German Beer 2 Recipe

Hey there, fellow brew enthusiasts! Let me take you on an epic journey into the world of homebrewing with my latest liquid adventure: a delightful German ale that’ll make your taste buds dance with joy. 🍻💃 Grab your brew kits and get ready to transform some humble ingredients into a frothy masterpiece that screams ‘prosit’ with every sip!

Creating recipes that bring out the true flavors of Germany is something I love to do, and my German Beer 2 recipe is a perfect example. It uses a mixture of light malt extract, Munich malt, and crystal malt to pull together a really rich, malty profile that doesn’t go overboard in the sweetness department and has enough body to make it incredibly satisfying.

Hallertau and Tettnang hops lend a perfect balance of bitterness and aroma to the equation.

German Beer 2 Recipe Ingredients

• Light Malt Extract: Provides essential carbohydrates and sugars, adding body and sweetness to the beer.
• Munich Malt: Enhances maltiness with rich flavors, contributing slightly bready, toasted notes.
• Crystal Malt: Adds caramel sweetness and a coppery hue, enhancing beer’s color and complexity.
• Hallertau Hops (Bittering): Offers a mild bitterness, balancing sweetness and adding subtle floral notes.
• Tettnang Hops (Flavor): Imparts a delicate, spicy aroma with herbal undertones for depth.
• German Ale Yeast: Ferments sugars, creating alcohol and developing authentic German beer character.
• Corn Sugar (Priming): Used for carbonation, giving the final beer a crisp, lively finish.

German Beer 2 Recipe Ingredient Quantities

• 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) light malt extract
• 1.0 lb (0.45 kg) crushed Munich malt
• 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) crushed crystal malt
• 2.0 oz (56 g) Hallertau hops (bittering)
• 1.0 oz (28 g) Tettnang hops (flavor)
• 1.0 oz (28 g) Hallertau hops (aroma)
• 1 packet German ale yeast
• 5.0 oz (140 g) corn sugar (priming)
• 5.0 gallons (19 liters) water

How to Make this German Beer 2 Recipe

1. Start by soaking the crushed Munich and crystal malts in 1 gallon (
3.8 liters) of water, held at 150-160°F (65-71°C), for 30 minutes. Keep the grains contained in a grain bag.

2. Take the bag of grains out and let it pour into the pot. Don’t push the bag.

3. Place the light malt extract into the pot and stir until it has completely dissolved. Bring the liquid to a boil.

4. Once water reaches a rolling boil, introduce
2.0 oz (56 g) of Hallertau hops to the pot for the purpose of imparting bitterness to the final product. Maintain a boil of 60 minutes.

5. At 15 minutes left in the boil, add
1.0 oz (28 g) of Tettnang hops to the wort for the flavor.

6. After the heat is removed, add
1.0 oz (28 g) of Hallertau hops for aroma at the end of the 60-minute boil.

7. Cool the wort quickly using an immersion chiller or ice bath until it is about 70°F (21°C).

8. Sanitize the fermenter. Pour in the cooled wort. Add water to make
5.0 gallons (19 liters) total.

9. Add the German ale yeast to the fermenter, then seal with an airlock. Ferment at 65°F (18°C) for 1-2 weeks until finished.

10. Prepare the beer for bottling by taking
5.0 oz (140 g) of corn sugar and dissolving it in 2 cups of water. This water should be at a rolling boil. Once the sugar has fully dissolved (this should only take a minute or two), cool the solution down to room temperature. In your bottling bucket, combine the cooled priming solution with the beer. Gently mix the two together so as not to oxidize the beer. When priming is done right, you should taste the beer and not be able to tell it has been fermented with corn sugar.

German Beer 2 Recipe Equipment Needed

1. Large pot (brew kettle)
2. Grain bag
3. Thermometer
4. Stirring spoon or paddle
5. Measuring cup
6. Immersion chiller or large container for an ice bath
7. Fermenter with airlock
8. Sanitizer solution or product
9. Bottling bucket
10. Bottles with caps and capper
11. Funnel (optional, for transferring liquids)
12. Measuring spoons (for hops)

FAQ

• Q: Can I substitute the light malt extract with another type?A: Experimenting with various malt extracts is certainly an option, but if you want to maintain a flavor profile that is true to German-style beers, you will want to use light malt extract. It’s a safe bet that malt extract with a higher color rating is going to translate to some sort of alteration in flavor (or multiple alterations) in your finished beer.
• Q: What is the role of corn sugar in this recipe?Corn sugar serves the purpose of priming, which is used to carbonate the beer during the bottling process. It is essential for obtaining the proper amount of fizziness in the finished beer.
• Q: How important is it to use German ale yeast?A: Authentic German beer traits, including delicate fruity flavors, come from traditional German ale yeast (with its many strains). Using another yeast type could significantly alter the taste and aroma.
• Q: What is the total boiling time for the hops?A: Generally, you will simmer the Hallertau bittering hops for around 60 minutes, meld in the Tettnang hops with 15 minutes left on the clock, and combine in the Hallertau aroma hops in the final 5 minutes to guarantee maximum flavor and aroma.
• Q: Can I replace Hallertau and Tettnang hops with other varieties?A: The classic German beer profile requires hops such as Hallertau and Tettnang. However, for a noble hop version of the profile, similar hops such as Saaz or Spalt can serve as alternatives. If you wanted to, you could use them in the same place in a recipe.
• Q: What is the ideal fermentation temperature?A: Target a temperature of about 65-70°F (18-21°C) for fermenting German ale yeast. This range guarantees that proper yeast activity occurs, without any chance of developing off-flavors.

German Beer 2 Recipe Substitutions and Variations

If you’re seeking a slightly different malt profile, you can use pale malt extract instead of light malt extract.
Vienna malt may be substituted for Munich malt for a slight but distinct difference in flavor.
If you cannot find crystal malt, you might try using CaraMunich malt instead. It has a similar sweetness and color.
Sæz hops can replace Hallertau hops for aroma. They give off a slightly spicier note and are a viable substitute. However, not all hops have as diverse a range of flavors and aromas as Sæz or even Hallertau, which can also be replaced by Liberty hops and others.

What this also suggests is that if you’re formulating a recipe and don’t have the hops called for on hand, you can substitute with some diversity of flavor and aroma scale in mind. In short, don’t sweat it too much.
To create a different hop flavor, use Spalt hops in place of Tettnang hops to keep the character distinctly German.

Pro Tips

1. Grain Steeping Tip When steeping the crushed Munich and crystal malts, ensure the grains are fully submerged but avoid temperatures above 160°F (71°C) as this can extract unwanted tannins, which may give the beer an astringent taste.

2. Hop Utilization To maximize the aroma from the final addition of Hallertau hops, consider cooling the wort slightly (to around 170°F or 77°C) before adding them. This technique, known as “hop stand” or “whirlpool hopping,” can enhance hop flavor and aroma without adding bitterness.

3. Cooling Efficiency Speed up the wort cooling process by gently stirring the wort while using the immersion chiller. This increases the contact between the hot wort and the cold coils, reducing cooling time and minimizing the risk of bacterial contamination.

4. Yeast Health Hydrate the German ale yeast according to the manufacturer’s instructions before pitching. This step can help ensure a healthy fermentation by reducing lag time and promoting yeast viability.

5. Sanitization Before bottling, double-check that all equipment, including the fermenter, siphon, and bottles, are thoroughly sanitized. This step is crucial to prevent any potential infection that can spoil the beer and alter its intended flavors.