Tomorrow is brew day. Any tips for this style? I'll be using the Midwest kit. I was so pleased with the last Midwest kit. The kolsch kit came out really light in color for an extract brew, and tasted fantastic. I have read elsewhere on this board that if you wish a lighter color pour half the liquid extract into the wort in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Is this an excepted practice?
First Pilsner
- Thread starter Goose5
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Yes, you can use at least half of the extract near or at the end of the boil. My preference is do to it at the end of the boil, as it cools the wort a bit and stops the boil when you add it. So, if you add it at the end of the boil, that's no problem at all.
Make sure if you're using lager yeast (a true pilsner) that you make a HUGE starter, or pitch four packages of yeast if using liquid yeast. Chill the wort to 48 degrees, add the yeast and ferment at 50 degrees for 10 days or so. Then you can do the diacetyl rest and proceed to lagering after that. If you're using ale yeast, it won't be a true pilsner, but it will still be a good beer.
You shut off the heat, or you'll get a boil over, and stir it in while pouring - you always stir it in well while pouring... I typically use a whisk. After it's all stirred in you put the heat back on, bring it back to a boil and finish the boil time. No sanitation risk as it's been in boiling wort.
Rev.
the rev is spot on. i have done a pilsner and before springv it will be my last before i brake into my pipeline. i use a wine cooler as a fermenttion chmber. i keep each brew at the perfect temp for the yeast used. a lager is noharder then a pilsner tome. i do them all.
Okay. I did the starter. I'll have to brew tomorrow. The wife wants it done tomorrow. She doesn't care for the smell. How long should I let the starter go? I could push it back to Friday morning if that would be better?
You can let the starter finish up, which might take 18-24 hours. If you've made a big, big starter, though, you may want to decant the spent wort instead of pitching it all. So I make my starters for lagers about a week in advance. If your starter is less than 2 liters or so, though, you can put the whole thing in your wort without any problem.
HomebrewMTB
Well-Known Member
It sounds like you have this one covered but here is another way to brew a pilsner using Alt yeast so you can get lager taste fermenting in the 60s:
http://cruisenews.net/brewing/partial_mash/index.php
He calls it partial mash but it's really just steeping grains. I'm going to try this for my next pilsner. I can lager no problem but have trouble keeping it in the 50s for fermentation. My basement is frequently in the 60s but the fridge will only go as warm as 46. I have a Czech pils in there now fermenting at 46 so we'll see how that works out. I'll probably try a half batch to work out the process first. Good luck!
http://cruisenews.net/brewing/partial_mash/index.php
He calls it partial mash but it's really just steeping grains. I'm going to try this for my next pilsner. I can lager no problem but have trouble keeping it in the 50s for fermentation. My basement is frequently in the 60s but the fridge will only go as warm as 46. I have a Czech pils in there now fermenting at 46 so we'll see how that works out. I'll probably try a half batch to work out the process first. Good luck!
This time of year I have a corner in my basement that is exposed foundation inside a closet. It runs at 55 degrees. I have a fridge downstairs as well that has plenty of room for a carboy. So, temperature is not a problem. But, I will remember the Alt yeast trick if I just have to have this beer year round.
