Sometimes you just have to throw caution (and a whole sack of malt) to the wind and see what happens. That’s exactly what Mike did for this brew, which is a bold, unapologetic Munich Lager.

The grain bill for this beer is built entirely from light Munich malt. He’s also calling it a “SMaSH” beer (Single Malt And Single Hop) because, well, it is. He only used Liberty hops for this recipe.

What happens when you turn up the malt and keep the hops simple?  Watch this video to learn more.

All Munich Malt Lager Recipe

This recipe is for a 3.5 gallon batch.

Grain Bill:
100% Light Munich malt (Valley Malt, in our case)

Hops:
Liberty (just a 60-minute addition, aiming for about 30 IBUs)

Yeast:
CellarScience German

Water:
Moderate sulfate to chloride ratio (about 2:1, to keep the malt from running wild)

Mash Schedule:
Dough-in at 135°F for 10 minutes (high-protein rest)
Ramp to 145°F, hold 30 minutes
Ramp to 155°F, hold 10 minutes
Mash out at 168°F for 10 minutes

Outcomes:
Starting Gravity: 1.044
Finishing Gravity: 1.012
ABV: About 4.2%
SRM (Color): 8—think dark copper, but not quite dunkel territory

Mike brewed this batch with Valley Malt’s light Munich, mostly because he bought 40 pounds and he needs to use it for something.

Our Thoughts on the Malt Overload

As you can guess, this beer is all about the malt. The color is a beautiful deep copper, and the aroma is pure bready goodness. It’s like you just walked into a bakery specializing in Bavarian pretzels.

There’s not a ton of hop aroma. He used Liberty hops for bittering and it’s there for balance. The mouthfeel is smooth, with plenty of body considering the moderate ABV.

Flavor-wise, the beer had a ton of bread crust and malt sweetness up front. It’s not toasty or caramel-like, just pure, rich malt. It is a little overwhelming for a session, but perfect with hearty food.

If you’re looking for a fall beer to go with sausage and mustard, this one’s your new best friend.  If you’re a “two pints and done” kind of drinker, the full Munich malt experience might feel like a bread-eating contest.

Mike thinks a little pilsner malt would lighten things up next time.

All in all, this “Munich Lager”  is a reminder that brewing is about experimentation, pushing boundaries, and sometimes just using what you’ve got on hand.

Would we brew it again?

Absolutely!

(with some adjustments)

BREW ON!