Premium All Grain Recipe Kit

Discover the darker side of Japanese lager brewing with the Setting Sun Black Japanese Lager All Grain Recipe Kit from Border Brewing Supplies.

Inspired by the smooth malt character of a traditional Schwarzbier, Setting Sun combines premium pilsner malt and flaked rice with Weyermann Munich Type 2, Weyermann CARAFA® Special Type 3 and chocolate malt.

The result is a deep, dark lager with subtle roasted malt, light chocolate and gentle toasted flavours, balanced by clean bitterness from Hallertau Magnum hops.

Flaked rice keeps the body light and refreshing, while Lallemand NovaLager Yeast delivers exceptionally clean fermentation character and a crisp, dry finish.

At approximately 4.9% ABV and 24 IBU, Setting Sun delivers the colour and malt complexity of a dark lager while retaining the light body and refreshing drinkability associated with Japanese rice lager.

Every Border Brewing recipe kit is freshly crushed and packed to order using quality brewing ingredients.

Why You'll Love This Kit

✔ Smooth and refreshing black Japanese-style lager

✔ Premium pilsner malt and flaked rice

✔ Weyermann Munich Type 2 and CARAFA® Special Type 3

✔ Subtle roasted malt and dark chocolate character

✔ Clean bitterness from Hallertau Magnum hops

✔ Includes Lallemand NovaLager Yeast

✔ Includes rice hulls to improve wort flow

✔ Freshly crushed and packed to order

✔ Makes approximately 23 litres

✔ Suitable for Grainfather, BrewZilla, Guten, RoboBrew and BIAB

✔ Dark in colour but crisp and highly drinkable

Flavour Profile

Setting Sun pours deep black with dark ruby highlights and a smooth, persistent tan head.

Expect gentle toasted malt, subtle dark chocolate and restrained roasted notes supported by clean bitterness from Hallertau Magnum hops.

Weyermann Munich Type 2 contributes rich bread crust and toasted malt character, while CARAFA® Special Type 3 and chocolate malt provide the deep colour and smooth dark-malt flavours.

The addition of flaked rice lightens the body and helps produce the crisp, dry finish associated with Japanese lager.

The result is a distinctive dark lager that delivers rich colour and smooth malt complexity without becoming heavy, sweet or overpowering.

Style: Black Japanese Rice Lager / Schwarzbier

Appearance: Deep black with dark ruby highlights

Aroma: Toasted grain, subtle chocolate and light roasted malt

Flavour: Smooth dark malt, delicate chocolate and clean bitterness

Body: Light to medium

Bitterness: Low to moderate and balanced

Finish: Crisp, clean, dry and refreshing

What's Included

Your recipe kit includes the complete grain bill, hops, rice hulls and yeast required by the recipe.

Included:

• 5kg Freshly Crushed Grain

• 150g Rice Hulls

• 25g Hallertau Magnum Hops

• 1 x Lallemand NovaLager Yeast

• Complete Brewfather Recipe

• Full Brewing Specifications

The supplied 25g of Hallertau Magnum provides more than the 15g required by the recipe. Follow the supplied Brewfather recipe for the correct hop quantity and addition time. Approximately 10g will remain unused.

Rice hulls are included to improve wort flow and help reduce the risk of a slow or stuck sparge when brewing with flaked rice.

Additional products such as Whirlfloc, Servomyces Yeast Nutrient and Water Chemistry Salts are available separately if required.

Recipe Specifications

Complete Brewfather Recipe

Your Brewfather recipe includes:

• Complete grain bill

• Mash and mash-out schedule

• Mash and sparge water volumes

• Recommended water profile

• Boil additions

• Hop quantity and timing

• Yeast details

• Fermentation schedule

• Brewing notes

• Full brewing specifications

View the complete Brewfather recipe: Setting Sun Black Japanese Lager

Frequently Asked Questions

What style of beer is Setting Sun?

Setting Sun is a Black Japanese Rice Lager inspired by Schwarzbier.

It combines the crisp, dry drinkability of a Japanese lager with the smooth roasted-malt character and dark colour of a traditional German black lager.

Is Setting Sun similar to a Schwarzbier?

Yes. Setting Sun shares the clean lager fermentation, dark colour and smooth roasted-malt character associated with Schwarzbier.

The addition of flaked rice creates a lighter body and drier finish, giving it the refreshing drinkability of a Japanese rice lager.

What does Setting Sun taste like?

Setting Sun features:

• Toasted malt

• Light chocolate

• Subtle roasted grain

• Bread crust

• Clean hop bitterness

• A crisp and dry lager finish

Despite its dark colour, the beer remains smooth, refreshing and easy to drink.

Does it have a strong roasted flavour?

No. Weyermann CARAFA® Special Type 3 and chocolate malt provide deep colour with restrained roasted and chocolate character.

The finished beer remains smooth and balanced rather than tasting harsh, burnt or heavily roasted.

Why is flaked rice used?

Flaked rice lightens the body and helps produce a crisp, dry finish.

This prevents the dark malt from making the finished beer feel heavy or overly rich and gives Setting Sun its Japanese-lager drinkability.

Why are rice hulls included?

Rice hulls improve wort circulation and help reduce the risk of a slow or stuck sparge when brewing with flaked rice.

They contribute no meaningful colour, flavour or fermentable sugar to the finished beer.

What hops are used?

The recipe uses Hallertau Magnum.

Hallertau Magnum provides smooth, clean bitterness with very little hop flavour or aroma, allowing the lager fermentation and dark-malt character to remain the focus.

Do I use the entire 25g packet of hops?

No. The recipe requires 15g of Hallertau Magnum at the beginning of the 60-minute boil.

Follow the hop schedule in the supplied Brewfather recipe for the correct quantity and timing. Approximately 10g of hops will remain unused.

Is the grain freshly crushed?

Yes. The grain is freshly crushed before collection or dispatch unless otherwise requested.

Please allow a minimum of two business hours when ordering freshly crushed recipe kits for Click & Collect.

Which brewing systems is this recipe suitable for?

This recipe is suitable for:

• Grainfather

• BrewZilla

• Guten

• RoboBrew

• Brew in a Bag systems

• Traditional three-vessel systems

The recipe is calculated at 70% brewhouse efficiency and can be adjusted in Brewfather to suit your equipment.

What fermentation temperature should I use?

The supplied Brewfather fermentation profile begins at 15°C for approximately six days before increasing to 19°C for a two-day diacetyl rest.

Always confirm fermentation is complete with stable gravity readings before cold crashing or packaging.

Does this kit include yeast?

Yes. The kit includes one packet of Lallemand NovaLager Yeast.

NovaLager provides clean fermentation character and strong lager performance at warmer fermentation temperatures than many traditional lager strains.

Does Setting Sun require a long lagering period?

A period of cold conditioning will improve clarity, smoothness and overall lager character.

Once fermentation and the diacetyl rest are complete, gradually chill the beer and cold-condition it before packaging or serving where possible.

Can beginners brew Setting Sun?

Setting Sun is suitable for brewers who have completed at least one all grain batch.

The mash and hop schedules are straightforward, while NovaLager provides reliable fermentation performance without requiring extremely cold fermentation temperatures.

Do I need anything else?

For the best results, consider adding:

• Whirlfloc

• Servomyces Yeast Nutrient

• Water Chemistry Salts

• Brewing Cleaner

• No-rinse Sanitiser

These products are available separately.

Why Buy from Border Brewing Supplies?

Border Brewing Supplies freshly prepares recipe kits from our homebrew shop in Tweed Heads South.

Order online for delivery across Australia or choose Click & Collect if you are located around Tweed Heads, the Gold Coast, Northern Rivers, Brisbane or the Queensland–New South Wales border.

Recommended Products

• Whirlfloc Tablets

• Servomyces Yeast Nutrient

• Brewing Salts

• Digital Thermometer

• Sodium Percarbonate or PBW Cleaner

• No-rinse Sanitiser