How to Brew a Rice Lager like a Pro!

How to Brew a Rice Lager like a Pro!

Dermott Dowling

Here we share with our friends at novozymes some tips and tricks for How to Brew a Rice Lager like a Pro!

Rice Lager Brewers Guidance

Standard Rice Lager Grist components

  • 70% Malted Barley (Pale or Pilsen Malt)
  • 30% Rice (broken rice and/or whole grain rice crushed and/or milled to a powder)

Process steps / advice:

  1. Add hot liquor (90-95C) to your mash tun (strike temperature set to hit a cereal cook temperature for rice addition of 85-90C).  Use a liquor to Rice Grist ratio of 3:1
  2. Add Rice Grits / Powder to the Hot Liquor for a cereal cook of 30 minutes at 85-90C
  3. Add Novozymes | Termamyl® SC 4X | Thermostable α-amylase into the Rice Mash at the Dosage Rate [kg/ton of adjunct] of 0.075–0.125 Kg / MT of Rice or Benzyme AA 4X | Thermostable α-amylase at a dosage 75-125 g / Kg of Rice.
  4. Add cold liquor to cool to your regular strike temperature for barley infusion mashing (60-65C) then add Malted Barley for your second step infusion mash

Notes and further information to consider:

  • If you are suffering viscosity issues or filtering issues you may wish to consider adding Novozymes - Ultraflo® Max - Beta-glucanase - Xylanase into the second step mash with the barley at addition rates of Ultraflo® Max at 0.100–0.25 kg/ton of grist, but depends deeply on malt quality, adjunct ration and type of raw material.
  • Due to the high grist % as Rice say 30% you will need to either a) add novozymes Neutrase® 0.8 L BrewQ an endo-protease that raises FAN levels OR add Yeast Nutrients to make sure you give your yeast enough nutrients for a healthy and fast fermentation.
  • Note: If you are adding novozymes Neutrase® 0.8 L BrewQ an endo-protease that raises FAN levels be careful not to overdose as endo-protease breaks down proteins in your beer and whilst that aids stability it also reduces foam and head retention especially if overdosed.
  • The above process for an Asian Style Rice Lager is also going to be equally applicable to an American Style Light Lager or Cream Ale brewed with 70% Malted Barley and 30% Maize Grits (unmodified corn grits)