5C Helles Exportbier
Helles Exportbier 5C
Grain bill
| Gladfield Pilsner Malt | 4.5 kg | 93.8% |
| Bestmalz Carahell | 0.3 kg | 6.2% |
Adjuncts
| Whirlfloc | half tablet @ 10 min |
| Yeast nutrient | half tsp @ 10 min |
Hop schedule
| Hop | 60 min | 15 min | WP 80°C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallertau Mittelfrüh | 25g | 15g | 10g |
Yeast
| Saflager W34-70 | 2 packets |
Water additions
| Calcium Chloride | half tsp split between mash and sparge |
| Calcium Sulphate | 1 tsp split between mash and sparge |
| Magnesium Sulphate | half tsp split between mash and sparge |
Tasting notes
About This Beer
Owen’s contribution to the Valley Brewers Style Session #2 — a brew club style challenge where all members brewed their best attempt at the same agreed recipe. Owen’s beer was a standout on the night, with the hops particularly notable.
This is also the first captured collaborative brew day between Matt and Owen — Matt was visiting Auckland, and the two brewed together. Matt’s Wellington version followed six days later.
The Brew Club Challenge
Valley Brewers Style Session #2 came after Session #1 (Empire’s End Foreign Export Stout). The club agreed on the recipe and ingredients; each member brewed their best execution.
Owen substituted Bestmalz Carahell for Weyermann Carahell — his Auckland brewstore didn’t stock Weyermann. Functionally equivalent malts.
Grain Bill
4.8 kg total:
- 4.50 kg Gladfield Pilsner Malt (93.8 %)
- 0.30 kg Bestmalz Carahell (6.2 %)
Hop Schedule — 50 g, Single-Hop Hallertau Mittelfrüh
| Time | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 60 min | 25 g | Bittering |
| 15 min | 15 g | Flavour |
| WP 80 °C, 15 min | 10 g | Aroma whirlpool |
Single noble hop — appropriate for the style.
Brew Day
Three-step mash: 45 min @ 63 °C, 20 min @ 70 °C, 10 min @ 76 °C. Water additions split between mash and sparge. 90-minute boil — drives off DMS precursors.
Brewed alongside Matt on Owen’s Auckland system — first captured collaborative brew day in the collection.
Fermentation — Cold Lager with Pressure
The fermentation profile is the technical heart of this brew, captured in detail on the notebook page:
| Day | Pressure | Temp |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | atmospheric | pitched at 9 °C |
| 0–10 | atm → 2-5 psi | 9 °C → 15 °C (diacetyl rest day 10) |
| 14 | spunding valve wound to 9-10 psi | held at 15 °C |
| 14+3 | 1-3 psi → 7-10 psi | gradual cooling begins |
| 12-15 days | 15 psi @ 2.7 °C, valve closed for lagering | — |
| 24 | 2.4 °C, 15 psi, FG 1.004, 90 % attenuation | end of primary lagering |
The slow cold fermentation with gradual pressure build is typical Owen technique for lagers — natural carbonation captured throughout, no priming sugar needed at packaging.
Packaging
Kegged — 22.6 L into keg. Natural CO2 from pressure fermentation.
Numbers
| Target | Actual | |
|---|---|---|
| OG | 1.052 | 1.045 |
| FG | 1.012 | 1.004 |
| ABV | 5.2 % | 5.4 % |
OG fell 7 points short. FG over-attenuated by 8 points (W34/70 hitting 91.1 % vs typical 73-77 % range — surprisingly hard for the strain). ABV came in at 5.4 % — within style.
| Stage | Actual |
|---|---|
| Mash + sparge | 32 L |
| Pre-boil | 29 L |
| Post-boil | 24.75 L |
| Fermenter | 24 L |
| Keg | 22.6 L |
Tasting — The Standout
Owen’s beer was a standout on the night at the Valley Brewers Style Session #2 judging. The hops particularly notable — Hallertau Mittelfrüh character came through more clearly than in some of the other members’ versions.
Hop perception at modest IBU (~25 from the 50 g schedule on 22 L) suggests clean fermentation and balanced water chemistry let the noble hop aroma carry forward.
Cost
$47 / 22.6 L = $2.08/L — among the cheapest in the captured collection.
Lineage
- This brew — Helles Exportbier 5C (September 2025) — Valley Brewers Style Session #2, Owen’s standout-on-the-night version
- Matt’s Helles Exportbier 5C (28 September 2025) — same recipe with Weyermann Carahell (Wellington brewstore stock)