How to Brew Vienna Lager
When exploring the history of the Vienna Lager, we first learn about the history of kilning malt. However, before we dive into this newly discovered kilning process, we run into some people that were pretty insurmountable to this beer.
In 1820, Franz Anton Dreher passed away and left his son, Anton, the keys to his brewery, Klein-Schwechat Brewery.
Young Anton is merely ten years old when his father passes away. Later in the 1820s, Anton began his brewing education with the goal of taking over the brewery himself.
While beginning his apprenticeship in breweries in Europe, Anton meets Gabriel Sadlmayer II, the son of Gabriel Sadlmayer, owner of the famous Spaten Brewing Company. The two hit it off and become good friends.
When exploring the history of the Vienna Lager, we first learn about the history of kilning malt. However, before we dive into this newly discovered kilning process, we run into some people that were pretty insurmountable to this beer.
In 1820, Franz Anton Dreher passed away and left his son, Anton, the keys to his brewery, Klein-Schwechat Brewery.
Young Anton is merely ten years old when his father passes away. Later in the 1820s, Anton began his brewing education with the goal of taking over the brewery himself.
While beginning his apprenticeship in breweries in Europe, Anton meets Gabriel Sadlmayer II, the son of Gabriel Sadlmayer, owner of the famous Spaten Brewing Company. The two hit it off and become good friends.
The New Kilning Process
In the early 1830s, a new kilning process became the new way of handling malt in England. Since then, malt was kilned directly over fire, leaving it with a rather toasty and smoky profile.The British started to refine the way malt was kilned.
The British used hot air instead of direct heat. This caused a lighter color on the malt and a more distinct profile.
The Birth of Two New Beer Styles
Using their newly found knowledge, Dreher creates an amber malt that is lightly caramelized. This is what becomes Vienna malt. He then pairs this malt with a lager yeast.
This beer is a reddish-copper lager that profiles the slightly bready malt.
This beer was released in 1841 as a Vienna style lager. Sedlmayr was not to be outdone. He began experimenting with hot air kilning. He too included his new kilned malt with some lager yeast. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Munich Märzen was born.
The Effects of War
World War I left Austria in financial trouble and the Vienna lager quickly disappeared. However, the style wasn’t to be forgotten. In 1861, Napoleon III invaded Mexico after Mexico’s President Benito Juarez refused to pay European countries. This invasion and occupation created a rebirth of the Vienna Lager.
As Maximilian I, from the Austian Royal House, was the leader of this newly gained land. As a result, many European brewers found their way to Mexico and subsequently brought a large influence for the Vienna lager style.
As this style grew in popularity, even in post-prohibition America, it was Mexico that kept this style alive. However, additions of adjunct cereals, especially corn, was used to bulk up the grain bill.
In 1926, Cerveceria Modelo opened in Mexico City and began brewing their example which was called Negra Modelo. Over the years, the style became even adopted by American craft beer brewers.
Vienna Lager Style Profile and Characteristics
Appearance
Color ranges from orange copper to light amber with hints of red. The head of a Vienna lager is off-white in color and soapy and thick and has great head retention.
Aroma
Maly aromas consist of toast and bread. The malt aroma should not be caramel and no roasted notes. Clean lager character with light floral and/or spicy hop aroma.
Mouthfeel
Carbonation is medium-light to moderate body which leads to a smooth creaminess.
Taste
Malt flavor is toasty without any caramel or dark roasty notes. Hops presence remains low, but there’s enough hop bitterness to balance out the malt presence.
Clean lager character with no phenols or esters being detected. Finish will be dry and crisp with a noticeable hop bitterness in the aftertaste.
Food Pairings
Vienna lagers pair well with bratwursts with some sweet mustard. It also pairs well with spicy chicken wings, venison and grilled meats.
Seafood works well too with this beer. The sugars that develop from grilled vegetables pair well with a Vienna lager.
Vienna Lager By the Numbers
- Color Range: 9-15 SRM
- Original Gravity: 1.048 – 1.055 OG
- Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.014 FG
- IBU Range: 18 – 30
- ABV Range: 4.7 – 5.5%
Tips for Brewing your own Vienna Lager
Grain
The grist for a Vienna lager is made up with, of course, Vienna malt. Depending on whom you talk to, a Vienna lager recipe can be extremely easy. 100% Vienna malt and you call it a day. However, like most styles, the recipe has evolved just a bit.
Some award winning beers have been made by adding Pilsner, Munich and Vienna to the grain grist. The Pilsner malt makes for a soft profile and lightens the beer’s color quite significantly.
Munich malt will indeed deepen the beer’s srm color and add a slight deep malt flavor. Using all three malts create a much more complex profile.
As for specialty malts, a small amount of lighter crystal/caramel malts, black or chocolate malts would be acceptable. These dark malts used sparingly will impart a reddish hue to your beer. 3% or less of Melanoidin malt will give some color and a warming, malty character.
Personally, I tend to side with the guys from The Brewing Network podcast, The Session. They have always preached 97% Vienna malt and 3% Pale Chocolate. I have tested this out and love the outcome.
If you are interested in replicating the Mexican example of a Vienna lager, the outcome will be slightly sweeter and darker. Some Munich malt and some Cara or Crystal malts will be used. Also up to 20% of the grist can be made up of flaked corn.
Hops
The hop bitterness for a Vienna lager should be enough to counter the maltiness of this style. However, the bitterness should never overwhelm the palate.
Although flavor and aroma additions are not totally necessary, some brewers will just a small amount at the end of the boil.
Your typical German noble hops are going to be at play here. Saaz, Tettnang, Spalt, and Hallertauer. In a pinch, Liberty, Mt. Hood, and Willamette will work as well.
Yeast
When deciding on a yeast for a delicious Vienna lager, a lager yeast used to make malty European lagers will be your choice.
Wyeast Munich Lager 2308, Wyeast Bohemian Lager 2124, White Labs Oktoberfest/Märzen 820, White Labs South German Lager 838, or White Labs Bavarian Lager 920 all will be solid choices.
If you are looking for dry yeast, Saflager W34/70 or Mangrove Jack Bohemian Lager M84 will be the yeast to use. Be sure to use a yeast starter for this beer; as you will want to assure fermentation takes off as soon as possible.
A yeast starter will be good insurance for this brew day.
Fermenting and Lagering
Follow the temperature ranges on the desired yeast that you choose for this brew day. Usually primary fermentation will be around 50°F and 55°F(10°C-12°F).
Raise your fermentation to around 60°F(10°C) for a diacetyl rest and hold it there for 3 days.
After the d-rest, rack to a secondary and get that beer off the yeast. This will be time to lager your beer. One to two months of lagering at 35°F and 40°F(1°C-4°C) will do the trick.
Vienna Lager Beer Recipe
Grain
- 56% 6 lbs Vienna Malt
- 37% 4 lbs Munich Type I
- 5% 8.0 oz Caramunich I
- 2% 2.0 oz Chocolate Malt
Hops
- 0.75 oz Perle Pellets – Boil 60.0 min
- 1.00 oz Tettnang Pellets – Boil 10.0 min
Yeast
- 1.0 pkg German Lager (White Labs #WLP830)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Vienna Lager?
A Vienna Lager is a type of beer that originated in Vienna, Austria. It is characterized by its reddish-copper color and a slightly bready malt profile.
The beer is made using a unique kilning process that gives it a distinct malt flavor. Vienna Lager yeast is typically used to ferment this beer, resulting in a clean lager character.
How is the Vienna Lager Different from a Mexican Vienna Lager?
While the Vienna Lager originated in Austria, it found a new home in Mexico during the 19th century. Mexican versions of this beer style often include adjunct cereals like corn to bulk up the grain bill.
Brands like Negra Modelo are examples of Mexican Vienna Lagers, which tend to be slightly sweeter and darker than their Austrian counterparts.
What Hops are Used in a Vienna Lager?
The hop profile in a Vienna Lager is generally low, but it’s enough to balance out the maltiness. Typical German noble hops like Saaz, Tettnang, Spalt, and Hallertauer are commonly used.
These hops provide enough bitterness to counter the maltiness without overwhelming the palate.
What is the Ideal Grain Composition for an Award-Winning Vienna Lager Recipe?
An award-winning Vienna Lager recipe often includes a mix of Vienna, Pilsner, and Munich malts. These malts create a complex profile that deepens the beer’s color and adds a slight malt flavor.
Some recipes also include a small amount of lighter crystal/caramel malts, black or chocolate malts, and even Melanoidin malt to give the beer a reddish hue and a warming, malty character.
Can You Describe the Lager Beer Process for Making a Gold Medal Vienna Lager?
The lager beer process for making a gold medal Vienna Lager involves careful selection of grains, hops, and yeast. After brewing, the beer undergoes primary fermentation at temperatures between 50°F and 55°F.
A diacetyl rest is then performed by raising the temperature to around 60°F for three days. The beer is then transferred to a secondary fermenter for lagering, which lasts one to two months at temperatures between 35°F and 40°F. This meticulous process ensures a clean, crisp, and balanced Vienna Lager.
Former President of my homebrew club, Plainfield Ale and Lager Enthusiasts (PALE) in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL. I brew on my BIAB system with my incredibly patient and understanding wife, adorable 9 year old daughter, and 12 year old brew dog.
