Pilsen light for most styles?

[carlk47]

Are you guys finding that Briess Pilsen light works for most American styles that you brew?

I've been experimenting with extract recently and tried a blonde ale with Pilsen light and one with golden light. The golden light definitely had an English pale ale style taste to it, where as the Pilsen light was closer to what I would have expected from a 2-row all grain taste.

Your thoughts?

 

[EO74]

I've also Been experimenting with extract lately because of all the snow and I use Pilsen for all my light extract ales/lagers never used golden light but I will say your process has a lot to do with extract/favors. When I went all grain it was because of the extract twang which can be countered 3 ways extract late ,Texas 2 step or full boil. Not sure about the golden/English flavor but when I've mashed Pilsen malt it has always seemed lighter in flavor than 2row to me .

 

[carlk47]

Yep I do a full boil and have yet to taste the extract "twang". Maybe I did on one batch where I used some oldish LME, but have since used DME and haven't noticed any issues.

Right now with time being more limited, I am very happy brewing with extract

I'm working on several beers where I'll brew it twice, once with Pilsen and once with golden to taste the difference

 

[bobbrews]

I don't use LME, but for DME, it's tough to beat Briess Golden Light and Muntons Extra Light for IPAs. Even Muntons Light works well.

I don't like Pils malt/extract as a base in American IPAs. If I do use it, it's less than 40% of the grist. The flavor is more bready and reminiscent of Pilseners/Lagers instead of 2-row used in most Ales.



If the toasty malt flavor bothers you then trick might be using less of a % of toasty steeping grains in your IPA recipes. Either that, or relying on a clean Cali ale yeast instead of English Ale yeasts.

 

[BrewHound]

I know quite a few extract brewers go with a Pilsen or Extra Light DME and then supplement flavor and color with steeping grains or a mini mash to get more or less bready quality. Combined with the right yeast strain for what you're brewing you should get whatever you want out of it.