Paperback, Beer Of Champions, Lite Lager, California Recipe

1. Crush and heat water

Crush the grains (if needed). Heat 4.0 gal of strike water to 165°F (to account for grain temperature) so that when you dough in the mash temperature will be about 152°F.

2. Mash in

Add the Pilsner malt, flaked rice, light Munich, and Carapils to a sanitized mash tun. Stir thoroughly to avoid dough balls and reach a stable mash temperature of 150–152°F. Hold the mash for 60 minutes to convert starches to fermentable sugars. Maintain gentle recirculation if using a HERMS or RIMS system.

3. Mash out (optional)

If desired, raise mash temperature to 168°F for 5–10 minutes to stop enzymatic activity and improve lautering.

4. Add 0.5 tsp gypsum and 0.25 tsp calcium chloride to strike water before mashing to accentuate hop bitterness and improve mouthfeel. If using local water with high mineral content, adjust or omit additions. Use 3.0 gal of sparge water heated to about 168°F for rinsing the grains.

5. After the mash rests, vorlauf (recirculate) until the runoff is clear, then sparge with the 3.0 gal of 168°F water, collecting enough wort for a boil volume of about 6.5–7.0 gallons (to end with ~5.0 gallons in the fermenter, accounting for evaporation). Leave grain bed to drain; combine and measure pre-boil gravity (expected ~1.038–1.042 for a light lager).

6. Boil and bittering hop

Bring wort to a vigorous boil. With 60 minutes remaining in the boil, add 0.75 oz Magnum hops for bittering. Boil for a total of 60 minutes.

7. Late hops and clarifier

With 10 minutes left in the boil add 0.5 oz Saaz (or Sterling) and 1 tsp Whirlfloc or Irish moss. At flameout add 0.5 oz Saaz for whirlpool aroma (if you plan to whirlpool, add immediately post-boil and let steep at 170–180°F for 15–20 minutes).

8. Cool wort quickly after whirlpool/hop stand to yeast-pitching temperature (see yeast section). A fast chill reduces DMS and preserves hop aroma.

9. Cool wort to 58–62°F for Californian ale/Kolsch-style fermentation or 48–52°F if using true lager yeast and a cold ferment. Transfer cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter, aerate vigorously (oxygenate for lager yeast), then pitch the yeast. If using a liquid yeast, make a starter sized appropriately (or rehydrate dry yeast per manufacturer instructions).

10. Primary fermentation: Hold temperature at 58–65°F for a clean, fast ferment with ale/California strains for 5–7 days until activity slows and final gravity approaches target (~1.008–1.012 depending on attenuation). If fermenting as a lager, ferment warmer for 3–7 days to start (50–55°F), then perform a diacetyl rest at 60–65°F for 1–2 days, then lager (cold crash) at 34–40°F for 2–4 weeks to clarify and mellow.

11. Measure gravity to confirm final gravity and stability before packaging.

12. If bottling, dissolve 3.25 oz (approx. 92 g) corn sugar in 1 cup boiling water, cool, and mix gently with the fermented beer in a bottling bucket. Bottle and cap. For kegging, carbonate to ~2.5 volumes CO2 via kegging system. Allow bottles to condition at room temperature for 10–14 days, then chill and test carbonation.

13. Chill beer before serving. Serve cold in a clean pint glass. Expect a light gold color, low to moderate hop aroma (Saaz-like noble character), crisp light body from flaked rice and dextrin malt, and an easy-drinking finish. Typical ABV ~4.0% (depends on mash efficiency).