Brewer’s Log: First Brew Day of 2005 — Marzen!

Posted at 11:34 am by Patrick under Brewer's Recipe Book, Home Brewing

Every new year brings about resolutions that we tend to forget about somewhere around the 20th of January. Usually, I’m guilty as charged. This year, I was determined to keep one of my big 2005 resolutions — to brew my first lager. So last night, Sean and I did just that. He brewed a bock, and I fired up a Marzen.

This style originiated in Germany in the 19th century as and is traditionally brewed for spring comsumption (März is the month March in German). it is also the de facto style consumed during spring fests in Germany. Since I am of German heritage, and my birthday is in March, it seemed fitting to brew a Marzen.

Using guidance from Oktoberfest, Vienna, Marzen, I forumlated the following recipe for my first lager attempt:

For 10 gallons, 85% efficiency:
9.1 lbs 2-row German pilsner malt
6.0 oz Crystal 60
6.0 oz Crystal 105
6.0 oz Caramel malt

1.5 oz Tettnang hops (leaf)
0.5 oz Saaz hops (leaf)
0.25 oz Hallertauer hops (leaf)

Mash in at 153 degrees for 60 minutes. (My actual temp as 150 — a little lower than I wanted)

Add 1.5 oz of Tettnang when boiling starts. At 45 minutes ad Irish moss. At 50 minutes, add the Saaz and Hallertauer. Knockout and pitch with Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager.

Expected OG: 1.056
IBUs: 25

Brewing notes
My mash extract efficiency was only 82% — a little lower than I was hoping. It probably serves me right for a formulation based on efficiency that high! Should’ve stuck with 80% and had a little more extract. I also didn’t collect quite enough wort to begin with. I collected 7 gallons, but ended up with 4.75 rather than a full 5 gallons in the fermenter.

It is bubbling away at 52F right now — we’ll see how this turns out in 8 weeks.

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