Munich Helles Hybrid Beer

Had some Wyeast 1338 (European Ale) and decided to brew a steam-lager
style Munich Helles with it. It has come out very nice and clean with a spicy
malt complexity and supporting bitterness.

Brewer:	Stuart Grant		Email:	grants@netspace.net.au
Beer:	Munich Helles Hybrid Beer		Style:	Münchner Helles
Type:	All grain		Size:	20 liters
Color:	5 HCU (~5 SRM)		Bitterness:	20 IBU
OG:	1.050		FG:	1.010
Alcohol:	5.1% v/v (4.0% w/w)
Water:	Added CaCl2 to get ~50ppm Ca in mash and sparge water.
Grain:	3.0kg German Pilsner malt 480g German Munich malt 110g German Melanoidin malt 110g German Carahell
Mash:	85% efficiency
	Sweet Decoction mash: -- mash in at 64ēC and rest for 30min. -- take 30-35% thick decoction, bring straight to boil. -- Boil for 20min, then return to main mash (now at ~60ēC). -- Stabilise main mash at 70-72ēC and rest for 20min. -- Sparge. Cut runnings early (I did at 1.018) for smooth maltiness.
Boil:	80 minutes	SG 1.041	24 liters
Hops:	30g Hallertauer Hallertau (4.0% AA, 50 min.) 15g Hallertauer Hallertau (aroma)
Yeast:	250mL slurry of Wyeast 1338, 2nd gen. from batch of 1.048 OG altbier.
Log:	-- Pitched at 14ēC, was at 10-11ēC next day. -- Allowed temp to rise 16ēC by day 5. -- Raised temp to 20ēC for 24hrs (from SG of 1.015). -- Finished at ambient temps for total of 15 days primary. -- No secondary. Bottled with 95g cane sugar. -- Conditioned for 7 days, then bottle-lagered for a few weeks.
Carbonation:	Used 95g cane sugar in 16L green beer for approx 2.3 vol. CO2.
Tasting:	-- Out of the bottling bucket (before priming) it was a very promising brew. Very fresh and up-front malt character with some spiciness, some nuttiness and some sweetness. Smooth and clean from cool ferment. -- High attenuation is desirable in a Helles; malt-focused character comes from low hopping, not low attenuation.

Recipe posted 04/05/05.