Let's Brew Wednesday - 1941 Heineken Donker Lagerbier

Another wartime Heineken recipe. A beautifully watery one. But isn't low-alcohol beer all the rage?

Heineken’s other Lagerbier suffered the same gravity reduction as its paler sibling. Down to the waste of time drinking level.

A lot has been going on with the grist. First, there’ the placement, as with all their beers, of some of the malt by sugar. The quantity of caraamber has declined a little, that of caramel malt almost doubled along with a massive increase in the amount of carafe. The latter change I’m sure being to maintain the colour after the addition of so much sugar.

Unlike the pale version, dark Lagerbier has had its hopping rate cut, reducing the (calculated) IBUs from 14 to 12. Bugger all, really, even for a beer this watery. The hops were the same “SuK” from the 1940 season is in the pale version.

1941 Heineken Donker Lagerbier
pilsner malt	2.75 lb	63.51%
caramel malt 60 L	0.25 lb	5.77%
caraamber	0.25 lb	5.77%
carafa III	0.33 lb	7.62%
sugar	0.75 lb	17.32%
Hallertau 90 mins	0.25 oz
Hallertau 60 mins	0.25 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	0.33 oz
OG	1021
FG	1005.5
ABV	2.05
Apparent attenuation	73.81%
IBU	12
SRM	15
Mash double decoction
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	48º F
Yeast	WLP830 German Lager

 This recipe is one of 553 in my recently-released BlitzKrieg!, the definitive book on brewing during WW II.

Get your copy now!

The second volume contains the recipes. But not just that. There are also overviews of some of the breweries covered, showing their beers at the start and the end of the conflict.

Buy one now and be the envy of your friends!