BeerBorg

I'm brewing for the first time since November tomorrow. It's been a rough winter around here. Mostly too cold, but the days that were nice were really windy or rainy. Tomorrow will be a little cool, but sunny and light winds, it's time to get this summers Pilsner going. I've brewed this recipe twice already over the last couple years. The first time I had too much on the bittering charge so it had a bit more bite than I wanted. The second time, I adjusted the hops but I also read that Pilsners were mashed with a lower than normal pH, so I made that change too. I think I reduced the pH too much, so this time should be a charm. I'm keeping the hop schedule the same as the second recipe and brought the pH back up so I think this one will be really good!

These Pilsners really are simple recipes:

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Cross Czech Pilsner 2018
Brewer: Antler Brewing
Style: Czech Premium Pale Lager
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.63 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.30 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 3.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 39.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 68.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 74.2 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4.00 ml Lactic Acid (Mash 75.0 mins) Water Agent 1 -
0.70 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 75.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
0.50 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 75.0 mins) Water Agent 3 -
0.30 g Baking Soda (Mash 75.0 mins) Water Agent 4 -
10 lbs Pilsner (Avangard) (1.7 SRM) Grain 5 95.2 %
8.0 oz Vienna Malt (Avangard) (3.5 SRM) Grain 6 4.8 %
1.00 oz Saaz [3.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 12.4 IBUs
2.00 oz Saaz [3.40 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 8 19.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 7.9 IBUs
2.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 10 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 8.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 3.25 gal of water at 168.6 F 153.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 6.64 gal water at 170 F
Notes:
------
100 % Distilled Water
Ca - 4
Mg - 2
Na - 2
Cl - 6
SO4 - 7
Cl/Sulf Ratio - .88 Balanced
pH - 5.38

So you're not going to try the Bootleg lager yeast on this one? Guess you don't mess with perfection.

Nope, not on this one. I'm bringing this to my brothers house for my Nephews graduation party. So, I don't want to go experimental on this.

Minus the changes you mentioned above, is this what I have in my fridge?

Yes, you have the one with the lower mash pH. Other than that it's almost identical. The one posted above has half pound less pilsner malt in it also.

Sure....cheat me out of the extra malt.......

Kealia wrote:Sure....cheat me out of the extra malt.......

He had extra malt in Nashville to give to you, but you never showed.

Hey Ron, let me rephrase that...

The one posted above has half pound less Pilsner malt in it also.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It figures that Beer-Lord BlackDuck used more hops then I did in mine.

mashani wrote:It figures that Beer-Lord BlackDuck used more hops then I did in mine.

Oh yeah? My hops have more alpha than his!

Let's not get bitter.

Finished this one up just a few minutes ago. It was a damn near perfect brew day/session. Hit my mash temp was 153.5, my boil gravity was 1.035 and my original gravity was 1.051. All those numbers are damn near exactly what I should have been hitting.

That's a good day. This seemed like the best place to share my thoughts on the sample from the previous batch.

It poured crystal clear. I mean REALLY clear even though the pic may not show it that well. This was poured into my grandmother's pilsner glasses that I ended up with, so it was nice to have the proper glassware for this beer.
It was slighty effervescent, not like champagne or over-carbed by any means, just a bit higher than your typical APA/IPA.
The aroma was subtle, but present from the Noble hops and I could tell right away exactly what I would taste.
The taste was spot on for the style IMO. Now pilsners aren't my drink of choice because I prefer the brighter and fruitier hops to the typical Noble hop (doesn't at mean I like Peasant hops??) but this beer was brewed very well.
It reminds me exactly of Lagunitas' Pilsner as a matter of fact.
It was a nice brief departure from my typical nightly [emoji481] which seem to favor IPAs as of late, and I enjoyed it.

Good luck with your tweaks, I hope they give you what you want out of the rebrew.

Cheers!

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Thanks for the comments Ron. The only major change from the one you had and the one brewed yesterday is the mash pH. We’ll see if makes a difference.

Glad you liked it!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gravity is at 1.014. Time to start the d-rest. I’ll let it warm to room temp, which is about 63 degrees in the basement, for a few days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk