Corvusator

It finally started raining and getting cold last week so I got all excited to brew a lager. My thinking that winter was upon us and it would be cold enough for an attempt. Of course it had to be a Doppelbock.

I got my recipe in order and already had my yeasties on premise. Two vials of White Labs "Silver Label" Zurich Lager Yeast (great for high gravity lagers like doppels). My recipe is all over the map, literally. Swiss lager yeast, Belgian pils, German pils and Munich malts, German Select hops. German disease resistant Hallertauer and Spalt pale lager variety develped in the early 1990s.

Another incredibly long brew day (not raining or cold).

Mash to

95° for 60 minutes
113° for 30 minutes
122° for 30 minutes
149° for 30 minutes
162° for 30 minutes

Mash out at 170° and sparge for 60 minutes
Heat to a boil 30 minutes
Boil for 90 minutes
Cool for 60 minutes

That's seven hours just in recipe. This is not my usual technique but more of a German traditional.
My intern arrived very late but did bring beers I hadn't seen before.

Preprepped yeasts.

One reference gave a 48° optimal pitch temperature and I wasn't getting there so I stuck it outside for the night.

After a few hours I went out and pitched yeasts.

Pulled it into the laboratory before dawn and it should be fine even though Winter still hasn't properly arrived.

I have a plan for proper lagering; the doppel should be ready this summer.