The lawnmower beer.
Grain Bill / Fermentables
- 4.9 lbs 2-Row Pale Malt
- 5 lbs 6-Row Pale Malt
- 5 lbs Flaked Maize
- 1.2 lbs Pilsner Malt
- 0.5 lbs Caramel 10
Hops
- 1 oz Galena (13.8AA)
Yeast (Split Batch)
- Mangrove Jack’s M54 Californian Lager
- Mangrove Jack’s M84 Bohemian Lager
Other
- Citric Acid
- Whirlfloc
- Yeast Nutrient
Target Stats
- 11 Gallons
- OG 1.042
- FG 1.009
- ABV 4.32%
- IBU 21.12
- SRM 2.8
Final Stats
- 11 Gallons
- OG 1.044 Tilts (1.050 hydrometer)
- M54
- FG 1.004 Tilt (1.009 Hydrometer)
- ABV 5.25%
- M84
- FG 1.007 Tilt (1.013 Hydrometer)
- ABV 4.86%
- 78% Efficiency
Prior to Brew Day
Collect water to allow chlorine to dissipate.
Brew Day
Heat 10 gallons of water to 156°.
Gently dough in grains until all grain is covered by water.
Mash grains at 149° for 1.25 hours.
Remove grain bag, rinse with 4 gallons of water and allow grains to drain, resulting in 12 gallons of wort.
Bring wort to a boil.
Add 0.75 oz Galena hops and continue boil for 55 minutes.
Add 0.25 oz Galena hops, yeast nutrient and whilfloc tablet and continue boil for 5 minutes. (This is a good time to drop in the wort chiller and rehydrydate the yeast.)
Once wort temperature reaches 68°, take OG reading and continue to reduce wort temperature to 50°.
Sufficiently aerate and transfer to primary fermenters.
Pitch yeast packets into each fermenters.
Lager, rest and enjoy!
Notes:
- March 3, 2019, Brew Day
- Added 1/2 tsp citric acid to drop pH to 5.23
- Pitched yeast at 68°
- 30 hours
- 40 hours
- M84 – 1.024 (Started raising the carboy temperature 5 degrees every 12 hours to 68°.)
- M54 – 1.038
- 64 hours
- M84 – 1.012
- M54 – 1.032
- 88 hours
- M84 – 1.008
- M54 – 1.024
- 6 days
- M84 – 1.007 – Krausen has dropped out and beer is starting to clear.
- M54 – 1.007 – Small krausen, which resembles a baking yeast foam, remains. Beer is clearing under the remaining krausen.
- 13 days, kegged!
- M84 – 1.004 – Beer is clearing and gravity has dropped resulting in a 5.25% ABV. This is quite a bit stronger than the lawnmower beer I was shooting for. 🙂
- M54 – 1.007 – Beer has naturally cleared and gravity has not changed in a week.
- 3 weeks, both versions are good, however I currently prefer the Bohemian lager. I also would not add any crystal malts in future versions.