Gordon Strong’s Czech Dark Lager

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.013
IBU = 26 SRM = 27 ABV = 4.1%

Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Continental Vienna malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) Continental dark Munich malt (11 °L)
1.5 lbs. (680 g) Caramunich® III malt (57 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Carafa® Special II malt (430 °L)
4 AAU Czech Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
6 AAU Czech Saaz hops (15 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 4% alpha acids)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Czech Saaz hops (1 min.)
White Labs WLP802 (Czech Budejovice Lager), Wyeast 2278 (Czech Pils), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
If using a liquid strain, two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast. Use two sachets if using a dry yeast strain.

On brew day, prepare your ingredients: Mill the grain, measure your hops, and prepare your water. This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Add ¼ tsp. 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons (19 L) of brewing water, or until water measures pH 5.5 at room temperature. Add 0.5 tsp. calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg).

This recipe uses a step mash program with a mashout. Mash in the Vienna and dark Munich malts at 131 °F (55 °C) and hold for 15 minutes. Raise the mash temperature to 149 °F (65 °C) and rest for 30 minutes. Raise the mash temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and rest for 30 minutes. Begin recirculating, add the Caramunich® and Carafa® malts, mix gently without disturbing the grain bed, then raise the mash temperature to 170 °F (77 °C) for mashout, recirculating the whole time. Hold at mashout temperature for 15 minutes.

Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water until 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort is collected.

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the recipe. At the end of the boil, let the wort settle for 10 minutes.

Chill the wort to 46 °F (8 °C). Oxygenate the wort, then pitch the yeast starter. Start fermentation at 46 °F (8 °C) but allow the temperature to rise to 50 °F (10 °C) until fermentation is complete. Rack the beer. Lager the beer at 32 °F (0 °C) for 11 weeks, then fine with gelatin or filter.

Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes. If bottle conditioning, warm condition the beer at 68 °F (20 °C) for one to two weeks before chilling.

Czech Dark Lager

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.013
IBU = 26 SRM = 27 ABV = 4.1%

Ingredients
3.6 lbs. (1.6 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
1.4 lbs. (635 g) Munich liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) Caramunich® III malt (57 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Carafa® Special II malt (430 °L)
4 AAU Czech Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
6 AAU Czech Saaz hops (15 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 4% alpha acids)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Czech Saaz hops (1 min.)
White Labs WLP802 (Czech Budejovice Lager), Wyeast 2278 (Czech Pils), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Start with 6 gallons (23 L) of brewing water in the brew kettle; heat to
158 °F (70 °C).

Steep the Caramunich® and Carafa® malts in a mesh bag for 30 minutes. Remove and rinse grains gently. Turn off heat.

Add the malt extracts and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in the recipe. At the end of the boil, let the wort settle for 10 minutes.

Chill the wort to 46 °F (8 °C). Oxygenate the wort, then pitch the yeast starter. Start fermentation at 46 °F (8 °C) but allow the temperature to rise to 50 °F (10 °C) until fermentation is complete. Rack the beer. Lager the beer at 32 °F (0 °C) for 11 weeks, then fine with gelatin or filter.

Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes. If bottle conditioning, warm condition the beer at 68 °F (20 °C) for one to two weeks before chilling.

Tips For Success:
While a step mash will help the yeast acheive a full attenuation with this beer, hitting the various temperatures precisely is not crucial. A few degrees off in either direction will not ruin things. Another option is to just slowly heat the mash from 131 °F (55 °C) up to 170 °F (77 °C) over the course of 60–75 minutes to achieve a similar effect.

Yeast health and fermentation temperature control are always two crucial factors when brewing lagers. Make sure to pay close attention to these details in order to produce a clean example of this style of beer. A small addition of yeast nutrients near the end of the boil will often be a good thing as well.