All-Grain Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.068  FG = 1.017
IBU = 29  SRM = 9  ABV = 6.8%

Helles bock is described as pale, strong lager with a grainy-sweet maltiness and aroma. The style allows for a little caramel flavor as well as some toasty notes that can really amplify this beer. A blend of light-colored specialty malts ranging from 20–30 °L in color, and including both dry roasted and caramelized malts, make this a special treat for German lager lovers.

Ingredients

13 lbs. (5.9 kg) Pilsner malt 
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann CaraRed® malt 
4 oz. (113 g) biscuit malt 
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann CaraAmber® malt 
4 oz. (113 g) dark Munich malt (30 °L)
4.5 AAU Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Hallertauer MIttelfrüh hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
White Labs WLP833 (German Bock Lager), Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Lallemand CBC-1 yeast (if priming)

Step by Step

On brew day, mix the milled grain in 3.9 gallons (14.8 L) of water and hold the mash at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Slowly sparge with enough water to collect 6.4 gallons (24.1 L) wort. Total boil time is 60 minutes. Add the first hop addition at the start of the boil. Add the remaining hops and yeast nutrient per the schedule.

After the boil is complete, cool the wort to 50 °F (10 °C). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily if using liquid yeast. Ferment at 55 °F (13 °C) until primary fermentation is complete. Gently transfer to a secondary vessel. Lager for 6 weeks at 48 °F (9 °C) or below. 

Prime and bottle condition or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes CO₂. I recommend priming with a 1⁄2 tsp. of a bottling yeast strain like Lallemand CBC-1, hydrated and stirred into the beer prior to bottling.

Tip
The goal of this recipe is to showcase how rich and complex a lighter-colored golden lager can be with a handful of different light specialty malts. Try using any combination of light specialty malts (30 °L or less in color) up to a pound in this recipe, just be sure to have at least 4 oz. (0.11 kg) of biscuit or Munich malt in there.

Extract With Grains Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.068  FG = 1.017
IBU = 29  SRM = 9  ABV = 6.8%

Ingredients

7.1 lbs. (3.2 kg) extra light or Pilsen light dried malt extract 
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann CaraRed® malt 
4 oz. (113 g) biscuit malt 
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann CaraAmber® malt 
4 oz. (113 g) dark Munich malt (30 °L)
4.5 AAU Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Hallertauer MIttelfrüh hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
White Labs WLP833 (German Bock Lager), Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Lallemand CBC-1 yeast (if priming)

Step by Step

Steep the milled grain in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water at 152 °F (67 °C) for 15 minutes. Remove the steeping bag and bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the malt extract. Stir until dissolved. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Total boil time is 60 minutes. Add the first hop addition at the start of the boil. Add the remaining hops and yeast nutrient per the schedule.

After the boil is complete, cool the wort to 50 °F (10 °C). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily if using liquid yeast. Ferment at 55 °F (13 °C) until primary fermentation is complete. Gently transfer to a secondary vessel. Lager for 6 weeks at 48 °F (9 °C) or below. 

Prime and bottle condition or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes CO₂. I recommend priming with a 1⁄2 tsp. of a bottling yeast strain like Lallemand CBC-1, hydrated and stirred into the beer prior to bottling.