Pilsner Urquell-like attempt

[ElVirolo]

Hi everyone,

I'm a novice brewer - I've been brewing ales exclusively so far (8 brews, something like that - mostly all-grain). My housemate, who's a fan of Czech beers, would like me to try and brew a Pilsner Urquell-like beer. Before brewing a lager for the first time, I'd like to make sure I know enough about the process, as, from what I've read, lagers are much less forgiving than ales.

So, the first thing is the recipe. I've stumbled upon this one, from a French website :

Pilsner Urquell


Type: All Grain
Date: 19/12/2009

Batch Size: 22,00 L
Brewer: Fabien
Boil Size: 26,00 L Boil Time: 80 min

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4,40 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (3,0 EBC) Grain 88,00 %
0,30 kg Munich Malt (15,0 EBC) Grain 6,00 %
0,30 kg Vienna Malt (6,9 EBC) Grain 6,00 %
65,00 gm Saaz [3,80 %] (80 min) Hops 28,3 IBU
25,00 gm Saaz [3,80 %] (15 min) Hops 5,1 IBU
1 Pkgs SafLager Lager (DCL Yeast #S-23) Yeast-Lager

Beer Profile

Original Gravity: 1,052 SG
Final Gravity: 1,013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5,02 % Bitterness: 33,4 IBU
Est Color: 7,4 EBC

Mash Profile
Mash Name: Infusion, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 5,00 kg
Sparge Water: 15,96 L Sparge Temperature: 75,6 C

Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Beta amylases Add 16,00 L of water and heat to 62,0 C over 2 min 62,0 C
30 min Alpha amylases Heat to 72,0 C over 2 min 72,0 C
5 min Mash out Heat to 78,0 C over 2 min 78,0 C

Fermentation
Primary temp : 2 weeks at 12°C
Secondary temp : 3 weeks at 10°C
Priming sugar : 7g/L

Since the recipe looked simple enough, I bought the relevant ingredients. I know the yeast isn't the one they use in Plzen, but I'm quite happy to reduce the costs by buying dried yeast. Since this is my first attempt, I'm not planning on brewing a proper clone, I'd just like to end up with a nice enough lager.

Does it seem okay to you? Shouldn't I be using two packets of yeast and a 2L starter instead of just one? Do you have any particular advice to give me?

Thanks a lot,

EV.

 

[BigEd]

I understand you're trying to save a bit of money here but you're using a German yeast. That doesn't mean the beer won't be good but it does mean it will be more of a German than Czech version. If you can access them both Wyeast and White Labs offer Czech strains that would be better yeast choices. Wyeast 2278 would be my first choice followed by their 2001 and White Labs WLP800.

Use all pilsner malt. A little CaraHell or CaraPils (3-5%) can be added if you want to insure enough body. Pilsner Urquell is about 42 IBU. You can add to the first hop addition to bump that up if you like.

 

[ElVirolo]

Great, thanks a lot for your advice!

 

[porterpounder]

Around here the Saf-lager dried yeast packet costs as much as a package of liquid yeast. Not the ale strains, just the lager strain. If that is the case where you are go with the liquid Czech pils yeast if it is available. Those amounts of Munich and Vienna will give you some nice hints of complexity and a slightly deeper color. Many recipes just use pils with a bit of dextrine malts as BigEd stated.

 

[estricklin]

I would go with 1 packet of S-23 for simplicities sake, and because it tends to be a bit fruitier which I think would be welcome in a Urquell clone?? I do agree you would be closer with a Czech yeast most likely though.

Don't be scared of brewing lagers, other than doing a diacetyl rest there's nothing to it, no voo doo at all.

 

[ElVirolo]

Thank you for your advice. I'll get a vial of liquid yeast and save the dry yeast for later. Right now the temperature in my garage is just fine for lagering. I'll have to find a way of raising the temp for the diacetyl rest.

Thanks again!