pilsnerr base malt in IPA?

[mrphillips]

I want to use 80-90% pilsner with a little victory and light crystal; I haven't decided on a hop bill yet. Anyone have success with this? If so, how was it different from standard 2-row?

 

[GrogNerd]

there are plenty of commercial IPAs which have pilsner as the base

Devil's Backbone 8 Point is one of them, one of my favorite IPAs

not sure on any major difference. would definitely be lighter in color

 

[cheezydemon3]

In an ale, pilsner malt is actually quite flavorful. It gives a unique flavor that I find quite nice, but is a little startling at first. It would not be as noticeable with a lot of hop flavor to cover it, but it will be different!

 

[Calichusetts]

I've done a few 50/50 splits of pilsner and pale ale malt. Nice, light and crisp.

 

[mrphillips]

there are plenty of commercial IPAs which have pilsner as the base

Devil's Backbone 8 Point is one of them, one of my favorite IPAs

not sure on any major difference. would definitely be lighter in color

Really? That's one of my favorites, too, and I had no idea it had pilsner as a base. My goal is something extremely pale and crisp, but nice and hoppy. I want it to look tame...but melt faces wwith delicious hops. I'm thinking of an all centennial hop bill. I've never done a single hop beer before, and I'm slowly falling in love with them.

 

[gbx]

If I could only have one base malt, it would be a pilsner malt. You can always add specialty malts like munich or biscuit for the styles that need it.

 

[GrogNerd]

I've been trying to clone that beer for a year now, haven't really come close

I got my start from a blog post from 3½ years ago

gives the grain used but not the %, more info on the hops & schedule

the grain bill I started with created a great malt profile, which I haven't changed at all, even started using it as my default for PAs/IPAs

brewed it with all Centennial once. I called it Eight Hearted

 

[MileHighBrewer]

Pils can be a great base for pale's! Gives you a lot of room to try other specialty malts to change the flavors around and really get an idea of what malts/hops can do. Vienna, Munich, lighter crystals, etc.

 

[Weezy]

Pilsner IPAs are the new thing. Vienna is the new Munch. There's always churn in popular hobbies and such. The next big thing are the new German aromatic hops.

Anyway, 2row is smoother and less malty grain character than pils, in my experience. Pils is maltier and sweeter, but not overly so. It's not some malt bomb, obviously, but maltier than US 2row.

 

[mrphillips]

I've decided to add a wheat aspect to my idea. I love the subtle creaminess and delicate aroma that wheat adds, and I think it'll work well with the Pilsner Malt.

MALTS
6 lbs. pilsner DME
3 lbs. wheat malt
.75 lbs. honey malt

HOPS
.5 oz centennial @ 60 min.
1 oz centennial @ 20 min.
1 oz. centennial @10 min.
1.5 oz. centennial @ 5 min.

S-05



Thoughts?

 

[agrazela]

I've got a Belgian pilsner, Centennial SMaSH IPA 1 week in the fermenter right now (Mangrove Jack M-44 yeast). Wife said my IPA's are too "sweet" and don't have enough aroma; not this one! Thiefed some sample now that the yeast has mostly dropped, and my-oh-my is it gonna be crisp and tasty! Go for it.

The wheat and honey malt sounds good, too. Add maybe 2oz Centennial dry-hop to that recipe and I think you'll have a summertime winner.

 

[GrogNerd]

my recipe has some torrified wheat in there. 2%

 

[pegasus_brew]

I've shared this elsewhere, but I'm drinking a hoppy beer with Pils as the base right now and it's tasting pretty good. Might be worth a try for anyone that is considering it.

6 gallon recipe

7.5lbs Pils
2lbs White Wheat Malt
1lb Munich
1lb Flaked Oats

.5oz Horizon @ 60
3oz Centennial 30 minute hop stand
2oz Citra 30 minute hop stand
.5oz Horizon 30 minute hop stand (didn't feel like vacuum sealing the extra .5oz)
2oz Centennial 4 day dry hop
1oz Citra 4 day dry hop

OG 1.052
FG 1.01

I fermented with Mangrove Jack West Coast, but whatever yeast you prefer for hoppy beers will be fine. I guess the grain bill puts this somewhere in the ballpark of a White IPA, and I know some people will use a whit yeast for that, but I'm not personally a fan. Cal Ale, US-05, WLP007 all would be strains that I would consider. No complaints about the Mangrove Jack, though. It attenuated well, floc'd better than cal ale, and is just as clean.

 

[Snicklefritz]

I've made a pilsner SMaSH IPA serveral times with good results.