Category 3 - European Amber

Overview Oktoberfests are the best known beers in this category, but has a very similar profile. In many ways, Vienna Lager is the little brother of Oktoberfest and Maerzen. All of the beers in this category have an emphasis on malt as opposed to hops. These are the original amber lager styles that were developed in the mid-19th Century. Vienna lager became a popular style in Mexico as well, but most of the amber lagers from Mexico that are brewed today use adjuncts and have a slightly lighter malt body. As with Light Lagers and Pilsners, drinkability is a key factor in these beers. The malt body shouldn’t be perceived as heavy or cloying and the beer should be dry enough to be refreshing. You’ll notice that the beers have overlap in most of their specifications.

Specifications

Style OG TG ABV% IBU SRM 3A Vienna Lager 1.046-52 1.010-14 4.5-5.5 18-30 10-16 3B 1.050-57 1.012-16 4.8-5.7 20-28 7-14 Oktoberfest/Maerzen

Historical Notes Vienna Lager was developed around 1840 in Vienna by Anton Dreher. (For comparison, Pilsner is developed in 1842). Better control of the malting process allowed for the creation of lighter malts like Pilsner and Vienna malts. Oktoberfest/Maerzen was developed by Gabriel Sedlmayer in Munich and was an adaptation of the Vienna style of lager. Although Oktoberfests are still brewed commonly in , Vienna lager is almost completely extinct in Europe. German brewers who emigrated to Mexico brought the Vienna style with them and many modern Mexican amber lagers are based on this style, although most of the modern beers in Mexico use adjuncts and have a lighter malt body.

Brewing Technique for These Styles Traditionally brewed using a decoction mash, but most version now use a step or single infusion mash. Moderate mash temperatures are best since neither of these styles should be overly sweet. Use of Vienna and Munich malt will provide enough malt body if mashed at a moderate temperature.

Ingredients You can make both of these beers from 100% Vienna malt, although it seems that most brewers use a combination of Vienna, Munich, and Pilsner malt. Crystal and caramel malts can be used in small quantities, but a caramel malt flavor isn’t part of the profile and these malts are best left out. Although hop rates are fairly low, most recipes will use noble German hops (Hallertauer or Tettnanger are typical). Moderately hard carbonate water is traditional for the areas where these were brewed. Lager yeast is essential to get the clean character of these styles. Any lager yeast which accentuates malt flavor is fine (but honestly, pretty much any lager yeast will do).

Characteristics of Classic Examples • Brilliant clarity. • Rich malt flavor but somewhat drier finish than the malt aroma and body would seem to indicate. • Malt dominates hops in the overall balance. • Classic, clean lager fermentation qualities. No fruity esters. • Balanced and drinkable. According to Mike Szwaya (OBC brewer who has won numerous medals for this style), “This beer should make you really want another one, or regret not being able to have more.”

Common Flaws in Homebrewed Examples • Noticeable caramel or crystal malt aroma and/or flavor. • Fruity esters form warm ferment or bad yeast handling. • Too heavily hopped. • Too sweet or cloying.

Example Recipe and Why It Fits the Guidelines For 5 gallons of Vienna Lager Assumes 75% mash efficiency OG: 1.049 TG: 1.012 IBU: 24

8.75 lbs of Continental Vienna Malt

1 oz German Tettnanger Hops (4.6%) for 60 minutes .5 oz German Tettnanger Hops (4.6%) for 20 minutes

Two packs of liquid Lager Yeast in a starter

Mash at 122 for 30m minutes (protein rest) and raise to 150 for 60 minutes. Mash out at 168 degrees and sparge with 170 degree water. Collect 6.5 gallons to be boiled down to 5 gallons over the course of 90 minutes. Add hops as specified. Ferment at 50 degrees for 2 weeks. Raise to 65 degrees for 48 hours for diacetyl rest. Lager at 32 for 3 weeks.

Why this recipe fits the style: • Numbers fall broadly into the middle of the guidelines. • Use of large yeast starter and cooler ferment provide clean aroma free of esters. • Use of 100% Vienna malt, will give correct color (deep orange to light amber) and provide sufficient and correct malt body and aroma. • Protein rest during mash will provide good clarity. • Conversion temperature of mash will provide enough malt body without being cloying.

What the BJCP Doesn’t Tell You • Oktoberfest is no longer the most popular beer drunk at the Munich Oktoberfest celebration. Helles is the most popular beer sold there (the irony). • Though there is a myth that Maerzen is a style of Oktoberfest brewed in March and lagered until the fall, there are mentions of Maerzen in German literature going back to the Renaissance. These Maerzens bear no resemblance other than name to modern Maerzen. • According to Ron Pattinson, a beer historian who makes a habit of buying and reading ancient brewing texts (and who blogs at http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com), Vienna Lagers in 19th Century Vienna where considerably lighter colored than the BJCP would suggrest. Anton Dreher’s beer was actually about 6-7SRM and falls below the BJCP SRM of 10-16, and was only slightly darker than many pale lagers from the same time period. .