What category pilsner?

[Sadu]

I brewed a pilsner for the New Zealand fresh hop competition. Tastes pretty good.

Not sure what category to enter it in though. I was aiming for German pils but it's maybe looking more like Boh pils. Was looking for some comments.

I don't think the judges are going to be super-picky, just I want to choose the best category just in case.

Recipe:
97% Weyermann pilsner malt, 3% acidulated, single infusion mash.
Hopped with Motueka, 37 IBUs with considerable late-hopping and dry-hopping using fresh hops.
OG 1.054
FG 1.012
ABV 5.5%
Fermented with W34/70 at 50c + ramp up to d-rest
Basically RO water with a touch of Gypsum.
Came out golden and clear, nice white head, firm bitterness, mild aroma.

Also I don't think the judges will care about the hops not being Saaz - as it's a NZ hop competition and Saaz wasn't on the list.

 

[roadkizzle]

It sounds like it would be more of a German Pils... But there really isn't a way to tell from looking at a recipe I think.

The differentiation really depends on the malt character but may also include hop presence.

Differences in the guidelines:
Czech Overall impression: The malt flavors are complex for a Pilsner-type beer, and the bitterness is strong but clean and without harshness, which gives a rounded impression that enhances drinkability.
German Overall Impression: A light-bodied, highly-attenuated, gold-colored, bottom-fermented bitter German beer showing excellent head retention and an elegant, floral hop aroma. Crisp, clean, and refreshing, a German Pils showcases the finest quality German malt and hops.

Malt:
Czech Pilsner - Medium to medium-high bready-rich malt aroma and flavor. May have some diacetyl.
German Pils - Medium-low to low grainy-sweet-rich malt aroma and Moderate to Moderately low similar malt flavor. Dry to medium-dry, crisp, well-attenuated finish with a bitter aftertaste and light malt flavor. May have some sulfurous notes.
(often with a light honey and slightly toasted cracker quality)

Hops:
Czech Pilsner - Medium-low to medium-high spicy, floral, or herbal hop
bouquet and flavor; though the balance between the malt and hops may vary, the interplay is rich and complex.
German Pils - Distinctive flowery, spicy, or herbal hops. The hops are moderately-low to moderately-high, but should not totally dominate the malt presence. Medium to high hop bitterness dominates the palate
and lingers into the aftertaste. Low to high floral, spicy, or herbal hop flavor.

Color: Czech- golden. German - straw.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

37 IBU's and low mineral content water sounds more like Bohemian Pilsner to me. Throw in about 3% Melanoidin malt and it will be even more Bohemian like.

 

[roadkizzle]

But only gypsum. Bohemian lagers are characterised by the soft mouthfeel. That normally happens with chloride. Gypsum is sulfate produces a harsher feel.

The late hopping should produce a large hop presence overpowering the malt if fermentation and mashing was decent. Unless there were mistakes made things are definitely pointing to German style.

The German Pilsner style goes up to 40 IBUs. Bitburger was 38 IBUs from the table I've seen. Same as Flensburger. Other ones are 36-37.

 

[Sadu]

Thanks for the replies.

I went with Bohpils in the end. The water, while containing a tiny bit of gypsum, is still very soft. The beer doesn't seem particularly dry which also leans towards bohpils, although the colour is definitely on the lighter side with just pilsner malt.

The finer points of this hasn't bothered me in the past but brewing for competition is different to brewing for me...

 

[roadkizzle]

Bohpils should be fine. But the water being softer really isn't the differentiator here.

The judges won't know what water you brewed the beer with. They will only know the flavors produced.

Bohpils have more of a malt flavor balance than german pils but that is not really achieved by just having almost no mineral in the water... Using RO water (no minerals) is not ideal for the bohpils.

But in this case you say the beer doesn't seem particularly dry which I would lean more towards bohpils (or export? If it's just malt flavor then bohpils. If it's a higher body then it may be bumped up to export).

But, I do want to know what the hop character is like. Every bohpils that I've had (and the style guidelines) really downplay the hop flavor/aroma and are balanced towards the malt flavor. They only use saaz hops which really focus on the spicy to play with the bitterness.

New Zealand hops though I'd normally expect to have a much greater character than would be found in bohpils.

Edit: Good luck though. I hope the beer is good and the judges like it.