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  • Wheat lager

    I know it's not exactly common practice to brew lagers with wheat, but the idea is running through my head and I've come across some examples via the Google machine. Where my problem lies is how to approach building the recipe.

    Do you build it like a hefe with lager yeast or do you build it like a pilsner with a good portion of wheat in the grist?

  • #2
    Originally posted by philm00x View Post
    I know it's not exactly common practice to brew lagers with wheat, but the idea is running through my head and I've come across some examples via the Google machine. Where my problem lies is how to approach building the recipe.

    Do you build it like a hefe with lager yeast or do you build it like a pilsner with a good portion of wheat in the grist?
    I went about 65/35 2row to wheat as i recall. Definitely had wheat taste, with some citrusy hops and lager yeast. Clean and crisp.

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    • #3
      I do a Rye Lager that's basically a Bohemian-ish Pilsner with 25% flaked rye in the mix.
      I got the spark for the idea at a past job, after not noticing until after mashing in that one of my six bags of Pils malt was actually wheat. It came out great, and I kept brewing it that way the rest of the time I worked there.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by philm00x View Post
        I know it's not exactly common practice to brew lagers with wheat, but the idea is running through my head and I've come across some examples via the Google machine. Where my problem lies is how to approach building the recipe.

        Do you build it like a hefe with lager yeast or do you build it like a pilsner with a good portion of wheat in the grist?
        Depends on what you want.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by GoldenArm View Post
          I do a Rye Lager that's basically a Bohemian-ish Pilsner with 25% flaked rye in the mix.
          I got the spark for the idea at a past job, after not noticing until after mashing in that one of my six bags of Pils malt was actually wheat. It came out great, and I kept brewing it that way the rest of the time I worked there.
          Not sure i follow. You added wheat by mistake instead of pils.....in a rye?

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          • #6
            Originally posted by brain medicine View Post
            Not sure i follow. You added wheat by mistake instead of pils.....in a rye?
            He's saying he once accidentally added wheat to a pils at a previous job and it worked out, so that inspired him to create the rye hybrid lager.

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            • #7
              Lager is just a beer brewed with a slow, low temperature yeast. There are IPL which, imo, are just ipl or pale ales with lager yeast. Wheat is just another source of food for yeast.

              Decide on whether you want a clean lager yeast or a bit of esters. You could end up with an interesting beer...

              Also, why not think high bred, as in steam lager?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Brewberosa View Post
                Lager is just a beer brewed with a slow, low temperature yeast. There are IPL which, imo, are just ipl or pale ales with lager yeast. Wheat is just another source of food for yeast.

                Decide on whether you want a clean lager yeast or a bit of esters. You could end up with an interesting beer...

                Also, why not think high bred, as in steam lager?
                Actually, lager just means cold storage. Not all lagered beer uses cold tolerant “bottom” yeast strains. (carlsbergensis/pastorianus, eubayanus, uvarum). Kölsch is the best example. It is an ale (cerevisiae) that is lagered (when made correctly).

                The wheat can pose problems in the turbidity of the beer (think Hefeweizen, wit, etc). Most lagers are expected to be bright due to long lagering times. They are often filtered too. A high wheat component will make filtration more difficult and your end product will probably remain hazy and less stable (comparatively). Using well malted wheat or a more complex mashing procedure would help avoid these issues (but could present head retention issues).

                High percentages of wheat may require the addition of amylase enzymes for proper conversion as they are not as abundant in the wheat as the barley. You may also want to use rice hulls or possibly a modified mash schedule to reduce glucan for better collection/efficiency.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by NS_Nano View Post
                  He's saying he once accidentally added wheat to a pils at a previous job and it worked out, so that inspired him to create the rye hybrid lager.
                  Right, exactly. Sorry if that was confusing.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by UnFermentable View Post
                    The wheat can pose problems in the turbidity of the beer (think Hefeweizen, wit, etc). Most lagers are expected to be bright due to long lagering times. They are often filtered too. A high wheat component will make filtration more difficult and your end product will probably remain hazy and less stable (comparatively). Using well malted wheat or a more complex mashing procedure would help avoid these issues (but could present head retention issues).
                    So in that case build like a hefe.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by philm00x View Post
                      I know it's not exactly common practice to brew lagers with wheat, but the idea is running through my head and I've come across some examples via the Google machine. Where my problem lies is how to approach building the recipe.

                      Do you build it like a hefe with lager yeast or do you build it like a pilsner with a good portion of wheat in the grist?
                      Curious

                      What did you go with in the end?

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