Michael Pearson’s Standard American Lager

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050  FG = 1.010
IBU = 18  SRM = 3  ABV = 5.3%

Scored a 47 at the Indiana Brewers Cup (1,071 entries)

Ingredients
4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) Rahr 6-row pale malt
4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) Rahr 2-row pale malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) flaked maize
12 oz. (0.34 kg) flaked rice
5 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.42 oz./12 g of 12% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) yeast (2 qt./2 L starter)

Step by Step
Single Infusion mash at 150 °F (66 °C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 90 minutes. Cool. Oxygenate wort for 90 seconds. Pitch at 52 °F (11 °C) and let free rise to 55 °F (13 °C). Maintain at 55 °F (13 °C) for 14 days. Raise temperature to 62 °F (17 °C) for 7 day maturation rest. Wyeast 2112 doesn’t throw much diacetyl, so this step is to knock the subtle acetaldehyde down and expedite sulfur scrubbing by CO2. If filtering, transfer to Corny keg and crash cool for 2–4 days and filter using your normal method. If not, crash cool and lager for 10–14 days until desired clarity is reached and sulfur aroma/flavor from yeast in suspension is not detectable. [Original recipe was 7 gallons at 70% extract efficiency.]