The Greatest Pilsner Recipe

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oswegan

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Well first I have to say I'm an ale guy and I like it hoppy. My favorite hops are Simcoe and Amarillo. In fact I just finished brewing two fresh hop beers, one red and one IPA, that each had about 4lbs of fresh hops in the boil. It was alot of fun and am really looking forward to sharing it with friends.

But thats not why I'm here today.

I have a couple of friends who get a puckery look on their faces when they drink my beer and they prefer to bring their own lagers - one in particular loves Pilsner Urquel which I think has Saaz as its hop.

Anyway, I keep promising these friends that I will brew a light bodied Pilsner beer for them but I keep failing to do so. I have brewed some lagers in the distant past when I used to do extract brewing, but haven't done that in a long while. I have never brewed a lager all grain which is now the only way I brew.

Can someone point me in the direction of a basic (not wimpy) pilsner recipe that would have notes of a Saaz profile? I would like something that has a fairly high alcohol percentage and a great hop flavor and nose, yet is refreshing, light bodied and drinkable for my friends who just can't get into my hop head ales.

Maybe I am asking too much but I am hoping someone has a place for me to start.
 
There is nothing at all wimpy about a high-quality Czech style pilsner. While the flavors are different the IBU/OG ratio is similar to many hoppy pale ales. Quality ingredients, careful brewing and fermentation combined with a good lagering period are the keys. The recipe is simple: good pilsner malt, lots of Saaz hops (you can suppliment the bittering addition with a clean bittering European variety like Magnum or Northern Brewer) and a large batch of Czech lager yeast. I like to shoot for an OG of 1.050-1.054 and IBU of 45-48. Pilsner Urquell uses just two hop additions IIRC although my preference is for an extra one in the middle to add a little more hop flavor.
 
Thanks for the advice.

To clear the air, I wasn't trying to say that pilsners are wimpy.

I was saying that I am looking for a recipe that won't produce a wimpy beer. In other words I am looking for something with a good amount of flavor and good alcohol content that will still please people who don't really like strong beers.:D
 
FWIW, a little lager trick that lends to a nice clean flavor... brew the wort, and then crash cool (in a refrigerator, perhaps overnight, if you have the facilities.) Rack off the break material and trub the next day, *then* oxygenate and pitch your yeast (make a big starter) when it warms back up to 45°F or so. And then make sure you do a diacetyl rest. The jamil recipe is tasty.:tank:
 
I'm enjoying a tasty BP as we speak, and DAMN its good! The JZ recipe is a great one. Its a PITA to get the wort down to below 50, takes a lot of ice in my IC and making the starter took a while. But man oh man, its a fine beer. I've got another batch that I'm bottling that next couple of days. Thinking about using the yeasties from that one to do a 10G batch.....
Dont be afraid to use saflager 34/70. Its a fine yeast but maybe not 100% to style, I think you can get 2 packs for about 8 bucks or less and not have to go through the trouble of a starter.
 
Thanks.

What is the preferred lagering temp? Can I put it the fridge with my pouring kegs? 40-45?

To be clear, you'll need to ferment around 50F, but when you lager 40-45 will work. In general, the higher temp should take longer, you might want upwards of 2-3 months of lagering. I personally lager at 33-35F because I have a spare fridge.
 
If you really want to try a flavorful Pilsner lager, try Victory Brewing Company's Prima Pils if you can get it in your area. It's a German Pils as opposed to a Bohemian, so the water profile is not quite as soft, with more in the way of carbonate and sulfate which contribites to the sharp cripsness of the hop flavor/bitterness. It's a little drier than a Bo-pils as well, which brings the hops even more forward and makes the beer very drinkable. I blieve Victory says the IBU's are 50-60 so there is no lack of hops! This is my favorite beer...and I used to be an IPA-man/major hop-head!
 
If you really want to try a flavorful Pilsner lager, try Victory Brewing Company's Prima Pils if you can get it in your area. It's a German Pils as opposed to a Bohemian, so the water profile is not quite as soft, with more in the way of carbonate and sulfate which contribites to the sharp cripsness of the hop flavor/bitterness. It's a little drier than a Bo-pils as well, which brings the hops even more forward and makes the beer very drinkable. I blieve Victory says the IBU's are 50-60 so there is no lack of hops! This is my favorite beer...and I used to be an IPA-man/major hop-head!

I really appreciate the suggestions. I haven't tried the Bo-pils but it sounds good.

I did buy a couple Victory Prima and a couple Full Sail Ltd. No 3. and I must say I really liked the Victory because of the great aroma and the dry flavor.

Anybody know how I would duplicate that beer? Could I use Hallertau (I just bought a pound)? What yeast would I use??
 
Anybody know how I would duplicate that beer? Could I use Hallertau (I just bought a pound)? What yeast would I use??
BYO or Zymurgy had a clone recipe of it a couple months ago. I know that the grain bill was 100% pils and a double decoction mash. As for the hops I can't remember exactly but I know there was at least 3 different varieties involved.
 
BYO or Zymurgy had a clone recipe of it a couple months ago. I know that the grain bill was 100% pils and a double decoction mash. As for the hops I can't remember exactly but I know there was at least 3 different varieties involved.

I wonder how they get that super dry finish.
 
Jamils' Bohemian Pilsner Recipe is fantastic.

It's only 5.5% though so it might not be what you want. If you want it higher just add more Pils malt, and more bittering hops to keep the IBU/SG ratio in line.

JZ Bohemian Pilsener

Gonna play grave digger today. Anyone have a different link to this recipe? I'm interested yet the link seems to be dead.

This is in brewing classic styles isn't it? I should probably buy that book...... does it give detail about processes they use or just recipe?
 

Interesting, after like 30 minutes of trying I was able to download the podcast on the recipe. Maybe it changed between the podcast and the book, because it's a bit different. Most of it may be equipment differences

In case anyone is interested and doesn't want to listen through him yawning all the way through the podcast:


6 gals
OG 1.056
FG 1.016 / 70% attenuation
40 IBUS RAGER
5.3 ABV
Pilsner malt – 12 pounds
Carapils - .75 pounds
154 mash
90 minute boil
Saaz hops 4 additions – 3.5 AA
60 minutes – 1.65 ounce – 23 IBUS
30 minutes – 2 ounces –
10 minutes 1 ounces –
0 1 ounce

WLP Pils/lager
Wyeast 2001 Urquell

Fermentation:
Pitch cold 44-50f


I wrote it down whilst working, so its formatted like ****
 
My first attempt at a lager last year was a very simple pilsner that turned out pretty good. Tastes like a Miller (not Miller light). SUPER easy:

5.0 gallon batch

6 lbs Pilsner malt
FOUR 14 oz packages of Minute rice

Mash the malt and minute rice at 152F for 60 min

90 minute boil
1.0 oz Saaz @ 60 min

Safelager W-34-70 yeast

Pitch at about 55-60F
Ferment at 53F until FG reaches 75% FG (around 1.025)
Diacetyl rest at Room Temp for 48 hours
Lager at 34-36F for 6-8 weeks

This is as easy as it gets for a super clear, super crisp pilsner!
 
I don't know if anyone is still watching this thread but I will take my chances. I just brewed my first bohemian pilsner last weekend and it is in the fermentation chamber bubbling slowly away. I pitched a little high, probably 60 in the evening, but it was on its way down and settled at 48 by morning. It has been fermenting nicely for 5 days. Now I am wondering whether this recipe calls for a diacetyl rest at 65 for a couple days at the close of the fermentation or whether it just goes straight from here to layering? My only other lager was a malty Munich Helles and it called for a higher rest before layering. Any input is welcome.

By the way, I split this 12 gallons in half and fermented half as a belgian pale at room temperature (which is unfortunately a bit hot right now in southern California). It will be ready to secondary in a few days and then, breaking with tradition, I will probably do a Citra/Belma dry hop. The BoPils will be straight traditional.

Can't wait to try these two.
 
I'm interested in the Belgian. Please let me know how it tastes! I think te diacetyl rest can be optional based on how it tastes, but I've Always just done it because its really easy to do and I don't think it'll hurt it.
 
I did a Belgian IPA with the same dry hop and I thought it was a really nice complement to the yeast. However, that one had Simcoe and Amarillo in the boil and this one is pure Saaz. Should be interesting. I'll keep you posted.
 
Just transferred my Belgian Pale the the secondary. The gravity is down to 1.012, .001 off the target. About 6.5% ABV, definite Saaz hop profile, pilsner graininess and very noticeable belgian golden yeast flavor profile. Still considering the dry hop profile. Hmmmmm.
 
How did the Belgian turn out? I've never dry hopped my Belgian blondes. I'm concerned with covering up the delicious flavors the yeast create.
 
davemattb said:
How did the Belgian turn out? I've never dry hopped my Belgian blondes. I'm concerned with covering up the delicious flavors the yeast create.
Dry hopped with 1 oz each Citra and Belma. Both on the fruity side. Really picks up the Belgian character. Here are my initial tasting notes. Love this beer.
"Outstanding clean flavor profile. Very clean grain and hops. Not too grainy. Good solid head, perhaps a bit over carbed. Floral aroma and slightly floral hops over classic saaz bitterness and flavor. Very clear and light yellow straw color."

Still lagering the bohemian pils. Can't wait to taste that one.
 
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