Let's Talk Pilsner Malt

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Beerrific

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I am planning on making a DFH 90 minute IIPA clone in a few weeks and the recipe calls for 16ish pounds of pilsner malt. I don't have a problem using plisner malt but being new to all grain I have tended to shy away from it for a couple reason (see bellow).

So, I thought I would start this thread to see what other, more experienced people have to say about pilsner malt.

Things I am not too clear on:
1. Is all pilsner malt under (or moderately) modified? According to HTB, moderately modified malts need a protein rest. Do you (always) do a protein rest when using pilsner malt? I was listen to the Jamil Show on TBN and it seems that he has made beer with 90% pilsner (Durst) and has done a single infusion.

2. How big an issue is DMS? I did a mini mash Kolsch (4lbs pilsner malt) and when the beer was very green I could taste what might be DMS. A friend even described the beer as "taste very fresh, like fresh corn" she liked it, not like it was over powering. Could some hops give this taste? I also made a hefeweizen with 40% pilsner and could taste a very similar taste at bottling, now carbed I can't. Have you had issues with DMS? How fast do you need to cool to prevent DMS formation?

These things have lead me to want to just use domestic 2-row or MO, but I want to maker this clone and I am sure this issue will come up again in the future.

Also, does anyone know what brand pilsner malt they sell at AHS?

:mug:
 
I'm pretty sure any domestic pils malt you buy is going to be fully modified. Continental pils malts, you might have to be more leery of. I've always done a 90 minute boil with pils, and I'm not sure I've ever been able to pick out the flavor of DMS specifically.
 
Well I e-mailed AHS. They sell Weyermann pilsner malt. It is fully modified, no need for a protein rest. Just thought I would include this for the record.
 
i think the pils malt of today is pretty much modified, and you can treat it like pale malt(two row). if you're gonna use crystal malts, i'd just use pale ale malt, and no bother ;)
 
uglygoat said:
i think the pils malt of today is pretty much modified, and you can treat it like pale malt(two row). if you're gonna use crystal malts, i'd just use pale ale malt, and no bother ;)

So my hefe recipe calls for 4 lbs pilsner and 6lbs wheat and .5 lbs caramel 10L. I think I might just go with 2-row and wheat next time. I can taste a bit of what I would describe as week corn in it, but now at 2+ weeks in the bottle I can't really taste it any more.

Maybe I should boil for 90 minutes with the pilsner malt?
 
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