Maibock Tips n' Tricks

Never brewed a maibock, but here is a good link on the style, and what to expect when brewing one. It's a good read:

http://byo.com/grains/item/1035-maibock-style-profile

 

I know it is hard, but try to restrain hopping it up too much, it can end up as a strong pilsner, you still want the malt flavor to dominate.

Keep your fermentation on the low end for the strain of the lager yeast. I know brewers use clean ale yeast sometimes, but it just isn't the same.

Add in some Munich malt if you don't want a blonde bock.

Lastly, you'll need some time to let it age. Ideally you'll want to age until crystal clear, but a month after packaging might be OK, taste will tell.

I wish you the best. There was a lot of homebrew at the last beerfest I went to, a little too much, as a majority was awful and should have not been served, save for one group.

 

I've done a few for our local Germanfest. If you are going for to-style, this is where I start (it's based off of Brewing Classic Styles).
70% pils
30% munich
Mash at 155F
German noble hops at 60min to 30ibus
I like WL833
Lager 1-2 months

 

I've brewed the recipe in Brewing Classic Styles a few times, it is a solid place to start. Mind your malt choices, yeast choice, fermentation temps and lager, and you will get a show worthy maibock.

 

Use 100% German malts. Not American malts pretending to be German.

 

I've brewed a couple of times the Ayinger Maibock clone recipe that is in the book "Clone Brews" http://www.homebrewing.org/Clone-Brews-200-Commercial-Recipes_p_2042.html and it was delicious. The recipes in this book give you a choice of extract or all-grain brewing.

 

Bocks are malty lagers...but Helles Bocks or Maibocks are the session (J.V.) Bocks that bridge the style and are "designed to walk a fine line between blandness and too much color" (from 2008 BJCP style guidelines)...still formidable at 6.3-7.4 ABV.

 

What scurvy and bushdoctor said: don't skimp on the munich and don't go nuts on the hops.

 

Especially don't use Briess vienna and munich, I think they are made from Six-Row.

 

What kind of maibock ya looking for? Bock Lite, or IHB (imperial helles bock.). HA!
EDIT: I felt bad for leaving this open ended. I like the all pils route, a touch heavy handed on the noble hops route myself. While I haven't brewed one myself, I quite enjoy the commercial examples I have had that follow this trend. Don't boil too long, and watch watch out for diacetyl.

 

Both are made from 2 row. I like them in American style beers, but they aren't very good for a German beer.

 

@MrLawrenceLady, is your intention to brew all grain or extract?

Cheers!

 

The Vienna used to be 6 row, but now is 2 row on their site as the Gold Pils Vienna, probably to rebrand it.

6-row is on the way out of production. Briess recently said they will not be making 6-row malts anymore. Scroll down.
http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Pressroom/Default.htm

Edit - I was always good for a bag of 6-row every year for CAPs and other beers.

 

Jeff, I have always consistently purchased Rahr 6-row malt to brew my CAP beers. I sure hope that Rahr does not stop malting 6-row barley.

Cheers!

 

Cananda Malting also makes 6-row malt.

6 row is on the way out, it has been passed in production by 2 row for several years. NA 2-row is just about has hot in DP these days.

 

Yep, I read Dave's post on that topic.

I just hope that I can continue to purchase 6-row malt at the homebrewing level for my CAP beers.

Cheers!

 

OP - I would also add that the current WL Platinum strain German Lager X makes an excellent helles bock.

 

I've always wondered if the barley is all that much different between old and new world varieties...and if it's the malting that really makes the difference...damn it, I loaned my Malt book out