Vienna Lager: Brewing the Austrian Beer Style Rescued by Mexico
Who knew a Vienna-style lager would change my life? The year was 1990 and a friend and I were on a weekend getaway to ride roller coasters at Kings Island amusement park outside Cincinnati, Ohio. On the drive there, the skies opened and rain came crashing down, effectively eliminating the amusement park from that day’s plans. Instead, we spotted a highway sign pointing us to a brewery called Oldenberg, just across the Ohio border in the small town of Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Making mostly German-style beers, Oldenberg offered a brewery tour followed by a sampling of the beers. One sip of their flagship offering, a Vienna-style lager named OPV (Oldenberg Premium Verum), turned out to be a life-changing experience.
From that day forward, I was hooked on this thing then called “microbrew.” After my initial introduction to OPV, I began to seek out new beers anywhere and everywhere. My interest became a passion — almost an obsession. Today, I write this article as a former professional brewer, a Beer Judge Certification Program master judge, and Certified Cicerone who is currently authoring a beer book about the Phoenix, Arizona beer scene. My extensive beer journey started with that accidental encounter with a Vienna lager. If you’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing the style, I suggest you try one. It may change your life too.
– Dave Clark
What is a Vienna lager?
Reddish-amber in color, the bottom-fermented Vienna lager was founded in 1841 near the city bearing its name. Created by Anton Dreher, Brewmaster/Owner of The Schwechat Brewery, Dreher’s new approach to brewing changed the way people thought about beer — but more on that later.
Constructed with a depth of malt flavor, subtle hopping, and a clean, crisp finish, Vienna lager is a style that virtually died out in its land of origin, then found a rebirth halfway around the world with a whole new interpretation of the style.
Mild bitterness and subtle flavor from Bavarian noble hops balance the developed malt profile. A lager beer, free of esters and other fermentation characteristics, this medium-bodied and moderately carbonated beer is packed with flavor, yet easy drinking and a fantastic complement to many dishes.
Creation of a New Style
Klein Schwechat, a town located southeast of Austria’s capital city of Vienna, was the home of Schwechat Brewery since 1796. Owned and operated by Franz Anton Dreher, this unassuming brewery produced traditional beers for the locals. Upon Franz Dreher’s untimely death in 1820, ownership of the brewery was passed along to his young son, Anton Dreher.
It was years before Anton came of age and learned the skills needed to take over control of the brewery, but when he eventually did in 1836, he maximized his opportunity. Fully immersing himself in his brewing studies, Dreher had a passion for learning and was always looking for new ways to improve through innovation.
Just as brewers interact with each other today to learn new techniques and best practices, it was no different in Dreher’s day. At his relatively young age, Dreher was more than willing to strike up relationships with others in the field to hone his craft. A kinship was struck with Gabriel Sedlmayr, Brewmaster/Owner of the Munich-based Spaten Brewery. The two became fast friends and often traveled together to learn what they could in other brewing centers around Europe.
News spread regarding groundbreaking malt-kilning techniques happening in England that produced malts that resulted in paler beer styles with entirely new flavors. Prior to the kilning discovery, beers of this time were typically dark colored, often made in the dunkel style. Since most kilning was done over direct fire, the resulting malt was usually dark and often smoky.
It’s been speculated in various texts that the two young brewmasters performed “covert reconnaissance” traveling to England to see what they could learn about this new malt-kilning technique. Whether it was a secret mission or simply a case of brewers sharing information as they do today, the two brewers came away with new knowledge that gave them the ability to create beers unlike any created in their respective homelands previously.
Armed with his new knowledge, Dreher and Sedlmayr returned to their native lands and learned to kiln Vienna and Munich malt, respectively.
Certain historical time periods have seen explosions of progress in various fields. The early 1900s were known for huge advancements in the automobile industry, just as the 1960s were notorious for space exploration. It was the early 1840s that changed the beer landscape forever.
Vienna lager created quite a following at home and abroad. Making an immediate impact with its lighter color, bready, rich maltiness (and lack of smoky character), Vienna lager quickly became an overnight sensation in the region.
Around the same time, Gabriel Sedlmayr’s Märzen was making waves nearby in Bavaria. Named after the month in which it was brewed (March), Märzen was Sedlmayr’s interpretation of what he learned from his trip to Britain. Like Dreher’s Vienna lager, Sedlmayr’s Märzen was an instant hit. These new styles opened the minds and palates of European beer drinkers, which ushered in the industry-changing Pilsner beer style that debuted in 1842 when German Brewmaster Josef Groll introduced the beer named after the city in which it was created, Plzen.
In about one year’s time, innovating brewmasters in three neighboring countries created three very non-traditional beer styles that left a lasting impact on the brewing world that still resonates to this day.
As the world’s original pale lager, Pilsner was substantially and significantly different from all other beer styles of the time. However, Vienna and Märzen lagers shared many similarities. Both styles were malt-dominant, brewed from kilned grains that produced melanoidin-rich flavors. Both employed locally-grown noble hops. Similar in body, carbonation, and color, both styles also worked well with traditional European cuisine.
The Märzens of Munich were brewed to pack a little bit of a punch, with an ABV often falling in the 5.5–6% range, upwards of a full percentage point stronger than the Viennas that ranged from 4.7%–5.5%. Brewers of Vienna had a slightly heavier hand when it came to flavor hop additions with bitterness levels approaching 30 IBU. Märzens often landed around 20 IBUs and peaked at 25. The slightly drier Vienna malt and extra 5 IBUs created a beer with a crisper finish compared to some lingering sweetness in the Märzen.
Many modern day examples of Vienna lagers, especially those brewed in Mexico, are not decocted and employ adjuncts, usually corn, resulting in an entirely different character than the rich, malt-derived flavors originally intended by Anton Dreher. Relying on the adjuncts for much of the flavor profile, these beers are typically sweeter and lighter in body, with much less developed malt flavor.
Vienna Lager in the New World
Vienna lager was like a shooting star in its home country. Instantly becoming the drink of choice for locals, it would soon thereafter defer to the much more popular Pilsner, and to a lesser degree Märzen, before essentially disappearing in its homeland about 60 years after its creation.
The rise of popular pale styles such as Pilsner, helles, and Dortmunder began to de-emphasize the preference for the toasted malt character found in Vienna lagers in favor of a lighter, grainy flavor.
Besides beer drinkers’ shifting palates, changes in brewing practice also contributed to the decline of Vienna lagers. Anton Dreher maintained high standards for the ingredients used in his beers. At the time, it was quite common to use lower quality barley in the production of colored malts like Vienna. Dreher refused to accept this practice in his brewery, resulting in higher quality beer and continued popularity.
After Dreher’s death, sourcing quality malts became more of a luxury rather than a requirement, resulting in Austrian brewers adopting lower quality malts in favor of higher profit margins. This practice can also be attributed to the decline of consumer interest in Vienna lagers.
Destined to become an extinct style, it took some political upheaval halfway across the world to serendipitously revive the Vienna style in a newly-imagined, adjunct-laden take on the style commonly known as Mexican lager.
By the late 19th century, immigration to the United States had grown significantly with Europeans drawn by the freedoms and opportunities offered in the New World. The decline of the Austrian empire and its rebirth as a dual monarchy consisting of co-equal Austrian and Hungarian states in 1867 contributed to an exodus of people from the region. The French Intervention in Mexico resulted in the Archduke of Austria, Ferdinand Maximilian Josef Habsburg, being installed as emperor and opened a second front of Austrian immigrants to Central America.
Some of those leaving Austria were the very brewers that contributed to the history of Vienna-style beers. Many settled in the American Southwest and Mexico looking to employ their brewing traditions in an area devoid of an established brewing culture as found in the more developed areas of the United States East Coast. These immigrant brewers attempted to recreate their beloved beer styles in this new, warmer climate but without much success. Lacking an abundance of natural ice, especially in the Southwest United States, lager beer quality suffered until refrigeration became more widespread in the 1880s.
Santiago Graf, an immigrant brewer, founded a brewery in the hills of Toluca, Mexico. Realizing the futility of employing lager brewing practices, he settled on creating beers with top fermenting ale yeast. This process resulted in the first quality beers produced in the southwest. Eventually, Graf invested in an absorption ice machine that he imported from Germany to focus on creating lagers, including a reinterpretation of the Vienna style, in the New World.
Much like Anton Dreher, Graf believed in using the finest quality ingredients in the production of his beers. Forgoing American hops due to their reputation for harsh flavors, he imported his hops and malts from Europe. His use of high-quality ingredients coupled with modern refrigeration yielded lagers that Mexico had not experienced before and they quickly became popular.
Graf is credited with incorporating a small amount of black malt in his Vienna lagers, resulting in a version on the darker end of the style’s spectrum. Modern day Mexican versions have become lighter and sweeter due to the increased use of adjuncts in the grist. It is likely adjunct usage was incorporated into these modern versions as both a cost savings and method to increase drinkability.
In the burgeoning American craft beer movement begun in the 1980s, brewers revived classic Old World beer styles, including Vienna lager, in an attempt to diversify the bland macro lager landscape that existed at the time. One of the most popular and prolific Vienna lagers to come out of this revival is Samuel Adams Boston Lager.
New craft breweries continue to find inspiration in traditional lagers with many producing Vienna styles. Many “classic examples” of Vienna lagers known today are of American or Mexican origin. Popular American examples include Great Lakes Brewing Eliot Ness, Devil’s Backbone Vienna Lager, and Sierra Nevada Vienna. Popular Mexican examples include Negra Modelo Lager, Victoria, and Dos Equis Amber.
Brewing Vienna Lager
The malt bill is based around Vienna malt, first and foremost. At the brewer’s discretion, the base of Vienna can be augmented with the use of Pilsner malts and smaller percentages of character malts such as Caravienne®, Caramunich®, Caraamber®, Carafa®, dark Munich, or even small amounts of wheat.
The hops are meant to complement the complex character of the Vienna malt, giving the beer a crisp dryness that is refreshing on the palate. Low alpha German or Czech noble hops suffice. A moderate hop bitterness addition and a lighter flavor hop addition creates the necessary character.
The key to a good Vienna is balance between the flavorful malt character and a palate-friendly, medium body that produces an ease of drinkability. Decoction will produce a desired, deep malt character for brewers willing to go through the time and trouble. Otherwise, additions of Caravienne, Caramunich, or Melanoidin malts can replicate that character to some degree.
Employing a double decoction makes sense starting in the lower beta-amylase range of about 144 °F (62 °C). Take about a third of the thickest part of the mash and boil it for 20 minutes, then reintroduce into the main mash, effectively raising the temperature to 154 °F (68 °C) for alpha amylase conversion. Perform a second decoction for another 20 minutes. Reintroducing the second decoction should help you achieve a 168 °F (76 °C) mash out temperature.
For those who may only have the ability to work with a single infusion mash, attain a temperature on the lower side of the mash range to ensure significant beta-amylase conversion to enhance full fermentability, 149–150 °F (65 C) will work just fine. Mash for at least 30 minutes, or until you’ve confirmed that all starches have been converted through an iodine test. Raise to 168 °F (76 C) for mash out, collect wort, and finish by sparging. Sparge with water that has a lower pH to avoid any possibility of tannin extraction.
This style of beer benefits from a very loose mash, with a water-to-grain ratio of about 3-to-1. This way, most of your wort comes from the initial mash and requires a much shorter sparge period.
Fresh, viable German lager yeast is the clear choice at a pitching rate at least double that of an ale. Chill the wort quickly to 48–50 °F (9–10 °C), pitch yeast, and oxygenate thoroughly. It’s acceptable to let temperatures rise a few degrees during primary fermentation. Once activity slows, let the beer free rise to 56 °F (13 °C) to begin a diacetyl rest. After about two weeks of total fermentation time, slowly lower the temperatures about 2 °F (1 °C) per day until you reach 40 °F (4 °C). At this time, transfer into a lagering vessel and lower to a good lagering temperature of about 34 °F (1 °C) or lower. Giving the beer a solid four weeks of lagering time will help develop the complex flavors of the beer while providing a very clear, reddish-amber beer.
Carbonation for Vienna lagers should be about 2.5 volumes to accentuate the crispness and drinkability of the beer. Vienna lagers are best served at 45 °F (7 °C) in nonic pints or Pilsner glasses, which accentuate the best characteristics of the beer. A wonderful complement to many different cuisines, the style pairs perfectly with wienerschnitzel, bratwurst, roasted chicken, or even pepperoni pizza. Wearing lederhosen or a dirndl while consuming Vienna lagers is not required, but certainly adds to the experience.
The Pros Weigh In
Arguably the most true-to-style version of a traditional Vienna lager comes from Brewmaster Jason Oliver of Virginia’s Devils Backbone Brewing Company. Falling in love with lagers while attending UC-Davis in 1998, the history major revered the way classic lagers were ingrained in the Germanic and Czech cultures. Having brewed at two German-inspired breweries prior to joining Devils Backbone, Oliver’s gravitation toward German brews came naturally. Looking to brew a variation on the more common Märzen style, Oliver crafted his award-winning Vienna Lager. “I thought Viennas were a little leaner, crisper and slightly less ABV; they give you a lot but don’t take anything from you,” Oliver said.
Oliver employs a step mash, beginning at protein-rest mash temperatures, then immediately heating to activate beta amylase. This is followed by raising the temperature again to activate alpha amylase before mashing out.
Oliver carbonates his beer through spunding, a traditional practice of capturing natural carbonation by trapping escaping CO2 during fermentation. Employed in all of Devils Backbone’s beers, spunding is activated when fermentation is 2⁄3 complete. At that point, the escape valve is sealed, capturing remaining CO2. Allowing the beer to rise another 1–2 °F (0.5–1 °C) after the cap is placed results in the right amount of natural carbonation.
A rule of thumb Oliver employs during fermentation is to maintain 10 days over 50 °F (10 °C). “Fermentation (is) like a bell-shaped curve, ten days over 10 °C (50 °F) is a good marker to go for,” he said.
Andy Tveekrem has held the title of Brewmaster throughout his career, getting his start at Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio before heading to Maryland to run the operations at Frederick Brewing Company and Dogfish Head Brewing Company in Delaware. Andy came back to Cleveland and co-founded Market Garden Brewery, virtually across the street from the brewery where he got his start.
“I love Vienna lagers because they have a beautiful depth of color and flavor. It’s one of the best beer styles for pairing with food since it is balanced between malt and hop flavor, and the malt flavors are rich in toasty, biscuity character. For our Boss Amber Lager, I wanted to create a beer that would be distinct from our neighbor across the street (The Eliot Ness Amber at Great Lakes Brewing Company). Boss Amber is lower in alcohol and has a drier, more toasted malt finish. It’s a great session beer,” said Tveekrem.
Andy has a few preferential ingredients that give his beer its unique quality, including adding 9.5% biscuit malt to the grist. “Biscuit malt is a highly flavorful malt that needs to be used judiciously to avoid taking over the malt profile. But when used properly, it lends a nice . . . drum roll . . . biscuity note,” he said.
He has a very specific preference for hops, as well. “Originally, we used Saaz hops but now we use Hallertau Tradition sourced from the Euringer family hop farm in the Hallertau region. The target is 30 IBU for bitterness and these hops provide a nice residual hop flavor and aroma that perfectly complements the malt flavor,” said Tveekrem.
It’s an interesting contrast comparing the 30 IBUs in Tveekrem’s recipe with Oliver’s malt-forward 18 IBU — two numbers that fall on each end of the acceptable range for the style.
On the other side of the country, two Phoenix, Arizona area breweries compete regularly for local supremacy. McFate Brewing of Scottsdale and Pedal Haus Brewery of Tempe both make outstanding interpretations of the style.
Using Weyermann products, namely a combination of Pilsner and Vienna malts, McFate’s Head Brewer Adam Schmeichel produces a light, easy-drinking Vienna in the modern Mexican style. Schmeichel believes the beauty of a Mexican-style Vienna lager is that it’s “way less of everything” compared to a traditional Vienna. “The beers have similar coloring, but quite a bit less of the toasty/caramel malt background. In Arizona, a Mexican-version is the better option since it’s lighter in body compared to a traditional Vienna lager,” he said.
The style, he says, takes careful attention during fermentation. “Controlling temperature is key . . . Keeping it between 48–50 °F (9–10 °C) is the sweet spot. Once you get past 52 °F (11 °C) you start to introduce fruity character into the beer,” he said.
Arguably the Phoenix area’s most revered brewer, Derek “Doc” Osborne, crafts a masterful Vienna lager at Tempe’s Pedal Haus Brewery, a popular brewpub located in the heart of Arizona State Sun Devil country. Marketed as a Mexican lager but brewed more like a traditional Vienna, Osborne starts with a soft-water profile and employs a step-mash starting with a protein rest before steps for beta and alpha-amylase conversion.
“There is some debate to the value of a protein rest and a great beer can be made either way. We do it and we found pleasant benefits that the wort gained through the heating process while ramping. If your mash tun doesn’t have a heat source, consider decocting to ramp up as it will add a color and aroma that is outstanding for the style. If you do a single infusion, plan to use a little more Carafa® III and Caramunich® III,” Osborne said.
Vienna Lager Clone Recipes
Devils Backbone Brewing Co.’s Vienna Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.011
IBU = 18 SRM = 10 ABV = 5.1%
The gold standard for Vienna lagers in North America, known for its smooth, malty finish and drinkability. This beer from Devils Backbone (Roseland, Virginia) has won gold at the Great American Beer Festival three times since 2012, plus numerous other accolades.
Ingredients
4.1 lbs. (1.9 kg) Pilsner malt
4.1 lbs. (1.9 kg) Vienna malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) dark Munich malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Weyermann Caraamber® malt (26 °L)
3.75 AAU German Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Czech Saaz hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14g at 3.5% alpha acids)
Imperial L17 (Harvest) or Omega Yeast OLY-114 (Bayern Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M76 (Bavarian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
With a loose 3-to-1 water-to-grist ratio (~1.5 qts./lb.), conduct a protein rest at 125 °F (52 °C), holding for 30 minutes. Raise temperature to 147 °F (64 °C) and hold for 30 minutes for beta amylase rest. Raise temperature to 162 °F (72 °C) for 30 more minutes to convert alpha amylase. Mash out for ten minutes at 170 °F (77 °C). Recirculate until clear, then sparge until you collect about 7 gallons (26.5 L) of wort. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops as indicated. If you choose to add clarifiers such as Whirlfloc or Irish moss, do so with 15 minutes remaining in the boil.
Chill to 52 °F (11 °C) then pitch ample amount of healthy yeast. Oxygenate thoroughly. Allow temperatures to rise to 54–54.5 °F (12 °C) during the main fermentation period. When fermentation is about two-thirds complete, raise temperatures to 56 °F (13 °C) to finish fermenting remaining sugars. At end of fermentation, let rise to 57 °F (14 °C) for diacetyl rest. Seven to 10 days after pitching. Start cooling 2 °F (1 °C) per day until you reach a temperature between 42–44 °F (6–7 °C). Rack off the yeast and transfer to a secondary for aging. Crash cool to lagering temperatures between 28–34 °F (-2 °C to 1 °C). Lager for a minimum of two weeks, but the beer will benefit from a lagering period of four weeks or more. Force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or prime and bottle condition.
Devils Backbone Brewing Co.’s Vienna Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.011
IBU = 18 SRM = 10 ABV = 5.1%
Ingredients
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) Vienna malt
1.25 lbs. (0.51 kg) dark Munich malt
1.25 lbs. (0.51 kg) Weyermann Caraamber® malt (26 °L)
2.3 lbs. (1 kg) Briess Pilsen dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess Goldpils® Vienna dried malt extract
3.75 AAU German Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Czech Saaz hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14g at 3.5% alpha acids)
Imperial L17 (Harvest) or Omega Yeast OLY-114 (Bayern Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M76 (Bavarian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water to 157 °F (69 °C) and place large steeping bag containing the crushed grains into a 5-gallon (19-L) pot. Submerge the bag and stir grains to ensure sufficient hydration. Mash for 45 minutes targeting a mash temperature of 149 °F (65 °C). Remove bag from pot and wash grains with enough 170 °F (77 °C) water to collect 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of wort.
Top off kettle with water to make 3 gallons (11 L) and add 1 lb. (0.45 kg) of Pilsen dried malt extract to improve hop isomerization. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. Add remaining malt extract in the last 15 minutes of the boil. If you choose to add clarifiers such as Whirlfloc or Irish moss, do so with 15 minutes remaining in the boil.
Chill to 52 °F (11 °C) then top off wort with pre-chilled water to bring volume up to 5 gallons (19 L). Pitch ample amount of healthy yeast. Oxygenate thoroughly. Allow temperatures to rise to 54–54.5 °F (12 °C) during the main fermentation period. When fermentation is about two-thirds complete, raise temperatures to 56 °F (13 °C) to finish fermenting remaining sugars. At end of fermentation, let rise to 57 °F (14 °C) for diacetyl rest.
Follow the lagering and packaging instructions outlined in the all-grain version of this recipe.
Market Garden Brewery’s Boss Amber Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.054 FG = 1.014
IBU = 30 SRM = 11 ABV = 5.2%
A traditional Vienna-style lager that has a semi-dry, toasted malt finish. A great session beer and a menu mainstay since Market Garden Brewery’s opening in Cleveland, Ohio in 2011.
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Vienna malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) dark Munich malt (20 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) biscuit malt
0.5 lb. (0.22 kg) acidulated malt
5 AAU Hallertau Tradition hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Hallertau Tradition hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
3.25 AAU Hallertau Tradition hops (10 min.) (0.65 oz./18 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Hallertau Tradition hops (0 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Using high-quality malts and a grist of 3-to-1 water-to-grain weight ratio (~1.5 qts/lb), perform a step mash beginning with a 131 °F (55 °C) protein rest. Each step should be about 20 minutes. Raise temperature to 145° F (63 °C) to convert beta amylase before raising to 158 °F (70 °C) for alpha amylase conversion. Finally, mash out at 170 °F (77 °C). Sparge with 5 gallons (19 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C) and collect 6.75 gallons (25.5 L) of wort.
Boil for 75 minutes. If you choose to add any fining agents such as Whirlfloc or Irish moss, do so with 10 minutes remaining in the boil. At flameout, whirlpool the beer and add the final hop addition. Give the wort a long stir and let settle for 10 minutes. Chill rapidly to 52 °F (11 °C). Pitch the yeast and oxygenate thoroughly.
Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) for seven days before raising temperature to 56–60 °F for a 2-day diacetyl rest. Once complete, slowly drop the temperature a few degrees per day until reaching 40 °F (4 °C) over the course of a week. Once 40 °F (4 °C) is achieved, drop the temperature to 30 °F (-1 °C) for cold conditioning. Lager the beer for four weeks. Force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or prime and bottle condition. If bottle conditioning, leave the beer at 70–75 °F (21–24 °C) for about two weeks.
Market Garden Brewery’s Boss Amber Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.054 FG = 1.014
IBU = 30 SRM = 11 ABV = 5.2%
Ingredients
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Vienna malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) dark Munich malt (20 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) biscuit malt
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Briess Goldpils® Vienna dried malt extract
5 AAU Hallertau Tradition hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Hallertau Tradition hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
3.25 AAU Hallertau Tradition hops (10 min.) (0.65 oz./18 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Hallertau Tradition hops (0 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water to 161 °F (72 °C) and place large steeping bag containing the crushed grains into a 5-gallon
(19-L) pot. Submerge the bag and stir grains to ensure sufficient hydration. Mash for 45 minutes targeting a mash temperature of 149 °F (65 °C). Remove bag from pot and sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water to collect 2.25 gallons (9.5 L) of wort.
Top off kettle with water to make 3 gallons (11 L) and stir in 2 lbs. (0.91 kg) of the Vienna malt extract. Adding this amount of extract here will improve the isomerization of the bittering hops. When the extract is dissolved, bring to a boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. If you choose to add any fining agents such as Whirlfloc or Irish moss, do so with 10 minutes remaining in the boil. Add remaining malt extract in the last 15 minutes of the boil.
At flameout, add the final hop addition, then give the wort a long stir and let settle for 10 minutes.. Cool wort to 52 °F (11 °C) and rack to fermenter. Top off wort with pre-chilled water to bring volume up to 5 gallons (19 L). Oxygenate thoroughly and pitch yeast.
Follow the fermentation, lagering, and packaging instructions outlined in the all-grain version of this recipe.
McFate Brewing Co.’s Vienna Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.011
IBU = 27 SRM = 7.5 ABV = 5.5%
A lighter, Mexican amber interpretation of the traditional Vienna-style lager from McFate Brewing Co. in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Ingredients
6.4 lbs. (2.9 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) Weyermann Vienna malt
2.25 oz. (64 g) acidulated malt
6 oz. (172 g) dextrose corn sugar
1 oz. (28 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special III (600 °L)
6.4 AAU Warrior hops (60 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 16% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Czech Saaz hops (0 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss or Whirlfloc (15 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Using a very loose mash with a 4-to-1 water to grain weight ratio (~1.9 qts./lb.), target a mash temperature of 150 °F (66 °C) and perform a single-infusion mash for 30 minutes or until proper conversion has occurred. Recirculate your wort through the grain bed until clear then sparge with a maximum of 3 gallons (11 L) of sparge water. The loose mash should provide a majority of the water needed. If your runoff goes above a pH of 5.5, add water to top off instead of running the risk of pulling any astringency from the spent grain bed.
Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops and fining agents as indicated. At flameout, rapidly chill the wort to 48 °F (9 °C) and pitch plenty of healthy yeast. Oxygenate thoroughly. Keep at 48 °F (9 °C) for 4 days, then raise to 54 °F (12 °C) for a diacetyl rest for about 6 days. Not only will this take care of any diacetyl issues, the elevated temperatures will help ferment some remaining sugars, giving the beer a slightly drier character. Starting on day 11, lower the temperature 2 °F (1 °C) per day until reaching 40 °F (4 °C). Hold it at this temperature for 7 days then drop it to 32 °F (0 °C) for transfer to keg to drop out any additional yeast still in suspension.
Force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or prime and bottle condition leaving the bottles at 70–75 °F (21–24 °C) for two weeks to properly condition. Serve in a Pilsner glass at approximately 45–48 °F (7–9 °C).
McFate Brewing Co.’s Vienna Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.011
IBU = 27 SRM = 7.5 ABV = 5.5%
Ingredients
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) Briess Pilsen dried malt extract
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) Briess Vienna dried malt extract
6 oz. (172 g) dextrose corn sugar
1 oz. (28 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special III
6.4 AAU Warrior hops (60 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 16% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Czech Saaz hops (0 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss or Whirlfloc (15 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place crushed de-bittered Carafa® III malt into a steeping bag and submerge in 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of water as the water heats up. Remove steeping grains when water temperature reaches 155 °F (68 °C). Remove pot from heat and add 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) of the Pilsen malt extract, stirring well. Add water to boil kettle to bring volume up to 3.5 gallons (13.2 L). Resume heating brew kettle and boil for 60 minutes, adding hops and fining agents according to the ingredient list. Add remaining malt extract and corn sugar in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Cool wort to 48 °F (9 °C) and rack to fermenter. Top off wort with pre-chilled water to bring volume up to 5 gallons (19 L). Oxygenate thoroughly and pitch yeast.
Keep at 48 °F (9 °C) for 4 days, then raise to 54 °F (12 °C) for a diacetyl rest for about 6 days. Not only will this take care of any diacetyl issues, the elevated temperatures will help ferment some remaining sugars, giving the beer a slightly drier character. Starting on day 11, lower the temperature 2 °F (1 °C) per day until reaching 40 °F (4 °C). Hold it at this temperature for 7 days then drop it to 32 °F (0 °C) for transfer to keg to drop out any additional yeast still in suspension.
Force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or prime and bottle condition leaving the bottles at 70–75 °F (21–24 °C) for two weeks to properly condition. Serve in a Pilsner glass at approximately 45–48 °F (7–9 °C).
Pedal Haus Brewery’s Mexican Amber Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.008
IBU = 17 SRM = 6 ABV = 5.2%
A traditional Vienna-style lager with a delicate malt balance from Pedal Haus Brewery in Tempe, Arizona.
Ingredients
5.25 lbs. (2.4 kg) Weyermann Vienna malt
4.5 lbs. (2 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
3 oz. (85 g) Weyermann Caramunich® III malt (56 °L)
1 oz. (28 g) Weyermann Carafoam® malt
0.15 oz. (4.25 g) Weyermann Carafa® III malt
3 AAU German Hallertau Tradition (70 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 6% alpha acids)
3 AAU German Hallertau Tradition (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g. at 6% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
If possible, use soft or reverse osmosis water. Target a protein rest at 121 °F (49 °C) for 20 min., raise to 147 °F (64 °C) for 20 min., then 154 °F (68 °C) for 20 min., then 170 °F (77 °C). Target 4.5 to 5 gallons (17 to 19 L) of water in the mash. Collect ~5.6 gallons (21 L) in the kettle and boil for 70 minutes. Conduct a vigorous boil to maximize evaporation. Add kettle finings at 15 minutes. At flameout, allow to rest and whirlpool gently for 20 minutes. If you have an immersion chiller, it’s good to drop the temperature to limit the Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) production and coagulate the proteins but don’t go below 180 °F (82 °C) if the kettle is open to the environment. Cool to 48 °F (9 °C), aerate, and pitch yeast.
Allow temperature to rise to 52 °F (11 °C) during fermentation. After gravity has been terminal for over a week and has no diacetyl detectable using a forced diacetyl test, gradually drop the temperature to 43 °F (6 °C) and lager 3–4 weeks. Drop the temperatures slowly so the yeast is not stressed or put to sleep. Force carbonate or bottle condition to 2.5 volumes.
Pedal Haus Brewery’s Mexican Amber Lager clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.008
IBU = 17 SRM = 6 ABV = 5.2%
Ingredients
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Weyermann Vienna malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
3 oz. (85 g) Weyermann Caramunich® III malt (56 °L)
1 oz. (28 g) Weyermann Carafoam® malt
0.15 oz. (4.25 g) Weyermann Carafa® III malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Briess Pilsen dried malt extract
1.2 lbs. (0.54kg) Briess Goldpils® Vienna dried malt extract
3 AAU German Hallertau Tradition (70 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 6% alpha acids)
3 AAU German Hallertau Tradition (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g. at 6% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water to 157 °F (69 °C) and submerge large steeping bag with the crushed grains. Mash for 45 minutes at 149 °F (65 °C). Remove bag and sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water to collect 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of wort.
Top off kettle with water to make 3 gallons (11 L) and add the Pilsen dried malt extract. Boil wort for 60 minutes adding hops according to the schedule. Add Goldpils® malt extract in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Follow the remaining all-grain instructions with an exception to top off fermenter with pre-chilled water after cooling and transferring wort to bring volume up to 5 gallons (19 L).
Tips for Success:
“There is some debate to the value of a protein rest and a great beer can be made either way. We do it and we found pleasant benefits that the wort gained through the heating process while ramping. If your mash tun doesn’t have a heat source, consider decocting to ramp up as it will add a color and aroma that is outstanding for the style.”
“During the 3–4 week lagering period, the acetaldehyde and the sulfur will reduce. The acetaldehyde will come back up a little during packaging due to oxygen so lager longer than you think you need to. We force carbonate post-filtration but you can bottle during the beginning of the lager phase using some priming sugar and some fresh lager yeast allowing the beer to mature and carbonate in the bottles on their side at a controlled temperature.”
– Pedal Haus Beer Director Derek “Doc” Osborne
Sources:
• Classic Beer Style Series: Vienna-Marzen-Oktoberfest. Fix, George & Laurie; 1991.
• Designing Great Beers. Daniels, Ray; 2000.
• The Brewmaster’s Table. Oliver, Garrett; 2003.
• Vienna Lager. Dornbusch, Horst; Brew Your Own May. June 2009.
• Wikipedia “Second French Intervention in Mexico.”
• Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/XxnNomotRl/vienna-lager/
• Sierra Nevada Website https://sierranevada.com/beer/variety-packs/vienna
• BJCP Website https://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style03.php
• Kegerator.com Carr, Nick. August 10, 2016 https://learn.kegerator.com/vienna-lager/
• Wyeast Website http://www.wyeastlab.com/yeast-style/vienna-lager
• The Growler Magazine Agnew, Michael. August 4, 2014. https://growlermag.com/style-profile-vienna-lager/
• The Bulletin Abernathy, Jon. March 1, 2018 https://www.bendbulletin.com/lifestyle/drinks/6030451-151/vienna-lager-by-way-of-mexico
