Noob looking for input on SMASH recipe

[DonRikkles]

I'm new to homebrewing - I picked up a gallon all-grain kit because my apartment is so small - and I've been loving it since I tasted my first brew. I've made three batches, with my last being a Vienna/Willamette SMASH. I like the idea of SMASH brewing because I'm so new and want to be familiar with the various malts and hops before making my own recipes.

I'd like to make a pilsner (for my fiancee) this weekend, and was thinking of the following:

2 lb Maris Otter with

.3 oz Crystal @ 60 min
.25 oz Crystal @ 15 min
.25 oz Crystal @ 5 min.

I'll use US-05 yeast, and the projected OG/FG is 1.055/1.015, with 37 IBU.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[urbanmyth]

Pilsners lend themselves to Pilsen malt. A Maris Otter base would be more of a British Pale Ale.

 

[Genjin]

I love MO, but it won't taste like a pilsner unless you use pilsner malt. Also, unless you can ferment at lager yeast temps and lager (cold storage), it won't be as clean and crisp as you might be used to from commercial pilsners. However, since it is a one gallon batch, you could probably pop it in the fridge for 2-4 weeks and lager it that way. Good luck!

 

[HangLoose]

I have a had time wrapping my head around such a small recipe but it seems like a lot of crystal in there percentage wise. I agree with other posters, a pilsner would have pilsner malt in it, and little or no crystal. Don't get me wrong, I use crystal all the time, just less. What hops are you planning?

 

[HangLoose]

Never mind, keep the crystal. As I said I was having trouble wrapping my head around... confused. 8oz is normal the smallest grain addition I even bother with. I'll shut up now.

 

[DonRikkles]

The Crystal are the hops I was planning to use.

 

[HangLoose]

Oh wow do I feel dumb. Of course it is! It's perfectly clear and there is no other way to read it. Please disregard everything I have said in this post because I am an idiot. Sorry.

Anyway...
You need some pils malt. MO will make you some good beer, but it will not be a pilsner. You could do worse than crystal HOPs but some Saaz would really be nice. personally I'd just go with it, why not? It'll be good. I love us-05 (though not for pilsners) keep you temps in the mid to low 60's (like 62 to 65)for like 2 weeks then cool it to the low 40's (or colder) after a week your beer will be nice and clean

 

[DonRikkles]

I'm not wedded to the idea of a pilsner, just want a tasty beer. As is, are there any taste issues here, beer style aside? Does anyone have any good or bad experience with Crystal hops?