All-Grain - Nelson Sauvin Imperial Pilsner

NYCBrewGuy · 12-27-2010, 03:35 AM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: S-23
Yeast Starter: No
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: No
Batch Size (Gallons): 3
Original Gravity: 1.078
Final Gravity: 1.015
IBU: 63
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 4.4
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 days at 50
Additional Fermentation: 6 weeks lagering
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 3 days at 60
Tasting Notes: Smooth, crisp pilsner with HUGE Nelson Sauvin hop aroma and flavor.

This beer was inspired by Victory's Prima Pils and Mikeller's Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA. I love the way the hops shine through in Prima and was fascinated by the passion fruit flavor/smell of NS hops in the Mikeller beer. So I decided to blend the two in an Imperial Pils of sorts. When I brew this again, the only change will be making a larger batch - because this one is going too fast!

7 lbs. Pilsner
0.30 lbs. Cara-Pils
0.50 oz. Pacific Gem @ 60 min (42 IBU)
0.50 oz. Nelson Sauvin @ 20 min (19 IBU)
0.50 oz. Nelson Sauvin @ 2 min (3 IBU)

I use a BIAB technique (similar to DeathBrewer's stove-top method). Mashed-in 4 gallons at 150F or 75 minutes. Sparged to get to about 3.7 gallons. Had solid efficiency and after a 90 minute boil I ended up with 3 gallons of wort in the fermenter at 1.078 OG. No starter since I was using dry yeast. Just rehydrated and pitched.

Fermented with S-23 Saflager at 50 degrees. Once primary fermentation ended I did a 3 day d-rest around 60. Then lagered for 6 weeks. Bottled with some fresh S-23 and enough corn sugar to get 2.5 volumes of CO2.

Appearance: Clear, golden. A medium size white head that quickly subsides.

Aroma: Passion fruit, sweet pilsner malt, and passion fruit. The hops dominate

Flavor: The malt provides a smooth background for the NS hops. Smooth bitterness with passion fruit - tropical, tart, and just enough sweetness. Despite the hop flavor and aroma that dominates, the beer is not so bitter and is actually an easy drinker. The 8% abv is covered up nicely.

Mouthfeel: light, crisp, punchy carbonation.

I really enjoy this beer and highly recommend it to anyone looking to stray from the typical styles. I posted this as a pilsner but it could hold its own with IPA's with hop flavor (though its not as sweet). I might send a bottle in to competition but have no idea what category to go with...

Cheers

Homebrewtastic · 01-13-2011, 03:21 AM

Thanks for posting the recipe. I just ordered a couple of ounces and was planning on brewing a saison with them. How intense is the nelson sauvin flavor? I'm not afraid but wanted to get a good idea on how to use them. I was planning on putting in an ounce .25 at a time during the last 20 minutes of the boil, and then maybe dry hopping with my other ounce. And do one earlier hop addition for bittering.

In your experience will the dry hopping be a little intense on the flavor or would you say go for it?

NYCBrewGuy · 01-13-2011, 11:11 AM

Personally, I would go easy on the dry hopping with NS in a saison. The nelson sauvin hops are pretty pungent and it will probably take a bit of adjusting to balance the saison yeast with the hops unique qualities. In my experience its tricky balancing belgian yeast with hops - though it looks like you were happy with the results of your Belgian IPA.

The 1 oz. of NS I used as late additions completely dominates my beer. My buddy's wife took a sip, commented that it smelled like passion fruit juice, and proceeded to down her pint. I didn't dry hop, but I can only imagine how intense the hops would be if I did.

To be fair, I might be a little on the more timid side when it comes to hoppy belgian beers. I attempted a Belgian IPA with WY1762, chinook for bittering, cascades for flavor/aroma, and dry hopped with Columbus and I just never found the hops to blend well with the yeast. Then I tried the Mikkeller/Stillwater collaborative brew (Our Side), which is a saison/IPA blend and again wasn't happy with the hop/yeast blend. I'm starting to think it takes a very particular combination to balance the phenols with the hops. (I do like Green Flash Le Freak, and I hear they use a blend of American and Belgian yeast... maybe I'll try that next time).

bellsbrat · 12-29-2011, 08:37 PM

OP is there anything you would change about this recipe, I'm looking to do something to showcase the Nelson sauvin hop

**mrgstiffler** · 01-26-2012, 09:03 PM

This sounds VERY good. Thinking I might brew this next weekend to have for late April. Not so sure about the Pacific Gem though. Might just use the Nelson @60 too.

**mrgstiffler** · 01-30-2012, 02:03 AM

This is what I'm thinking for next weekend. Swapped the Pacific Gem for Chinook to add some pine. All hops added in the last 20 minutes to retain flavor. Added a touch of Rye for a little more complex/smokey malt character. Lowered gravity to put it in the range for a regular American Pils.

**mrgstiffler** · 02-14-2012, 02:06 AM

Mine attenuated all the way down to 1.009 with Cry Havoc yeast. Quite a big difference. Sample tasted very good though. Slight amount of diacetyl. Starting a rest today.

**mrgstiffler** · 03-26-2012, 06:57 AM

Turned out VERY good. EXCELLENT head retention and lacing. I added 2oz of Nelson Sauvin dryhop. Next time I brew it I'll drop the Chinook and bitter with something clean like Warrior at 60m then add all of the Nelson at flameout. Probably do another 1lb of Rye. Mine didn't clear very well, so I'll use some finings.