Sol or Corona style pseudo lager clone

[Stan's Brew]

I have a request to brew a Mexican style lager ready for Xmas, I have some Mango Jacks M12 Kveik yeast and pale malt, so fancy using these ingredients to brew a 20 IBU pseudo lager at around 4.0%. I can ferment up to 40C and chill to 6C, fermenting under pressure I can usually start drinking almost any style I brew in 8 days (sometimes less ), so I don't think long lagering times will be an issue to turn this around for the Xmas holiday (and there should be enough limes available to satisfy the lager drinkers!)

Has anyone tried this kind of pseudo lager using this strain of yeast which is claimed to be a high flocculator and high attenuator ? What malt bill did you use?

https://mangrovejacks.com/products/kveik-yeast-10g

 

[Clint]

I used Voss Kveik from CML...I thought it gave marmalade flavours.
I'd do a pseudo with Wilko Gervin/Notty it the low end temp or use a MJ cali lager yeast. With the Notty it will drop and clear nicely.

 

[The Baron]

As Clint has said Kveik at the higher temps can throw a slight orange/marmalade taste, although this may be nice it will detract from the mexican style so I would use a neutralish yeast oe a true lager yeast that is known for a quick turnaround

 

[Stan's Brew]

It's interesting that the Voss Kveik can throw marmalade, the MJ description is for subtle orangy & citrussy esters, given that this type of lager will be adulterated with a slice of lime anyway then this might not be too much of an issue at the drinking stage.

Notty sounds like a safer flavour profie, does anyone know what temp can be pushed under 15psi of pressure before esters start to kick in? I'm thinking 20C to keep it neutral and finish in good time.

M54 Cali lager looks to be ideal at ale temps, possibly pushed to 25C under pressure, would finish in no time and with a clean & crisp flavour profile would be a good baseline to establish.

Good pointers, many thanks.

 

[Clint]

I've done both Notty and The MJ Cali. Cali is very good.

 

[dmtaylor]

I've had great experiences with Diamond, S-189, and S-04 fermented in mid-60s F (18-19C). No need to use kveik which can give very inconsistent and often disappointing results.

 

[White Rose Al]

One to note with a Pseudo lager, they need time to condition.

Granted its not the time required for bottom fermenting lagering, however 8 days in my view would be far too short.

4 weeks minimum of conditioning with the drink starting to balance around 6-8.

 

[Stan's Brew]

One to note with a Pseudo lager, they need time to condition.

Granted its not the time required for bottom fermenting lagering, however 8 days in my view would be far too short.

4 weeks minimum of conditioning with the drink starting to balance around 6-8.

Agree, yeast and strength dependent, my 8 day drinkable ales were around 4.0% ABV, fermented at 25psi at 25C finished in 3 days, dropped clear in 3 days and conditioned for 2 days, yeasts were Safale S-04, Notty and MJ M42 & M15, so high flocculators I would say are key as are session strength beers. The fermenters had a floating dip tube which also helps get clear beer quicker.

The M54 looks to be a similar yeast profile, the beer will be approx 4.0% which I will ferment at 25C under 15psi, I wouldn't be surprised if its drinkable within a couple of weeks. I may even produce a brew day thread for it

 

[Jim Brewster]

For something like Corona or an American light lager etc where the body is very light, it would be a good idea to add something that will reduce the body such as flaked corn or flaked rice at around 15% of the grist

 

[Stan's Brew]

For something like Corona or an American light lager etc where the body is very light, it would be a good idea to add something that will reduce the body such as flaked corn or flaked rice at around 15% of the grist

And mash @65 ?

 

[dmtaylor]

And mash @65 ?

That's never a bad idea for any lagers.

 

[Covrich]

If you use a pseudo, I would after say bottling keep it at a fridge cold temp for several weeks like a largering process, it crisps it up pretty well

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I have a request to brew a Mexican style lager ready for Xmas

In the circumstances, I'd gently suggest that it's better to stick with things that are known to work, rather than working with a yeast strain that is known to be quite "dirty" (not just with the orange thing) and hoping that pressure will clean it up. So I'd use something that's known to work for warm-fermented lager - see this thread for more detail than you could want.

It's interesting that the Voss Kveik can throw marmalade, the MJ description is for subtle orangy & citrussy esters, given that this type of lager will be adulterated with a slice of lime anyway then this might not be too much of an issue at the drinking stage.

Notty sounds like a safer flavour profie, does anyone know what temp can be pushed under 15psi of pressure before esters start to kick in? I'm thinking 20C to keep it neutral and finish in good time.

M54 Cali lager looks to be ideal at ale temps, possibly pushed to 25C under pressure, would finish in no time and with a clean & crisp flavour profile would be a good baseline to establish.

I'd suggest that the MJ description is rather generous, kveiks can produce all sorts of flavours that some people just don't get on with. If you must use a kveik, then I'd only consider one of the really clean ones like Omega's Lutra (now available dry, but it ain't cheap) or Escarpment's KRISPY (if you can find it, Malt Miller sometimes have Escarpment strains).

Experience in the warm fermented lager thread suggests M54 is a good starting point, also 34/70 and WLP800. If you want to be picky, the Mexican breweries seem to favour yeasts that originated at Urquell, which tend to be a bit more diacetyl-y. S-23 is the nearest dry equivalent, but a) I'm not sure the average Corona drinker would notice and b) they would probably prefer a cleaner strain than S-23.