RECIPE: Dark Lager for National Beer Day

Did you know that August 2nd, 2024 marks National Beer Day? While we love to celebrate beer itself, it's also great time to reflect on the role beer plays in bringing people together. Whether you're enjoying a pint at a local brewery, sharing a six-pack with friends, or crafting your own masterpiece at home, beer is a great reflection of community.

To celebrate this special occasion, we're sharing an award-winning Dark Lager recipe that was submitted by Brad Hunt, a member of our homebrewing community, featuring our newly released Lost Lager yeast strain.

The Versatility of Lost Lager

Lost Lager is a Bavarian yeast strain that was deemed lost all the way back in the 1950s due to barley quality issues. Great for dark & hoppy beers, with slightly higher nutrient requirements than usual lager strains. It has higher biotransformation than most lager strains, which makes it an ideal candidate for experimenting with a part of history.

• Flavour Profile: Clean, Malt Accentuating
• Biotransformation: Medium
• Optimal Temp: 10–15°C (50–59°F)
• Attenuation: 72-82%

Using local ingredients not only supports regional agriculture but also adds a unique touch to the final product. In this recipe, Barn Owl Malts from Ontario provide the foundation for a flavourful brew, while our Lost Lager strain elevates the beer to new heights. It's a testament to the quality of local brewing components and their impact on creating exceptional beers.

The Recipe: Safari Shade Dark Lager

This Dark Lager recipe is a testament to the rich flavours that can be achieved with careful brewing techniques and quality ingredients. It combines a rich malt backbone with toasted bread flavours and subtle bitterness, making it a standout choice for any beer enthusiast.

Award ceremony for the Orleans Craft Beer Festival Homebrew Competition. Brad Hunt (shown) walked away with the winning recipe for 'Best in Show' for his Dark Lager, 'Safari Shade'.

Homebrewer Brad Hunt says, "This beer is a simple beer that when brewed gives you a rich, malty lager with dark toasted bread flavours. The beer uses a mash capping process to reduce astringency from dark Malts and uses local Ontario ingredients from Barn Owl Malts and of course Escarpment Labs to really push it over the top! It won best of show at the Orleans Craft Beer Festival Homebrew Competition over some incredible beers."

STATS

• Target OG: 1.050
• Target FG: 1.012
• IBU: 21
• SRM: 21
• System Mash efficiency: 66%, adjust as necessary to hit target

MALT

• Barn Owl Malt Munich Malt or other Dark Munich malt:  11 lb 8 oz (93%)
• Great Western Malting Mela Malt:  8 oz (4%)
• Carafa Special II (add during vorlauf):  6 oz (3%)

HOPS

2 oz Tettnang @ 60mins

YEAST

Lost Lager

MASH

• Mash at 154°F (67°C) for 60 mins.
• Mash out at 170°F (76°C) for 10 mins.
• Add Carafa grains during vorlauf.