Thursday, February 11, 2010

Thirsting for Bamberg: Smoked Helles Redux



This recipe is inspired by a singular beer: Schlenkerla Helles. This is the only non-smoked beer made by the Schlenkerla brewery, but because of the residual smoked malt from the brewing equipment and the yeast pitch, this beer has a pleasant smoky flavor. It's a perfect "entry-level" smoked beer. Many of the smokier beers like Schlenkerla Marzen are an acquired taste (and believe me, I've acquired it).



This batch is my second go around on a smoked helles, with very little changes from the first batch. I added a little munich malt for color and background flavor, and carapils for foam stability. One thing I noticed about the Schlenkerla Helles last time I tried it is a more bitter, firm finish than my homebrew. That bears out when looking at the 30 IBU's they claim. But I like my recipe where it's at, and I'm not trying to make an exact clone. The name of this beer comes from the fact that I first served it last year at my 30th birthday party. 31 is coming up!

"30 Rauch"
Recipe is for 7 gallons pre-boil, 6 gallons post-boil, all grain
1.051 O.G. 22 IBU's

6.75 lb. Weyermann Pils malt
1.75 lb. Rauchmalt
.5 lb. munich malt
.25 lb. aromatic malt
.25 lb. cara-pils malt

39 gr. Halltertau pellets 3.9% AA 60 minutes

Mash: 4.5 gallons H20 + 2 gr. gypsum + 2 gr. calcium chloride
153 for 60 minutes

Sparge with 4.5 gallons + 2 gr. gypsum + 2 gr. calcium chloride at 168

Collect 7 gallons at 1.044 = 86% efficiency
Boil 90 minutes
Wyeast nutrient and whirlfloc at 10 minutes
Chill to 50 using plate chiller over 40 minutes
Oxygen for 2 minutes
Pitch .75 cups thick slurry of Wyeast 2124 from Pilsner
Ferment at 50-52 degrees


1 comment:

Chillindamos said...

I had a Schlenkerla Bock for the first time on draft a couple of months ago. I never knew one could drink a campfire!