Pilsner Questions

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EamusCatuli

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Hello!

I finally have a fermentation chamber so I can brew lagers and pilsners! Woot!

I want to brew a bohemian pilsner first, but I have some questions that I hope to answer.

BJCP says ingredients should include - Soft water with low mineral content, Saaz hops, Moravian malted barley, Czech lager yeast.

- Would using bottled water be a good technique to match the water profile (low mineral content)? If not, how can I achieve a more soft water with low sulfate, and low carbonate levels? I have always had trouble with water, so any help would be appreciated (I live in the city of Chicago - water report).

- What exactly is considered Moravian malted barley?

- I see that low levels or Diacetyl are OK, what would be the best fermentation and lagering schedule for a bohemian pilsner?

I appreciate the help or any other suggestions!

Thanks,

Matt
 
- Would using bottled water be a good technique to match the water profile (low mineral content)? If not, how can I achieve a more soft water with low sulfate, and low carbonate levels? I have always had trouble with water, so any help would be appreciated (I live in the city of Chicago - water report).

If you use bottled water, you might want to add some minerals back. You don't want to brew with water that is completely mineral free. There are trace elements in water that is beneficial for yeast to do its thing. Czech water is very soft, but it's not completely mineral free.

- What exactly is considered Moravian malted barley?
Some brew shops or online shops sell what is called under modified pilsner malt. That's the malt that is traditionally used for pilsners and that's the famed Moravian malt they are referring to. However, because it is under modified, you need to go through the spine chilling triple decoction to get a good yield out of it. Personally speaking, I wouldn't go that route. They have good quality fully modified continental pilsner malts that will give you the flavor you want. If you absolutely want to, you can even do a single decoction with the fully modified malt just to get a bit of caramelization and fatness out of the malt.

- I see that low levels or Diacetyl are OK, what would be the best fermentation and lagering schedule for a bohemian pilsner?
My suggestion which worked really well is as follows.

Pitch yeast at 55F.
Once fermentation is going (maybe 12-24 hours or so or whenever you seen anything going on) drop temp to 50F
Once the fermentation is pretty much over, raise temp to 60-65F for about 48 hours. That's your diacetyl rest.
Transfer to secondary and drop temp to near freezing like 33 to 34F for a month.

I just brewed my first pilsner and it turned out amazing following these suggestions.
 
For a Bohemian pilsner, 100% RO water would be ideal. I used 7.5 gallons of RO water, along with 1 gallon of my tap water. You don't need any salt additions.

I used Weyermann pilsner malt, and the Czech Bud yeast strain (HUGE starter!). It turned out very good, and I loved it!

Here was my recipe:

10 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 95.2 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.8 %
1.25 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 22.8 IBUs
0.75 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 8 10.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 6.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Czech Budejovice Lager (White Labs #WLP802) [35.00 ml] Yeast 11 -
I did a double decoction mash at 133/149/158 and thought that was perfect. The rests were short, about 20 minutes for each rest and then an infusion to mash out temps.
 
For a Bohemian pilsner, 100% RO water would be ideal. I used 7.5 gallons of RO water, along with 1 gallon of my tap water. You don't need any salt additions.

I used Weyermann pilsner malt, and the Czech Bud yeast strain (HUGE starter!). It turned out very good, and I loved it!

Here was my recipe:

10 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 95.2 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.8 %
1.25 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 22.8 IBUs
0.75 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 8 10.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 6.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz (US) [5.80 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Czech Budejovice Lager (White Labs #WLP802) [35.00 ml] Yeast 11 -
I did a double decoction mash at 133/149/158 and thought that was perfect. The rests were short, about 20 minutes for each rest and then an infusion to mash out temps.

Would I need to invest in some equipment to make some RO water?
 
I have water similar to yours and I use 2/3 RO 1/3 tap water which creates a water profile right in line with Pilsner water.

(Apologies for the hijack but..)

Hey Yoop that recipe looks similar to JZ's that I've used before with excellent results, but with a single infusion. I was going to make it over the christmas break and do my first decoction (same profile as yours).
Two questions:

1) I was going to go with 100% Pils. I thought the Cara-Pils was there to mimic the flavours from the decoction when single infusing. Do you think specialtiy malts are necessary if decocting?

2)Does efficiency go up much with decocting?

Now reurning to OP questions.
They say Pilsner Urquell has a slight hint of diacetyl. I've never tasted that myself. I would not try and purposely replicate that. The chance of overshooting and ending up with microwave popcorn tasing beer is too great.



Thanks

Rudeboy
 
1) I was going to go with 100% Pils. I thought the Cara-Pils was there to mimic the flavours from the decoction when single infusing. Do you think specialtiy malts are necessary if decocting?

2)Does efficiency go up much with decocting?

Now reurning to OP questions.
They say Pilsner Urquell has a slight hint of diacetyl. I've never tasted that myself. I would not try and purposely replicate that. The chance of overshooting and ending up with microwave popcorn tasing beer is too great.



Thanks

Rudeboy

1. Carapils helps with foam retention. It doesn't at all simulate a decoction. Maybe you're thinking of melanoidin malt?

2. Yes, I have noticed about a 5% increase in my efficiency. I also do a 90 minute boil, so I sparge more and that could be part of it!
 
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