Pre-Prohibition Pilsner Advice

I found myself with some leftover ingredients, and am planning on brewing the following with it:

8# 2-row
1# munich 10L
1# vienna
1/2# cara-vienna

1oz cluster hops @ 60
1oz cluster hops @ 15

saflager w-34/70

mash in @ 122
double decoction to 147 and 158
mashout @ 168

water profile will be similar to the pilsen, czech profile in beersmith

primary @ 50 degrees, 2 day diacetyl rest @ 68, then lager around 40 degrees.

estimated final stats: 1.055 og, 38 ibus, 6 srm

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I've done a few decoctions, and am familiar with the process. I've never used this yeast though, or made a pale, light pre-prohibition pilsner-esque brew before. Any advice, thoughts, etc, on this?

i'm thinking about maybe reducing the bittering hops slightly, and lowering each of the decoction mash temps a bit, and need some feedback from those in the know

Thanks in advance!

Looks like a pretty solid recipe. I personally would decrease the bittering addition slightly to get the IBUs around 28-30.

correct me if i'm wrong but a pre-prohibition pilsner is a "Classic American Pilsner" right? so that means the water doesn't need to match plzen water profile.

Woodbury419 said:

correct me if i'm wrong but a pre-prohibition pilsner is a "Classic American Pilsner" right? so that means the water doesn't need to match plzen water profile.

Click to expand...

Probably. This is my first 'somewhat-close-to-a-pils' rodeo, so i figure i might as well put on the cowboy hat. I have to adjust my tap water chemistry anyways.

I might reduce the bittering addition though. I was thinking .75 BU:GU was a bit too much for what i was going for. I'm thinking about .5 BU:GU would be more on. That being said, it always seems my brews come out a bit too malty, and for what i'm going for, i was thinking some hop bite up front, a smooth malt body, and a dry finish was better, hence higher IBUs. Beersmith puts it at the upper range of color and IBUs, and at the middle of the range for OG (using CAP as the 'style')