2B International Amber Lager
League Casa Cerveza
Grain bill
| Bestmalz Vienna Malt | 2.2 kg | 46.8% |
| Bestmalz Pilsen Malt | 1.2 kg | 25.5% |
| Bestmalz Munich Malt | 0.8 kg | 17% |
| Gladfield Sour Grapes Malt (Acid Malt) | 0.25 kg | 5.3% |
| Bestmalz Red X | 0.2 kg | 4.3% |
| Weyermann Carafa Special Type 2 | 0.05 kg | 1.1% |
Adjuncts
| Whirlfloc | half tablet @ 15 min |
| Yeast nutrient | 1.5 g @ 15 min |
Hop schedule
| Hop | 60 min | WP 85°C |
|---|---|---|
| Pacifica | 20g | 30g |
| Saaz | 20g | 30g |
Yeast
| Mangrove Jack's M54 California Lager | 2 packets |
Water additions
| Calcium Chloride | 3.6 g |
| Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) | 3.3 g |
About This Beer
A switch of supplier for Owen’s third brew — this one is a League of Brewers all-grain kit, the “League Casa Cerveza”, an International Amber Lager fermented California-Common style. Owen liked it enough to brew it twice in a month; this is the first run, with the second following on 27 May.
The grain bill is a proper Continental lager build, almost all Bestmalz: Vienna leads at nearly half the grist for a bready golden base, backed by Pilsen and Munich, with Bestmalz Red X and a whisper of dehusked Carafa Special II to push the colour into amber. A little Gladfield Sour Grapes acid malt helps set the mash pH. Hopping is restrained and Noble-leaning — Pacifica and Saaz split evenly between a 60-minute addition and an 85°C whirlpool — for around 20 IBU of clean, soft bitterness that lets the malt lead.
Brew Day
Mashed at 65°C for 60 minutes with a 16.19 L strike, mashed out at 77°C, and fly sparged 17.02 L at 76°C up to a 28.5 L boil. A 60-minute boil with Pacifica and Saaz at the start, Whirlfloc and yeast nutrient at 15 minutes, then the whirlpool hops held at 85°C for 15 minutes before chilling.
Fermentation
The trick with this beer is the yeast: Mangrove Jack’s M54 California Lager, a warm-tolerant lager strain. Two packets were rehydrated (100 ml water at 20–25°C, stirred to a cream for 8–12 minutes) and pitched. Fermented cool at 15°C for about a week, raised to 18°C for a diacetyl rest, then cold crashed to 2°C and lagered for at least a week before packaging and carbonating to a lively 2.7 volumes.
The figures shown — OG 1.047, FG 1.008, 5.12% ABV, ~20 IBU — are the kit’s estimates at 75% efficiency.