chefkdub

Recipes 

Is it necessary to do a protein rest with pilsner malt?

Hammy71

Recipes 

Quick answer is no. You don't have to with today's malts. Some may disagree and say your brew will be better with one......and they may be right. I've done it both ways with good results, so no worries.

Yooper

Recipes 

No, I wouldn't.

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rjwhite41

Recipes 

It is sometimes recommended when using a german pils and will help with beer clarity. If you do too long of a rest it will result in thin beer however in my experience. I usually do a short rest with Pilsener malts (no longer than 20 minutes).

Sawdustguy

Recipes 

I was under the impression that any rest with a fully modified malt will make the body of the beer suffer. Clarity issues can be dealt with through other means.

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remilard

Recipes 

Most non british malts are not fully modified, meaning the acrospire is the length of the kernel. Most of them are "well" modified.

In terms of whether or not to do a protein rest the typical advice in literature is to do one if the snr is < 40 and not do one either. This is the primary measure of protein modification, which is what you care about when you are choosing whether or not to do a protein rest.

Of course, I just heard Charlie Bamforth say on TBN that proteolysis doesn't really happen in the mash anyway, which caught me off guard a bit.

markg388

Recipes 

I've done it both ways many many times and for me the difference was no more drastic than the slight differences you'd get from batch to batch anyway. Comes out great either way. +1 on long protein rest = thin body/head as well.

Focus more on your fermentation, any yeast off-flavors will cover up that subtle delicious pilsner malt flavor.

chefkdub

Recipes 

Thanks for the advice everybody. Cheers!

Malticulous

Recipes 

The only reason I would do one is if I was doing a triple decotion. I just did a German Pils with a double decoction without a protein rest.