Pils Extract Extras- Suggestions Please!

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Shuldawg

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First let me begin by saying- I'm a newbie, but I 'm hooked.

I recently finished my very first brew, which was an all extract wheat beer and I (and Friends) were very happy with the results. I just picked up my second extract today from my local HBS. I selected a pils along with a a WYeast Cal Lager Smackpack.

I'm not quite ready for 50/50 grain & extract brewing yet, but would like to find a way to customize my brew. So I purchased a jar of clover honey and was planning to add it to the extract during boiling. I was also thinking of getting a lemon, cutting it up and placing it in a muslin bag during boilwing as well. I'm thinking/hoping this would make a nice spring brew.

Here are my questions:
  1. Is this a bad idea to begin with or will all be well?
  2. Any other things I could add to extract in hopes of a nice spring pils?

Thanks for your time and look forward to any feedback!
 
1) Very bad idea. Pils does not need or want those flavors.
2) If this is your first lager you need to make sure your yeast pitch and you temps are right. If you are happy with the results then you can tweak it to your liking.
 
It actually sounds pretty good to me. If you're a style Nazi, it obviously won't work. Im not sure what doesn't sound delicious about a honey lemon pilsner?
 
Don't get too carried away with experimentation when you are still learning to brew. The keys to making this a good beer will be your sanitation and fermentation. One smack pack won't be enough without making a starter. If your kit has DME, you could simple use some of it to make a starter and pitch it into your wort. If you can, pitch in the upper 50's and let it slowly warm up to 60-65 for primary fermentation.
 
jbsg02 said:
Don't get too carried away with experimentation when you are still learning to brew. The keys to making this a good beer will be your sanitation and fermentation. One smack pack won't be enough without making a starter. If your kit has DME, you could simple use some of it to make a starter and pitch it into your wort. If you can, pitch in the upper 50's and let it slowly warm up to 60-65 for primary fermentation.

^^This
I totally agree, but, if you want to learn things, go for it! I did, but that being said, while the beer was good and everyone liked it, we always wondered why it didn't taste as good as we thought it would and always wondered why?

After a year and over 100 gallons of learning I went back to basics, concentrated on the process and detail of all aspects of brewing and the beer I'm making today completely outshines anything prior

Proper measuring, timing, calibrating, pitching rates, temperatures, fermentation, carbonation, conditioning are the keys to GREAT beer, take your time and be patient, you'll make awesome beer!
 
Yeah, everything they said is right. If you do add the lemon though, I would just zest it. Boiling a whole lemon for an hour is not a great idea.
 
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