Brew a Crisp & Refreshing Mexican Lager

Looking for the perfect beer to enjoy on a sunny day? This All-Grain Mexican Lager recipe is just the ticket. It’s a clean, crisp, and incredibly refreshing International Pale Lager that's perfect for warm weather. Buy the recipe kit here.

This recipe is written for a 5 gallons into a serving keg or bottles. Making it a great size for your 10-gallon brewing system with plenty of headspace. 

Beer Profile

• Style: International Pale Lager
• Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 SG
• Final Gravity (FG): 1.009 SG
• ABV: 4.86%
• IBU: 24.6
• Color (SRM): 4.7

Grain Bill

• 4 lbs (1.81 kg) Chesapeake Pilsner (Riverbend Malt House)
• 3 lbs (1.36 kg) Regenefied Southern Select (Riverbend Malt House)
• 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) Cumberland Corn Malt (Riverbend Malt House)
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Great Chit (Riverbend Malt House)
• 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg) Carahell (Weyermann)

Hop Schedule

• 1 oz (28.3 g) Perle Pellets - Add at start of boil (60 minutes)
• 1 oz (28.3 g) Motueka Pellets - Add with 5 minutes left in boil

Yeast

1 package: Fermentis Saflager Lager Yeast (W-34/70)

Other Additions

• 1 packet Crystalized Lime - Add at bottling/kegging

Step-by-Step Brew Day Instructions

1. Mash In: Mash your grains at 152°F (66.7°C) for 60 minutes. Don't forget to add your mash water agents (Gypsum, Calcium Chloride, and Canning Salt).

2. Boil: Bring your wort to a boil and boil for a total of 60 minutes.

3. Follow the Hop Schedule:

   • At the start of the boil (60-minute mark), add your 1 oz of Perle hops.

   • With 5 minutes remaining in the boil, add 1 oz of Motueka hops and your Whirlfloc tablet.

4. Chill & Pitch Yeast: After the boil is complete, chill your wort down to fermentation temperature, around 50°F (10°C). Transfer the cooled wort to your fermenter and pitch the two packages of Saflager Lager yeast.

5. Fermentation:

   • Primary: Ferment at 50°F (10°C) for 3 days.

   • Secondary/Diacetyl Rest: Raise the temperature to 55°F (12.8°C) and hold for another 4 days.

6. Flavor & Carbonate: Once fermentation is complete and the beer has cleared, it's time to package. Add the packet of Crystalized Lime when you are bottling or kegging your beer to add a final zesty kick. Carbonate to approximately 2.8 volumes of CO₂.

This is  a crisp, refreshing Mexican-style lager with a modern hop twist from the Motueka and a bright lime finish. Perfect for your next cookout or a relaxing afternoon.

Cheers!