How to Brew Our Very Best, Delicious Vienna Lager
Introduction
Vienna Lager is a beer style that has a rich history and a unique flavor profile that sets it apart from other lagers. This style of beer originated in Vienna, Austria in the mid-19th century, and quickly became popular throughout Europe and the United States. Vienna Lager was the beer of choice in Austria for many years until the rise of the Pilsner style in the late 1800s.
Vienna Lager is a medium-bodied beer with a reddish-amber color that is achieved by using a blend of lightly toasted malt. This combination of malt gives the beer a distinctive, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of caramel. Vienna Lagers also tend to have a moderate hop presence, which balances the sweetness of the malt and provides a clean finish.
One of the key characteristics of Vienna Lager is its drinkability. Unlike some heavy, high-alcohol beers, Vienna Lager is a beer that can be enjoyed in large quantities, making it a popular choice for social gatherings and events. Its refreshing flavor and moderate alcohol content make it an ideal beer to drink on a warm summer day or while watching a sporting event.
Vienna Lager has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years as more and more craft breweries are experimenting with this classic style. This renewed interest in Vienna Lager has led to a wide range of new and interesting interpretations of this classic beer style.
Overall, Vienna Lager is a beer style that is worth exploring for anyone who appreciates the unique flavors and history of beer. Whether you’re a seasoned beer drinker or just starting to explore the world of craft beer, a well-crafted Vienna Lager is sure to impress.
The History of Vienna Lager
Vienna Lager has a rich history that dates back to the mid-19th century. The beer was first brewed in Vienna, Austria, in 1841 by a brewer named Anton Dreher. Dreher used a blend of lightly toasted malt to create a beer with a reddish-amber color that was unlike any other beer being produced at the time.
Vienna Lager quickly became popular in Austria and throughout Europe, and it was exported to the United States in the late 1800s. In the United States, Vienna Lager became a popular beer style among German immigrants, who appreciated its rich flavor and drinkability. By the early 1900s, Vienna Lager was being produced by many American breweries, and it remained a popular beer style until the rise of the Pilsner style in the mid-20th century.
During World War I and World War II, Vienna Lager production declined in Europe and the United States due to shortages of ingredients and resources. After the wars, the beer was largely forgotten, and it was replaced by other beer styles that were more popular at the time.
However, in the 1980s, Vienna Lager experienced a resurgence in popularity as craft breweries in the United States began experimenting with classic beer styles. These breweries were drawn to Vienna Lager for its unique flavor profile and drinkability, and they began producing their own versions of the beer.
Today, Vienna Lager is a popular beer style that is enjoyed by beer enthusiasts around the world. It remains an important part of the history of beer, and its legacy can be seen in the many craft breweries that continue to produce this classic beer style.
Characteristics of Vienna Lager
Vienna Lager is a medium-bodied lager that has a distinctive reddish-amber color, which is achieved by using a blend of lightly toasted malt. This blend of malt gives Vienna Lager a unique appearance that sets it apart from other lager styles.
In terms of aroma, Vienna Lager has a slightly sweet and toasty smell with hints of caramel and a light floral hop aroma. The aroma is not as intense as other lager styles, but it is still noticeable.
When it comes to flavor, Vienna Lager has a clean, crisp taste with a slight sweetness from the malt. The flavor profile is well-balanced, with a moderate hop bitterness that provides a clean finish. The taste is not overly complex, but it is well-rounded and satisfying, making it a popular beer style for many beer drinkers.
One of the key differences between Vienna Lager and other lager styles is the use of lightly toasted malt. This gives Vienna Lager a slightly sweet and toasty flavor profile that is not typically found in other lager styles. Additionally, Vienna Lager is less bitter and less hoppy than other lagers, such as Pilsners or Helles, which tend to have a more pronounced hop presence.
Overall, Vienna Lager is a beer style that is well-balanced, easy to drink, and has a unique flavor profile that sets it apart from other lager styles. Its distinctive appearance, aroma, and flavor make it a great beer to enjoy on its own or paired with a wide range of foods.
Brewing Vienna Lager
Vienna Lager is brewed using a combination of lightly toasted Vienna and Munich malts, which give the beer its characteristic reddish-amber color and slightly sweet, toasty flavor profile. The malts are typically kilned at a lower temperature than other malts, which results in a lighter roast and a more delicate flavor.
In addition to the malt, Vienna Lager is typically brewed with noble hops, such as Saaz or Tettnang, which provide a light floral hop aroma and a moderate hop bitterness that balances the sweetness of the malt.
The brewing process for Vienna Lager is similar to other lager styles. The malt is mashed with hot water to convert the starches into fermentable sugars, and then the resulting liquid, known as wort, is boiled with hops to add flavor and bitterness. After the boil, the wort is cooled and yeast is added to begin fermentation.
One of the key factors that contributes to the flavor profile of Vienna Lager is the use of a cool fermentation temperature. This allows the yeast to ferment the sugars slowly and produce a clean, crisp flavor profile. The beer is then aged for several weeks, during which time it undergoes a process known as lagering, where it is stored at a cool temperature for an extended period of time. This helps to clarify the beer and further develop its flavor profile.
The result is a beer that is well-balanced, with a slightly sweet, toasty flavor and a moderate hop bitterness. The use of lightly toasted malt gives Vienna Lager a unique flavor profile that is not typically found in other lager styles. Additionally, the clean, crisp flavor profile of the beer makes it highly drinkable and a popular choice among beer drinkers.
Food Pairings with Vienna Lager
Vienna Lager’s balanced flavor profile and moderate hop bitterness make it a versatile beer that pairs well with a wide range of foods. Here are a few food pairing suggestions that go particularly well with Vienna Lager:
Grilled meats: Vienna Lager’s slightly sweet and toasty flavor profile makes it a great complement to grilled meats, such as burgers, steaks, and sausages. The moderate hop bitterness also helps to cut through the richness of the meat, making it a refreshing pairing.
Mexican cuisine: Vienna Lager pairs well with spicy and flavorful Mexican dishes, such as tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. The beer’s mild hop bitterness helps to balance the heat of the spices, while its slightly sweet and toasty flavor profile complements the flavors of the dish.
Pizza: Vienna Lager is a great beer to pair with pizza, especially if you’re a fan of toppings like sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms. The beer’s moderate hop bitterness helps to cut through the richness of the cheese and meat, while its slightly sweet and toasty flavor profile complements the flavors of the pizza crust.
Roasted vegetables: The slightly sweet and toasty flavor profile of Vienna Lager pairs well with roasted vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. The beer’s mild hop bitterness also helps to balance the sweetness of the vegetables, making for a well-rounded pairing.
Overall, Vienna Lager is a versatile beer that pairs well with a wide range of foods. Its balanced flavor profile and moderate hop bitterness make it a refreshing and satisfying complement to a variety of dishes.
Popular Brands of Vienna Lager
Negra Modelo: Negra Modelo is a popular Mexican beer that is brewed in the Vienna Lager style. It has a deep amber color and a toasty, slightly sweet aroma with hints of caramel and malt. The flavor is well-balanced, with a subtle hop bitterness that is complemented by the sweet, toasty notes of the malt. It has a smooth, medium body and a clean finish. Negra Modelo pairs well with a variety of foods, including Mexican cuisine, grilled meats, and pizza.
Great Lakes Eliot Ness: Great Lakes Eliot Ness is a Vienna Lager brewed by the Great Lakes Brewing Company in Ohio. It has a reddish-amber color and a slightly sweet aroma with hints of caramel and bread. The flavor is well-balanced, with a moderate hop bitterness that is complemented by the sweet, toasty notes of the malt. It has a medium body and a clean, refreshing finish. Great Lakes Eliot Ness pairs well with grilled meats, pizza, and roasted vegetables.
Sam Adams Boston Lager: Sam Adams Boston Lager is a popular American beer that is brewed in the Vienna Lager style. It has a deep amber color and a slightly sweet aroma with hints of caramel and malt. The flavor is well-balanced, with a moderate hop bitterness that is complemented by the sweet, toasty notes of the malt. It has a medium body and a crisp, refreshing finish. Sam Adams Boston Lager pairs well with a variety of foods, including burgers, pizza, and spicy dishes.
Yuengling Lager is a popular American beer that has been brewed in Pennsylvania since 1829. It is a Vienna-style lager that is well-loved for its smooth, easy-drinking flavor. Yuengling Lager has a deep golden color with a white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is slightly sweet with notes of caramel and bread, as well as a subtle hint of hop bitterness. The flavor is well-balanced, with a mild hop bitterness that is complemented by the sweet, toasty notes of the malt. It has a smooth, medium body and a crisp, refreshing finish. Yuengling Lager is a versatile beer that pairs well with a variety of foods, including pizza, burgers, grilled meats, and spicy dishes. Its balanced flavor profile makes it a great choice for pairing with foods that have a moderate level of richness and spiciness.
Overall, these four Vienna Lagers are great examples of the style, with a balanced flavor profile and moderate hop bitterness that make them highly drinkable and versatile. Whether you’re looking for a beer to pair with Mexican cuisine, grilled meats, or pizza, these Vienna Lagers are a great choice.
Our Recipe
Malt Bill
- 15 lbs Weyermann Vienna Malt
- 5 lbs Weyermann Munich I
- 1 lb Weyermann Caramunich I
- 1 lb Weyermann Carafoam
- 6 oz Weyermann Carafa Special II
Hop Bill
- 3 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh (60 Minutes)
- 1 oz Halltertauer Mittelfrueh (15 Minutes)
Yeast
- WLP 838
- We used a starter and aimed for 786 billion cells
Water Treatment
We do treat our water, but we use the Brewfather App to help us. If you want to treat your water, I highly suggest it, and I highly suggest using the Brewfather app to help you get there. We selected the Vienna Lager profile and tried to get as close to that as we could.
Our Process
Just like our recipe, our process is very straightforward. To begin, we mash in at 152℉ and mash for sixty minutes. For the mash, we use 8.5 gallons of water. We then sparge with 8.3 gallons of water.
After the sparge is complete, we boil for sixty minutes and follow the hop schedule above in the recipe. Because our system is set up for it, we whirlpool for about fifteen minutes and then let it settle for about ten to fifteen minutes.
After the whirlpool, we cool and transfer into our fermenter. Depending on which fermenter(s) we are using, we aim for a temperature of 68℉ or below. We pitch the yeast and make sure that the wort is aerated. We then cool the batch down to fermenting temperature at 50℉.
This batch ferments for about two weeks and then we raise the temperature for a diacetyl rest. We rest at 70℉ for 3 days. After the diacetyl rest, we cold crash the batch down to 38℉. The batch is then lagered for at least two weeks. If we have time and are not in a rush to get it on tap, we will let it lager for longer.
Finally, we keg. We aim for around three volumes of CO2. After carbonation, we sometimes let it lager longer in the kegerator, or we go ahead and tap it and start enjoying it.
This beer is still in the fermenter lagering, so we have not had a chance to do a taste test. We will update this recipe with a taste test soon.
Thank you for reading this recipe. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. And as always, please feel free to share this recipe with your friends.
