For more about this distinctive and relatively obscure style, see Make Your Best Lichtenhainer.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.040
FG: 1.009
IBUs: 9
ABV: 3.9%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
2.5 lb (1.1 kg) pilsner
2.5 lb (1.1 kg) Vienna
2.5 lb (1.1 kg) oak-smoked wheat malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
1 oz (28 g) Hallertauer Mittelfrüh at 15 minutes [9 IBUs]
YEAST
Wyeast 1007 German Ale & Wyeast 5335 Lactobacillus
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6 gallons (23 liters) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 15 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. After the boil, chill the wort to about 65°F (18°C), aerate well, and pitch the yeast and Lactobacillus. Ferment at 68°F (20°C) for 10 days, then package and carbonate to about 2.75 volumes of CO2.
BREWER’S NOTES
Lichtenhainer is meant to be enjoyed young; don’t worry if it’s not as polished as your other beers when you package. At packaging, you can also taste how your Lacto did in producing some tartness; you can give it more time or adjust with lactic acid, but it isn’t meant to be as brightly acidic as a Berliner weisse.
