Wednesday 30 June 2021

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1940 Heineken Licht Lagerbier

No surprise that Heineken’s session Pale Lager has also had its strength cut in November 1940. And, like all the other beers, this was achieved by adding water before fermentation.

Not sure what the point was in that. I could understand if they had diluted it post fermentation. That’s what some UK brewers did around the end of WW I for reasons of yeast health. Too low a gravity wort not giving yeast enough food to develop properly.

Like the Pils, the grist is extremely simple, consisting solely of pilsner malt. Though there were three different types of it.

Two types of hops were employed, Sa and Bacha, both from the 1939 harvest. I’m pretty sure the former were Saaz and the latter I think were from Yugoslavia.

1940 Heineken Licht Lagerbier
pilsner malt 6.50 lb 100.00%
Hallertau 90 mins 0.25 oz
Hallertau 60 mins 0.33 oz
Saaz 30 mins 0.50 oz
OG 1029
FG 1007
ABV 2.91
Apparent attenuation 75.86%
IBU 13.5
SRM 2.5
Mash double decoction  
Boil time 90 minutes
pitching temp 48º F
Yeast WLP830 German Lager

 

Mash in at 35º C (95º F) 5 minutes
Warm whole mash to 52º C (126º F) 20 minutes
Rest whole mash at 52º C (126º F) (protein rest) 15 minutes
Draw off first mash and without a rest bring to the boil 30 minutes
Boil first mash 10 minutes
The rest of the mash remains at 52º C (126º F) 40 minutes
Mash at 70º C (158º F) 25 minutes
Rest whole mash at 70º C (158º F) (saccharification rest) 30 minutes
Draw off second mash and without a rest bring to the boil 15 minutes
Boil second mash 10 minutes
Mash at 76º C (169º F) and mash out 20 minutes



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Not sure it was a consideration, but one advantage of adding water pre-fermentation is that the yeast would quickly consume any oxygen that was introduced, which may help prevent staling of the beer.