Looking for ideas on a "modern pilsner" recipe.

[njviking]

So Ive been kicking this idea around for quite sometime. I make a cream ale that I ferment with 05 on the low side for the esters and compliment it with citra for a subtle explosion of what most people define as a peach gummy ring taste. I always brew this for non craft people when we have gatherings and its always the first beer to kick. It also seems to have heavy favor with my craft friends who like to take a break from bolder beer and want to have a few.

So now I'm thinking that while a great recipe and winner in its own right; I kinda want to see if I can make a really crisp Pilsner beer with a little more flavor than the BMC that have been traditionally offered.

I know it wouldn't be in the guidelines as far as style; but what would you folks think of a pilsner hopped with something with a little defferent character than floral/spicy.

How about something like this. ( this would be a BIAB recipe.) Figure 75% efficiency.

8lb pilsner
2lb flaked corn
Figure Og to be 1.047 to 1.050

.5 perle@60
.25 citra@10
.25citra@5
.25citra@0
Right around 20ibu

Ferment @45ish with wyeast 2007 until nearly finished then hold for 3 or 4 days at 68.
Lager for 4 weeks at 38. Hopefully coming in @1.008 to 1.010.


I just put in citra for the sake of it. I know some of the macros use cascade , williamette, sterling, etc in one part or another during their process; yet somehow it all tastes relativley the same? Any experience with different hops is welcomed.

What thinks the brain trust?

 

[Redlantern]

Cannot speak to hops, but one pils I recently had was from Beau's in Vankleek Hill Ontario. The beer is called Collabrrrewnaut and is a Bohemian Pils with espresso.

Website calls this as ingredients used:
MALTS: Pilsner, Carafoam, Acidulated (All Organic)
HOPS: Hersbrucker, Mandarina Bavaria (all organic)
COFFEE: Fairtrade organic natural processed coffee from Justina Calix, a small producer in Honduras
YEAST: Czech Budejovice Lager Yeast

It is different and took a few sips to adjust, but I found it to be really good.

if you want a different pils, there you go.

Just go fairly easy on the espresso. Their brew is not heavy on the espresso.

 

[njviking]

I'm sure its good and personally like the idea; but I doubt my non craft friends will appreciate fair trade organic expresso in their high life.

More looking for experience /opinion on pushing the guidelines a bit broader than the accepted norm so that the "average beer drinker could enjoy"

 

[JordanKnudson]

So you're talking about an American Pilsner, I take it? Not a traditional Czech/bohemian or German pils? Maybe all you need to do to make your pils more flavorful is make one of the continental style pils instead of trying to mimic and/or improve the American version, which is basically a dulled-down version of the originals anyway.

That said, I like the idea of your recipe above (though I'll admit, I don't like the flavor that corn brings to beer).

To your question about the hops used by the macro brewers, the reality is that it doesn't really matter what variety they use most of the time. It's main purpose is bittering (basically no flavor/aroma hops), and even still, they use so little that you won't be getting any difference if they use Saaz or Cascade or Nelson freaking Sauvin, frankly.

 

[IkeKrizzule]

I'm not sure, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're confusing a BMC barely wafted some hops over the kettle with a properly hopped German or Czech pils. Then taking that to mean those noble floral/spicy hops can't add flavour when they can but BMC just isn't interested in using them that way. My 2 cents.

 

[njviking]

I'm not sure, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're confusing a BMC barely wafted some hops over the kettle with a properly hopped German or Czech pils. Then taking that to mean those noble floral/spicy hops can't add flavour when they can but BMC just isn't interested in using them that way. My 2 cents.

No, not confusing.

I guess I'm not translating the thought correctly.
Take your average continential pilsner as described by guidelines here, and try different flavoring hops instead of traditional nobel hops. I know this is basically done as an IPL to a higher degree.

I personally feel Ipl's are lacking character in some sense. Very hop forward and clean for your average bmc drinker. People used to drinking corn and rice laden flavor stripped beer aren't going to enjoy an IPL.

I would like to see if I could take a CAP and tweak it a bit in the hop profile to make it somewhat more appealing to your average massed produced beer drinking person. So I look at a pilsner for a platform to introduce the logic and actually see if anybody here has done it, and to what outcome. Should note also that Im not looking to triple hop a Bud, but I think the grainbill of a Cap could stand up to more flavorful hops and not get lost.

I guess to put it another way .

IPA, APA
Vs.
IPL, ? ( in this sense I have chosen a pilsner )

I don't see any commercial examples of this anywhere that I'm aware of.?

 

[Sbe2]

Founders has come out with some hop forward pils. Awesome Azacca Pils, Party Pils, PC Pils... Not sure if thats what you are looking for as far as a commercial example.

Your recipe would be great for sipping while mowing or hanging out by the pool during the summer. . Not just the InBev drinker.

 

[z-bob]

I haven't tried it yet, but how about using English hops, like Fuggle, Golding, or Bramling Cross? Or New Zealand hops?

I like Cluster hops for bittering cream ales. (not sure if that's relevant)

Are you using USA or Canadain pils malt, or Continental?

 

[m1k3]

I love Pils... It can be done with Ale or Lager yeast... I like to brew 10 gallons and do both:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=591544

 

[njviking]

I haven't tried it yet, but how about using English hops, like Fuggle, Golding, or Bramling Cross? Or New Zealand hops?

I like Cluster hops for bittering cream ales. (not sure if that's relevant)

Are you using USA or Canadain pils malt, or Continental?

My go to cream ale recipe uses perle for bittering then tiny amounts of amarillo for flavor. The result is a very good cream ale that doesn't last more than a few days once tapped.

It is this cream ale recipe that got me wondering if I could brew a crisp carb stingy pilsner with the same approach.

Been trying a few pils from other breweries and can tell the difference compared to our bmc stuff. More grainy and flavorful hops, but nobody is really pushing the hop flavor aspect much, and that got me thinking that maybe it doesn't work that well.

While I haven't tried them all I do like Evil Twins low life. very good grain profile and some interesting hops.

Have switched over from American pils to Canadian pils as of late. Getting a pretty good deal on bulk pricing and flavor is good.