The Maibock is a traditional German style of strong lager that originated as a seasonal beer, typically brewed in the spring which is Mai in German to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather. The key characteristics of the Maibock are:
- Flavour Profile: Maibocks are malt-forward with a rich, sweet maltiness, often featuring caramel and toasty notes. They have a mild hop bitterness that balances the sweetness but is not overwhelming.
- Colour: They typically have a golden to amber colour, often around 6-25 SRM.
- Alcohol Content: Maibocks generally have a higher alcohol content, typically ranging from 6.3% to 7.5% ABV.
- Aroma: The aroma is usually malty with hints of sweetness, along with subtle hop notes.
- Mouthfeel: They have a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, making them very drinkable.
- Carbonation: Maibocks are typically well-carbonated, contributing to a refreshing quality.
Overall, Maibocks are appreciated for their balance of malt sweetness and mild hop character, making them a popular choice for springtime festivities. This is a recipe I’ve put together from assessing Maibock beer based on those in the USA. One of the best is Rogue River Brewery’s Dead Guy Ale. Looking at the specification and their ingredients it should be possible to put together a variant that comes close. It’s never like the real thing of course and I’m not sure how easy it is to obtain Pacman Yeast for example in the UK given that it is so closely associated with Rogue River Brewery. I have a bottle sent over on odd years which demands real celebration! I understand that Saaz hops were the original until replaced with Sterling.
Batch Size:
5 gallons
Estimated Stats:
- ABV: 6.8%
- IBU: 40
- SRM: 16
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Equipment Needed:
- Brew kettle (at least 5 gallons)
- Fermentation vessel (carboy or fermentation bucket)
- Airlock and stopper
- Brewing thermometer
- Hydrometer
- Brewing spoon (long-handled)
- Sanitizer
- Bottling bucket and tubing
- Bottles and caps
- Bottle capper
Ingredients:
- Malts:
- 9 lbs 2-Row Pale Malt
- 1 lb Caramel Malt (C15)
- 1 lb Munich Malt
- Hops:
- 1 oz Perle (bittering, 60 minutes)
- 0.5 oz Sterling (flavour, 15 minutes).
- 0.5 oz Sterling (aroma, 5 minutes)
- Yeast:
- 1 packet Pacman Yeast (or a similar American ale yeast)
- Water:
- Town water
Brewing Instructions:
- Mashing:
- Heat 3.5 gallons of water to approximately 160°F (71°C).
- Add the crushed malts (2-Row, C15, and Munich) and mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes.
- After 60 minutes, raise the temperature to 168°F (76°C) for mash out.
- Sparging:
- Sparge with enough water to collect about 6.5 gallons of wort in the kettle.
- Boiling:
- Bring the wort to a boil.
- Add the Perle hops at the beginning of the 60-minute boil.
- After 45 minutes, add the first addition of Sterling hops (15 minutes remaining).
- At 55 minutes, add the second addition of Sterling hops (5 minutes remaining).
- Cooling:
- After the 60-minute boil, cool the wort quickly using an immersion chiller or an ice bath until it reaches around 70°F (21°C).
- Fermentation:
- Transfer the cooled wort to the sanitized fermentation vessel.
- Pitch the Pacman yeast and seal with an airlock.
- Ferment at around 65-70°F (18-21°C) for about 1-2 weeks or until fermentation is complete.
- Bottling:
- Once fermentation is complete, prepare a priming solution by dissolving 3/4 cup of corn sugar in 2 cups of boiling water and let it cool.
- Transfer the beer to a bottling bucket and mix in the priming solution.
- Bottle the beer and cap.
- Carbonation:
- Allow bottles to carbonate at room temperature for about 1-2 weeks.
- Chill and enjoy your homemade Maibock-style ale!
Notes:
- Ensure proper sanitation throughout the brewing process.
- Adjust hop quantities if you wish to fine-tune the bitterness or aroma.
- Take gravity readings before and after fermentation to confirm ABV.
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