 °C). Give the mash a 20-minute rest. Repeat the infusion to raise the mash temperature to about 162 °F (72 °C) for another 20-minute rest. Start sparging with near-boiling water until the mash temperature is at 172 °F (78 °C). Then reduce the sparge temperature to the mash-out temperature. Stop the sparge when the kettle gravity is at about 1.044 (11 °P). Boil for 60 minutes. Evaporation losses should raise the density of the wort to the target original gravity of 1.048 (12°P). Add the bittering hops about 20 minutes and the flavor/aroma hops about 40 minutes into the boil.

After shut-down, check the kettle gravity and liquor the wort down if necessary. Let the wort rest about 30 minutes so the trub can settle. Then heat-exchange it to the preferred fermentation temperature of around 53 °F (12 °C). Next, aerate the cool wort and pitch the yeast. Allow about a week for primary fermentation. Rack the brew when the gravity has dropped to about 1.018 (4.5 °P). Then reduce the temperature to 41 °F (5 °C) and let the brew lager for three or four weeks. After a final racking, pressurize it in a Cornelius keg for about two days or add the conditioning agent and bottle it. Store bottles cool for about a week to let the priming agent carbonate the brew. Serve your finished Bohemian Dunkel at about 45 to 50 °F
(7 to 10 °C).

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King Wenceslas Dunkel

5 gallons/19 L, extract-plus-grain; OG = 1.048; FG = 1.012; IBU = 21; SRM = 32; ABV =  4.7%

Ingredients

• 4.0 lbs. (1.8 kg) Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner liquid malt extract
• 4.0 lbs (1.8 kg) Weyermann Munich Malt Type II (9–11°L)
• 14 oz. (0.40 kg) Weyermann Caramunich® Type II (110–130°L)
• 0.1 lbs (0.05 kg) Weyermann Carafa® Special Type I (300–340°L)
• 4.1 AAU Czech Saaz hops (bittering) (1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acid)
• 1 oz. Czech Saaz hops (flavor/aroma)
• 1 package of Wyeast 2278 (Czech Pils), White Labs WLP800 (Pils), or White Labs WLP802 (Czech Budejovice Lager); or 0.7 oz. (20 g) dried Fermentis Saflager W-34/70
• 1 cup light dried malt extract (for priming)

Step by Step

Crack or coarsely mill the 5.0 lbs (2.3 kg) of specialty grains and divide them into three steeping bags. In your brew kettle, heat about 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water to about 180 °F (82 °C). Steep the grains in the liquid for about an hour. Lift, rinse each with 2 cups of cold water, and discard. Add another 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water and bring the liquid to a boil. Shut off and stir in the malt extract. Bring back to a boil. During the 60-minute boil, add the two hops additions as described in the all-grain instructions. At the end of the boil, check and adjust the gravity. Then follow the remaining steps from the all-grain recipe.

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King Wenceslas Dunkel

5 gallons/19 L, extract only; OG = 1.048; FG = 1.012; IBU = 21; SRM = 32; ABV =  4.7%

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb (1.0 kg) Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner liquid malt extract
• 5.0 lb (2.3 kg) Weyermann Bavarian Dunkel liquid malt extract
• 4.1 AAU Czech Saaz hops (bittering) (1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acid)
• 1 oz. Czech Saaz hops (flavor/aroma)
• 1 package of Wyeast 2278 (Czech Pils), White Labs WLP800 (Pils), or White Labs WLP802 (Czech Budejovice Lager); or 0.7 oz. (20 g) dried Fermentis Saflager W-34/70
• 1 cup light dried malt extract (for priming)

Step by Step

Bring about 4 gallons (15 L) of water to a boil. Shut off and stir in the two malt extracts. Bring back to a boil. During the 60-minute boil, add the two hops additions as described in the all-grain instructions. At the end of the boil, check and adjust the gravity. Then follow the remaining steps from the all-grain recipe.