Spiced Dark Lager

[mashani]

Something to drink in March/April perhaps when it's still chilly. Wish I could have brewed this a month or two ago but it wasn't cold enough for me to do a lager yet.

AG BIAB, I was targeting 2.5 gallons, but it ended up 2.6 because I don't normally do 90 minute boils and totally botched my boil off numbers. Oh well. Hopefully it doesn't explode my LBC

3.5# Belgian Pilsner. Yes, I actually mashed Pilsner. I never do that, but I had lots of time today.
2# German Munich
6oz Special B (200L)
3oz 60L Crystal
2oz British Chocolate Malt (480L)

Mashed that at 154.

Added 4oz 90L Candi Syrup

90 minute boil

3/4oz Meridian hops @60 (6.7% AA)
1/2oz Meridian hops @20

spices @1, keeping subtle
0.75g cinnamon
0.5g dry ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of allspice
pinch of cardamom

The meridian will add some berry to enhance the "sugar plum" flavors I should get from the special B/crystal and candi syrup along with some sweet citrus too. Seemed like a good way to use those up.

OG was 1.062

About 40 IBUs.

I pitched 1 full pack and 3/4ths of a second pack of S-23 into this, as they were getting a bit old. Based on Mr. Malty it was an appropriate pitch rate. I just chucked the rest of the S-23, don't know what I'd do with it.

It should ferment around 57 which is a good place to be with S-23. I like S-23 warmer then colder, it gets weird fermented really cool.

I'm going to make 5 gallons of straight up Maibock sometime in January when it's a bit colder here I think. I am craving Maibock.

[jimjohson]

Be careful with the Allspice. Real easy to use to much.

[mashani]

I used only a pinch of it, which I know will be fine. IE if I was to have measured it, it would have been something like 1/16th to 1/24th of a tsp or less. Based on previous spiced beers, it should just be a background flavor.

It's rip roaring in the fermenter right now, and so far my lid hasn't blown off. I don't recall S-23 being a huge krausen making machine, so maybe the 2.6 gallons isn't going to kill me.

[mashani]

I bottled this already. It fermented 58-59, so it didn't take long to finish. It didn't need a d-rest. I will stick it in a cool corner of the basement, and let it lager in the bottles for a good while.

Didn't have too much spice, tasted fine. Could have stood up to more actually at least at this tasting. We will see in a few months.

[mashani]

Cracked this. Has some Lemon, Orange and Raspberry like notes from the Meridian hops. Bit of sugar plums from the dark crystal malts. Spices when refrigerator cold combined with the carbonation makes the beer come across as more bitter then I intended, but as it warms up the malt shines more and they blend in and become pleasant. All my other tastes before was at room temperature and more or less flat. Amazing how much those simple things can change your perception.

I'm happy with this, just need to remember to let it warm up a bit before taking that first sip.

[Gman20]

success!!! brewed tonight myself just waiting for wort to cool a lil more before pitching my yeast

[mashani]

Your a brave soul brewing up this before I even tried it LOL.