LavenderThe concept here: a black lager with an extra midnight-y nudge in the direction of bed. I’ve made sleepytime beer before, using a more standard ale approach, but this was a chance to experiment with a slightly more complicated mashing process and pretend I’m a real brewer. Proof that I don’t entirely know what I’m doing, however: I fucked up and added some old, ridiculously bitter wormwood from an herbal supply company for an extra relaxing effect, but the clean taste of lager allows little room for error, and I think this recipe is better without that bitter edge, so I’ve fudged and left it out. Otherwise, it turned out fine, taking advantage of an unusually cool May and June here in the UK to ferment and age at room temperature (there’s no cellar). So if you’re a homebrewer with minimal equipment like me, don’t be intimidated by most of what you read about the supposed finickiness of lager yeast. It’ll be fine.
Don’t use too much valerian, because it has kind of an unpleasant odor, but lavender and chamomile are both very nice and go well together.
Recipe Details
Batch Size
Boil Time
IBU
SRM
Est. OG
Est. FG
ABV
12 L
60 min
23.4 IBUs
42.1 EBC
1.044
1.008
4.8 %
Fermentables
Name
Amount
%
Maris Otter Pale - UK
2.16 kg
91.53
Midnight Wheat - US
80 g
3.39
Belgian Aromatic - BE
70 g
2.97
Chocolate - BE
50 g
2.12
Hops
Name
Amount
Time
Use
Form
Alpha %
Hallertauer Mittelfrh
25 g
45 min
Boil
Pellet
4.3
Miscs
Name
Amount
Time
Use
Type
valerian root
6.00 ml
10 min
Boil
Other
chamomile flowers, dried
0.88 oz
10 min
Boil
Other
lavender flowers, dried
0.88 oz
10 min
Boil
Other
Yeast
Name
Lab
Attenuation
Temperature
M84 Bohemian Lager Yeast
80%
17.78°C - 20.56°C
Mash
Step
Temperature
Time
Protein Rest
50°C
30 min
Saccharification
66.67°C
30 min
Mash Out
75.56°C
10 min
Notes
A black lager with hops and other soporific herbs. Add herbs ~10 minutes before flameout. I did a step infusion mash with a half-hour rest at 132F/55C before bringing it up to saccharification range for another half hour. I didn't use Pilsner malt simply because I didn't have any on hand.
