Imperial Pilsner

Just racked an Imperial Pils into a cornie... man... it tasted sooooo damn good. I didn't really think I would enjoy this beer all that much, but I gotta say its damn good. So well balanced, full bodied, aromatic, smooth... man... its beautiful!! I'm def making another one of these!!! Flat right outta the primary is was ridiculously delicious.

69 - Imperial Pils
German Pilsner (Pils)
Type: All Grain Date: 3/9/2010
Batch Size: 5.50 gal Brewer: JD
Boil Size: 7.30 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00

Ingredients
20.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 95.24 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.76 %
1.75 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (75 min) Hops 28.2 IBU
1.75 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (30 min) Hops 20.8 IBU
1.75 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (15 min) Hops 13.4 IBU
1.75 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 items Servomyces Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 min)
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min)
2L Czech Budejovice Lager (White Labs #WLP802)

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.092 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.092 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.022 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.53%
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 9.17 %
Bitterness: 62.4 IBU Calories: 418 cal/pint
Est Color: 6.0 SRM

Mash Profile
Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Mash In: Add 21.00 qt of water at 164.2 F
75 min - Hold mash at 150.0 F for 75 min
-- Batch Sparge Round 1: Sparge with 1.05 gal of 168.0 F water.
-- Batch Sparge Round 2: Sparge with 3.78 gal of 168.0 F water.
-- Add water to achieve boil volume of 7.30 gal
-- Estimated Pre-boil Gravity is: 1.072 SG with all grains/extracts added

Fermented at 52F for 14 days
Rested at 62F for 3 days
Lager at 35F - until time to serve (3-6mo?)

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2)
Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 35.0F
Age for: 90.0 days
Storage Temperature: 35.0 F

Any further thoughts on this brew? How did the GU/BU balance end up? How did it age? Any changes you would make?

I know this one is a little old, but I'm curious. If I ever get around to brewing any lager, this style would likely be it. So, I just plugged this recipe into Beersmith and got pretty close on the numbers with the glaring exception of yeast starter size. Beersmith recommends a 7.4 liter starter with 681.3 billion cells. Uh... really?

Brewpastor - I did rebrew this last season and lowered the OG to about 8% ABV. Other than that, everything stayed the same. I'm actually drinking (and loving) that version now, and have all the ingredients to rebrew it this season. Reason for lowering OG/ABV was to reduce aging time so hop flavor and aroma was fresher. I can drink it younger and it still pops with all those hops. I think this would take well to some sort of dry hopping, but I really never do it.

As far as a starter, 7.4L is excessive. Yes, it is a large lager and you WILL want a healthy starter, like 2L volume (that's at least what I do). Then again I also hit my wort with O2, as well as always always use some sort of yeast nutrient. Additionally, to have a sucessful brew you are going to want to do a 90min boil and chill the worth quickly afterwards to head off DMS.

Thanks Sirsloop, I'll adjust the grain bill to hit that 8% and put this on the list. Also, I forgot to ask, do big lager fermentations generate big kraeusens like ales, IOW, do you need a blowoff tube?