Kirin Ichiban

I have my doubts about this, but I'll give it an honest try.

My Japanese father-in-law will be visiting sometime in April or May, so I've decided to try my hand at brewing a lighter beer. I'm not really equipped to do an authentic lager, but thankfully White Labs makes a yeast that allows the homebrewer to cheat a bit.

The WLP060 American Ale Yeast Blend is a combination of their California Ale yeast and some lager strains. It alleges to finish clean like a lager, at fermentation temperatures closer to those you'd expect for an ale.

Kirin Clone:

4.5 lbs. Extra Pale Dry Malt Extract
1.0 lbs. Rice Syrup Solids
0.5 lbs. German light crystal malt
1.0 oz. Saaz
1.0 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker

Boil 45 mins. then add:
0.5 oz. Saaz
0.5 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker
1 tsp. Irish moss

Boil 13 more mins. then add:
0.5 oz. Saaz
0.5 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker


Predictions:
Malt extract won't do this lighter-bodied beer justice. The yeast will still exhibit some of the fruity and spicy tones that ale yeasts tend to produce, making the final product less identifiable as a lager...which technically it should, but won't, be.

No worries, and here's to hoping this turns out as a crisp addition to the home-brew stash.