Dad’s American Lager
All-Grain Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.009
IBU = 16 SRM = 3.3 ABV = 4.8%
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) 6-row pale malt
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) 2-row pale malt, lager malt, or North American Pilsner malt
1 lb. (454 g) flaked corn
1 lb. (454 g) flaked rice
4.5 AAU Hallertauer hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.5% alpha acids)}
White Labs WLP 940 (Mexican Lager), Omega Yeast OYL 113 (Mexican Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash.
This recipe uses an infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb.). Mash in the malts at 150 °F (65 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Begin recirculating, raise the mash temperature to 169 °F (76 °C), and recirculate for 15 minutes.
Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort. Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe.
Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary, then continue to lager for 6–8 weeks at, or close to, 32 °F (0 °C).
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Extract-Only Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.009
IBU = 16 SRM = 3.3 ABV = 4.8%
Ingredients
5.2 lbs. (2.4 kg) extra pale liquid malt extract
10.5 oz. (300 g) corn syrup (without flavorings)
10.5 oz. (300 g) rice syrup
4.5 AAU Hallertauer hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP 940 (Mexican Lager), Omega Yeast OYL 113 (Mexican Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (if priming))
Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).
Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Add the syrups and stir to mix. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated.
Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary, then continue to lager for 6–8 weeks at, or close to, 32 °F (0 °C).
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Recipe Note
Feel free to use an American lager yeast in this recipe — White Labs WLP840, Omega OYL-103, etc. I prefer a yeast that showcases a bit more of a malt profile, even if slightly less traditional.
