Halfway to Helles
In 2025, I wanted to concentrate more on my BJCP Goal compared to 2024.
I had my Roll-a-Style list, which helped me keep track of styles that I still need to brew.
The idea has been that I use a 20-sided online die to decide which style to brew next. However, most of the brews, I have decided and "pretended" to roll the number I wanted to brew.
May was coming up, which would be a time to brew the "seasonal" Helles in a Hand Bock-sket, and I thought this year it would be fun to brew a lower ABV German Lager to replace the Hand Bock-sket beer.
The one lower ABV German Lager I still had on the list was 3, and I pretended to roll the online die ...
... which corresponds to 5A. German Leichtbier.
"A pale, highly-attenuated, light-bodied German lager with lower alcohol and calories than standard-strength beers. Moderately bitter with noticeable malt and hop flavors, the beer is still interesting to drink."
For the name, I wanted to come up with a pun for "Helles", like I did for Helles in a Hand Bock-sket. Fortuitously, while listening to music, AC / DC's "Highway to Hell" came on.
And ... the name "Halfway to Helles" popped into my head. This beer is, after all, essentially half the ABV of Helles in a Hand Bock-sket.
I thought this was clever enough considering how bad I am at coming up with punny beer names, so I went with it.
The Beer Model and I brewed this beer on Big Brew Day and Will Drink In May.
For more about this beer, see Sheppy's Blog: Halfway to Helles
| Halfway to Helles --- Batch 1 |
| Style | German Leichtbier | Batch Size | 5.50 gal | |||
| Type | All Grain | Boil Size | 6.51 gal | |||
| Brewhouse Efficiency | 68.00 | Boil Time | 45 minutes |
Recipe Characteristics
| Recipe Gravity | 1.033 SG | Estimated FG | 1.008 SG | ||||
| Recipe Bitterness | 22.5 IBUs (Rager) | Alcohol by Volume | 3.3 % | ||||
| BU : GU | 0.685 | ||||||
| Recipe Color | 3.8 SRM |
|
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| Measured OG: | 1.037 | Measured FG: | 1.008 | ||||
| ADF: | 78 | Measured ABV: | 3.8 |
Ingredients
| Amt | Name | Type | # | %/IBU | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.54 gal | Denver, Colorado | Water | 1 | - | - |
| 5.00 g | Calcium Chloride (Mash) | Water Agent | 2 | - | - |
| 3.00 g | Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash) | Water Agent | 3 | - | - |
| 2.00 g | Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash) | Water Agent | 4 | - | - |
| 1.50 tsp | Lactic Acid (Mash) | Water Agent | 5 | - | - |
| 3 lbs 8.0 oz | Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 6 | 48.3 % | 0.27 gal |
| 2 lbs 8.0 oz | Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) | Grain | 7 | 34.5 % | 0.20 gal |
| 1 lbs 4.0 oz | Light Munich Malt (6.0 SRM) | Grain | 8 | 17.2 % | 0.10 gal |
| 0.500 oz | Magnum [12.60 %] - Boil 40.0 min | Hop | 9 | 19.7 IBUs | - |
| 1.00 Items | Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) | Fining | 10 | - | - |
| 2.000 oz | Tettnang [2.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min | Hop | 11 | 2.9 IBUs | - |
| 1.0 pkg | Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) [50.28 ml] | Yeast | 12 | - | - |
| 0.50 tsp | Gelatin (Bottling 1.0 days) | Fining | 13 | - | - |
Mash Profile
| Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saccharification | Add 30.17 qt of water at 156.9 F | 152.0 F | 45 min |
| Heat | Heat to 158.0 F over 10 min | 158.0 F | 15 min |
| Mash Out | Heat to 170.0 F over 7 min | 170.0 F | 10 min |
If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
From Denver water, salts puts water profile at
Ca=103,Mg=15,Na=21,SO4=137,Cl=108,HCO3=104
Acid to bring water pH to around 5.2
Boil as directed.
Chill water to as close to 50F as possible.
Pitch yeast and ferment in 50's for first 2 days.
After main fermentation is done let temperature rise to room temp. Let total fermentation go a total of 2 weeks.
Chill and add gelatin after a couple days in the fridge.
Brewing Record
| Brew Date: | Strike Temp: | |||||
| Mash Temps: | ||||||
| Pre-boil OG | (1.030 SG) | Pre-boil Vol | (6.51 gal) | |||
| Actual Mash Efficiency | Pitch Temp | |||||
| Fermentation | ||||||
| Day 1: | ||||||
| Day ... | ||||||
| Day ... | ||||||
4/27/2025 Buying ingredients today. Think this will be my Big Brew Day beer.
5/3/2025 Big Brew Day batch. Getting started around 10 am so the Beer Model can be the Brew Master.
5/3/2025 1.037 og. Brew Day went well. The Beer Model is the best breweer in the family.
5/3/2025 According to the Beer Model, OG 1.037. She didn't save sample to let me check, so I guess that is official.
5/5/2025 Took a full day for fermentation to really kick off, but it's going now. Tilt says 1.026 at 54.
5/6/2025 Tilt says 1.008 at 57. I'll take off temperature control before the end of the day.
5/7/2025 Unplugged the pump. Not much bubbling except. Maybe a bubble every 15 seconds or so. Tilt says 1.008 at 62.
5/13/2025 Stopped the logging. Tilt says 1.005 at 70. Will probably keg soon.
5/18/2025 Kegged this morning. FG right on plan at 1.008. 3.8 ABV and 78 ADF. Pretty clear going into the keg. Really liked the sample. Cracker malt flavor. A touch of floral hops. Not thin at all. Collected a quart of yeast.
5/20/2025 First pour from the keg. Carbonation ok. Hazy. Need to get the gelatin added. Pale. Refreshing. Love the cracker malt flavor. Nice floral hops.
5/22/2025 Added gelatin.
5/27/2025 Brought my gallon growler with me in memorial day weekend trip. Tasting great. Nice to have a low ABV option. Not sure this will last long.
5/31/2025 Took picture for webpage. The photo doesn't quite show off how clear it is now. Yummy cracker malt flavor. Beautiful yellow. Easy drinking. Perfect hot weather beer.
6/7/2025 Crystal clear now and oh so yummy 😋 . Great summer beer. Pale and refreshing. Light but not too watery. Nice cracker malt character and even a touch of Nobel hops.
6/10/2025 Compared to AstroSuds Golden Lager from Green Mountain, which is sort of the beer that made me think this should be May Seasonal replacement. Both extremely clear. Head similar, but Halfway maybe a bit more substantial and lighter in color. Astro Suds darker. More carbonated. Slightly more mouth feel. More dark bread Munich malt Halfway crisper cleaner more refreshing. A bit more floral hop character. More cracker / bread crust. Certainly not similar beers, but I like how mine stacks up to the inspiration.