Gordon Strong’s Rice Lager
All-Grain Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.043 FG = 1.004
IBU = 20 SRM = 3 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
6.5 lbs. (3 kg) U.S. Pilsner-type malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) flaked rice
8 oz. (227 g) corn sugar (15 min.)
½ tsp. Amylex 4T liquid alpha amylase enzyme
4.6 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 14% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (10 min.)
SafLager W-34/70, LalBrew Diamond, Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) 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 or lactic acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride and ½ tsp. of calcium sulfate to the mash along with the alpha amylase enzyme.
This recipe uses an infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash in the malt and rice at 146 °F (63 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Begin recirculating, then 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. Adjust pH to 5.0 with lactic acid, if necessary.
Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. Add the corn sugar with 15 minutes remaining in the boil. At the end of the boil, let wort settle, then begin chilling.
Chill the wort to 54 °F (12 °C), then pitch the yeast (aerate if using a liquid strain), and ferment for five days at this temperature. If your system allows you to be able to dump the trub and settled proteins, do so after fermentation is confirmed to be active (alternatively, you can rack to a secondary fermenter). After five days, allow the yeast to free rise to 65 °F (18 °C) until complete. Rack to a new fermenter and lager for 2 months at 32 °F (0 °C). Adjust pH to 4.2 with lactic acid, if necessary.
Rack the beer, prime, and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.6 v/v.
Extract-Only Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.043 FG = 1.004
IBU = 20 SRM = 3 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
4.2 lbs. (1.9 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) rice syrup solids
8 oz. (227 g) corn sugar
½ tsp. Amylex 4T liquid alpha amylase enzyme
4.6 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 14% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (10 min.)
SafLager W-34/70, LalBrew Diamond, Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) 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, rice syrup, corn sugar, and enzymes; then stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Adjust the pH to 5.0 with lactic acid, if necessary. Hold at this temperature for 15 minutes then turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. At the end of the boil, let wort settle, then begin chilling. Chill the wort to 54 °F (12 °C), pitch the yeast (aerate if using a liquid strain), then top off to 5.25 gallons (20 L). Follow the all-grain instructions for the fermentation and packaging guidance.
