Czech Premium Pale Lager Bohemian Pilzner

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Glibbidy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2005
Messages
2,371
Reaction score
15
Location
Sunny Southern Vermont
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
White labs Pilsner lager yeast WLP800
Yeast Starter
1 gallons
Batch Size (Gallons)
10
Original Gravity
1.048
Final Gravity
1.010
Boiling Time (Minutes)
75
IBU
35
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
7 days at 50f
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
28 days ar 37f
http://www.matweecha.net/beer/Pilzner2.1.htm

Pilzner
K in gallons = 15 Strike Temperature F 151 1' Plato=~.52% ABV
Mash Water: 8.25 Boil Time 75 10' Plato= ~5.2% ABV
Sparge Water : 6.75 Target Gravity 1.050
Malt Water Mash Actual Gravity 1.048
pounds of malt 26.5 40.00 8.28 Terminal Gravity 1.010
ounces of malt 424 Projected ABV 4.80%
Grains Ounces Percentage Plato 12
Munich malt 4.24 1.00% Volume Yielded 9
Crystal malt 16.00 3.80% Mash type Single Decoction
Total Grain in ounces Pilsener Malt(2-Row) Moravian 404.00 95.20%
424.24 100.00% 2.2 lbs = 1 plato
Gypsum 1.0 oz mash
Gypsum .5oz in sparge

Target IBU 35
Hops IBU's ounces Alpha Acids Addition Phase
Saaz 20 3.32 3.8 Kettle addition 60 minutes left
Saaz 10 1.84 3.8 Middle addtion 30 minutes left
Saaz 5 2.00 3.8 Late Addition 10 minutes left


Yeast
White labs Pilsner lager yeast WLP800

Brew Phase Date
Brew Date 02/12/2007 50f
Secondary Fermenter 02/19/2007 37f
Keg-5 gal 03/14/2007 32f
Keg 5-gal 03/14/2007
Bottle
 
Did those fermentation temps work out all right. I want to try one that is at about 45 F in the primary, and 40 in the secondary. Also, how do you gradually reduce the temp. Is it okay to throw it in a fridge that is set to equalize at 45 F, or do you want to take it down slowly? Pitch the yeast before it is cooled to 45 F, or pitch it at about 70? I am new at lagering. Obviously...
 
These fermetation temps worked out fine.
I don't have a temp controller, so for secondary fermentation I simply adjusted the dial on my fridge backwards to the cooler side by .5 increments. (meaning the dial goes from 1-5 with 5 being the coldest. I adjusted it from 1, 1.5, 2....etc) until i got to 32f. I read somewhere that you should drop tmps on average 2.5f per day until you achieve the desired temp.

I prefer cold pitching the yeast, so I cool it to the recommended fermentation temp and pitch. There are other schools of thought on this, but I'm a firm believer in cold pitching all my yeast.
 
I'm brewing this standard recipe this morning. Since the Saaz crop was rather lackluster last year, I'm going to try this out with Hallertau Mittelfrüh. I know it won't be quite the same, but we all need to adapt.
 
"Gypsum 1.0 oz mash
Gypsum .5oz in sparge "

Let's see if I can bump this old thing...

Why use Gypsum? Shouldn't a Pilsner be brewed with very soft water?
 
I've read the same thing. In "Designing Great Beer", Daniels actually states to avoid gypsum in order to avoid the harsh-ness harder water promotes. The point of pilsen water is to be soft. The harder water profile is suited to more of a German Pils as opposed to Bohemian.

Gypsum also has potential of adding more sulfate than ideal; which compounded with certain pilsner yeast, could yield a WAY more sulfur-y characteristic than one would want. I know from experience WY2278 is one of those yeasts.
 
I failed to do my water research when originally designing this beer. I have since omitted the Gypsum when brewing this one. Good eye!
 
I believe you can reach the "soft water" for pilsners by using distilled water in a 1 to 1 ratio with the water you already use. I'm pretty sure I read that in Palmer's book. Try it, meanwhile, I'll be brewing this recipe haha. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out (because I won't have a way to compare)!
-RC
 
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