Liquid Daylight - Munich Helles - All Grain Recipe

 

A clean, golden Munich Helles built for pure drinkability - Liquid Daylight is all about soft malt, subtle hops, and a crisp, refreshing finish. This second iteration of our Munich Helles recipe refines the balance, leaning into classic Bavarian character with just enough polish to make it shine.

Recipe Rationale

🌾Grist

The grist is intentionally simple: 

• 95% German Pilsner malt with
• 5% Munich I. 

This keeps the beer firmly in Helles territory - pale, soft, and bready - while the small Munich addition adds just enough depth (light honey and fresh crust) to avoid tasting thin. Keeping Munich low preserves that delicate, drinkable profile the style demands.

💧 Water

A soft, chloride-forward profile (Cl > SO₄) supports a rounded, smooth malt character and suppresses hop sharpness. Calcium is kept moderate for yeast health and clarity, while the restrained sulfate ensures bitterness remains gentle and integrated rather than crisp or assertive.

🌿 Hops

Hallertau Mittelfrüh is used exclusively for its subtle floral and herbal character and soft bitterness. Kept around 16–18 IBU, the hops provide structure without ever becoming the focus - exactly as expected in a traditional Munich Helles, where hops should support rather than stand out. A slight deviation from Saaz which we used in our original Munich Helles recipe.

🔥 Mash

A step mash (low 60s °C followed by high 60s °C) balances fermentability and body. The lower rest promotes a clean, well-attenuated finish, while the higher rest retains enough dextrin content to give the beer its characteristic rounded mouthfeel.

❄️ Yeast & Fermentation

Our second batch using liquid yeast, we'll be going for Mogwai Labs Belphegor Helles (MOG-204), which will be fermented cool (around 10 °C) to minimise esters and allow the malt profile to lead. A controlled diacetyl rest at the end ensures a polished finish, followed by cold lagering to refine clarity, smoothness, and overall drinkability - key hallmarks of the style.

If you're looking at using a dry yeast (like we normally would), we'd recommend Fermentis Saflager W-34/70.

⚖️ Overall Balance

Everything in this recipe is designed around restraint and harmony:

• Soft malt as the centrepiece
• Bitterness that’s present but unobtrusive
• Fermentation that stays out of the way

The result is a beer that doesn’t shout - but invites another sip immediately, which is exactly what a great Helles should do.

All Grain Recipe

Vitals

• Batch Volume: 23L 
• Boil Time: 60 minutes
• Brewhouse Efficiency: 75%
• Original Gravity: 1.047
• Final Gravity: 1.012
• IBU (Tinseth): 18
• BU/GU: 0.39
• Colour: 7 EBC
• Expected ABV: 4.6%

Mash

• Step 1: 63°C - 30 minutes
• Step 2: 69°C - 30 minutes
• Mash Out: 78°C - 10 minutes

Fermentables

• 4.7kg - Gladfield German Pilsner (95%)
• 0.25 - Weyermann Munich I (5%)

Hops

Boil Hops

• 60 mins - Hallertau Mittelfruh - 16 IBU
• 10 mins - Hallertau Mittelfruh - 2 IBU

Yeast

• Mogwai Labs Belphegor Helles Liquid Yeast (MOG-204), or
• Fermentis Saflager W-34/70

Fermentation

• 10°C (until gravity approx 1.015)
• 15°C - 3 days

Water Profile 

• Ca2+ (Calcium): 45
• Mg2+ (Magnesium): 4
• Na+ (Sodium): 25
• Cl- (Chloride): 75
• SO42- (Sulfate): 40
• HCO3- (Bicarbonate): 30

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