🍺 Top-down Brew: Vienna Lager

Recipe Variables

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Variations

For steeped grains plus malt extract:

  • Delete all of the malt lines.
  • For liquid malt extract, add sugar: Liquid light malt extract, 30, 5, 76 and sugar: Munich malt extract, 70, 10, 76
  • For dry malt extract, add sugar: Dry light malt extract, 30, 3.5, 96 and sugar: Dry amber malt extract, 70, 10, 96

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Results

Notes

The Vienna lager is a balanced amber beer. Gordon Strong nicely captures the importance of balance: "You really don't want any sharp edges, so resiste the urge to make this style of beer too hoppy, bitter, or boozy. The style was popular before World War II, but has become nearly extinct since then. Today, Modelo Negra and Dos Equis Amber are the best-known descendents of this style.

BJCP 7A Vienna Lager: Traditionally, best-quality Vienna malt, but can also use Pils and Munich malts. Traditional continental hops. Clean German lager yeast. May use small amounts of specialty malts for color and sweetness.

Vital statistics: IBU: 18 - 30; SRM: 9 - 15; OG: 1.048 - 1.055; FG: 1.010 - 1.014; ABV: 4.7% - 5.5%

Naturally, Vienna lager needs Vienna malt. This malt is a bit darker than pilsner or two-row malts, yet lighter than most Munich malts. A 100% Vienna grain bill is theoretically possible, yet seems rare in practice. Pilsner malt and Munich malt (10L, not the darker versions) are commonly used. Zainasheff recommends at least 1/3 Vienna and no more than 1/3 for Pilsner and Munich. Amber crystal malts such as Carared, Caravienna, and similar are commonly used at about 5 to 7%. Tiny amounts of debittered black malt like Carafa are sometimes used for color purposes.

If a Mexican variant is desired, corn (flaked, grits, etc.) could be about 20% of the grain bill.

Several sources suggest step mashes for greater attenuation. The step could begin in the beta glucan range at 121 to 131 F (49 to 55C). Decoction mash procedures are a possibility for developing color and malt flavor. Zainasheff, in contrast, feels that a single-stage, infusion mash is sufficient. This approach may necessitate greater use of specialty malts such as Caravienne, Caramunich, or Meanoidin malts.

The appropriate hops for this style are German-style noble hops. These include Halleratau and Tettnanger. The first examples of this style reportedly used Saaz and Styrian Goldings. American hops bred from the noble hop family might be fine substitutes. Hop flavor and aroma should be restrained.

Clean lager fermentations are desired. Yeast strains that produce malty results are recommended. Possibilities are Wyeast 2206 - Bavarian Lager, White Labs WLP940 - Mexican Lager, or Fermentis W34/70.

References

Clark, D., and Habrat, M. (2019, January-February). Vienna lager: Brewing the Austrian beer style rescued by Mexico. BYO, p. 50 - 60.

Colby, C. (2006, January-February). Vienna in exile. BYO, p. 24 - 29.

Strong, G. (2022, September). Vienna lager: Brew me, Amadeus. BYO, p. 24 - 26.

Zainasheff, J. (2014, March-April). Vienna lager: A lager with a crisp, clean malt character. BYO, p. 21 - 25.