Homebrew recipe: Lager
Lager is fermented at a lower temperature than traditional beers (to prevent yeast by-products), since most yeasts fall dormant at cooler temperatures ensure proper lager yeast is used and appreciate fermentation will take a little longer
Ingredients:
The following ingredient quantities are based on 5 gallon(s) of beer being made.
| Item |
Quantity |
Comment |
| crystal malt |
8 ounce(s) |
|
| hallertau hops |
3.5 ounce(s) |
(dried) |
| inverted sugar |
5 pound(s) |
|
| malt extract |
2 pound(s) |
|
| yeast #2178 lager blend |
|
As directed |
Instructions
- Put most the hops (approx three quarters) and one fifth (1 gallon for 5 gallons)
of the water into a large pan and bring to the boil. Add the crystal malt and
simmer for about 40 minutes stirring gently occasionally.
- Now put half the sugar and half the malt extract in a fermentation bin
and strain in half of the hopped solution and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Now add cold water until the temperature drops to around 60°F/ 15.5°.
- Repeat step two for the remaining hopped solution, sugar and malt extract
into a separate container. Once done, add this second batch of mixture into your fermenting bin and top up to
9/10’s with water (i.e. 4.5 gallons for 5 gallons).
- Now pitch in the yeast, add the remaining hops and cover the fermentation bin
with a lid or clean cloth and store the bin in a temperature between 45°
and 50°F (7° to 10°C). Take care to ensure these limits are not
exceeded (NB: higher fermentation temperatures will encourage unwanted yeast
byproducts – esters, fusel alcohols, and diacetyl, all of which are
inappropriate in lagers).
- Wait for the initial fermentation to cease (leave for a few days), then
add sufficient warm water to reach the final volume and now ferment the wort.
Due to the lower temperatures for lager than traditional beers leave the fermentation
for anything up to a month, but regularly check the specific gravity daily
until a reading of 1.004 or less is reached.
- Once ready siphon the lager into demi-johns, fit airlocks and store at
55°F (13°C) for up to two weeks.
- Once properly settled, siphon the lager into bottles until 3-4cm clear from the top,
prime with sugar (castor or a solution), cap as desired and shake the bottles
well to ensure sugar is dissolved.
- Store at 55°F (13°C) for six weeks or more and serve chilled.
Beer making equipment
See our detailed list of beer making equipment (covers basic essentials and more advanced equipment for the experienced homebrewer).