Help brewing a pils

A few comments:

· Modern malts do not need a protein rest; I would recommend that you nix this step.

· The Dortmund water profile is known for being very high in minerals: “Minerally water with high levels of sulfates, carbonates and chlorides.” This might accentuate the hops too much? I would suggest using the Kai Troester water profile for Pilsners (see link below)

· I would personally utilize 100% Pilsner Malt but 5% Munich 10L should be OK as well

· For a German Pilsner I would recommend the Weihenstephan 34/70 lager yeast strain, in particular Wyeast 2124.

Kai Troester water recipe link: http://www.braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Various_water_recipes

Good luck with your Pilsner!!

Cheers!

 

Why not use a Germann Pils malt for a German Pils? Try Best, Durst, Avangard, or Weyermann. 100% Pils is what I use.

I would mash in at 130-133F for 5 minutes. Then 145F for 45 minutes, 158-160F for 45 minutes. Mash out at 168F.

Germans typically boil hops for 10 minutes. I use a 60, 30, 10. A 60, 20, 10 would be fine.

Use Kai's Pilsner water profile if you want it fairly dry. If not so dry back off on the SO4.

Don't think that the water from one town will like that of one nearby. It could be, or it could be very different. Look up the profile of Duesseldorf, it isn't like Dortmund. German Brewers can also treat their water to drop alkalinity (boiling, lime softening), so you don't know what the water they brew with is like.

Yeast is 34/70, WLP - 830, Wyeast 2124.

Pitch cold, ferment at 50F, DRest, lager as cold as you can. 30-32F is good.

 

Jeff,

How would you describe the difference in beer flavor of Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner malt vs. Weyermann Pilsner malt?

Cheers!

 

Hi Jack. When I do split batches of pilsner with the WLP830-34/70-2124 this yeast tends to tone down the hops compared to the WLP800-802.

 

Jim,

Have you brewed with both Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner malt and Weyermann Pilsner malt? If so, what are your impressions of these two malts?

Cheers!

Jack

 

I've made lots of German style lagers. They all come out great. I've been told over and over that the recipes are about 90% the same and you have to start playing around with water profile, rests and decoctions. Munich? I would. I think I'd be looking at 11 or 12 pounds of grain for my beer, but you may get some great efficiency.

 

By my reckoning, 10 lbs. of grain and an efficiency of 75% will obtain an OG of around 1.050 for a 5.5 gallon batch of wort.

Cheers!

 

No I have not. My next beer is going to be a Bo-Pils so I may have to try the Bo-malt. I am not sure I am smart enough to tell the difference without a proper side by side. Is the Bo-malt less modified or is it just the growing conditions between Moravia and Bavaria?

 

The Weyermann Pils is more bready and maybe a little grassy/hay like. The Bohemian Pilsner has that richer malt flavor that Bohemiam Pilsners have. Variety of malt and growing region.

Even the floor malted Bohemian Pilsner is fully modified. It is hard to find an undermodified malt today.

 

Jim,

I have never brewed with Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner malt so I was hoping to learn from you.

From the Weyermann website:

· Bohemian Pilsner Malt 3.0 - 4.0 EBC 1.7 - 2.1 Lovibond produced from barley variety "Hanka"

· Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt 3.0 - 5.0 EBC 1.6 - 2.3 Lovibond made in an original floor malting facility from Bohemian spring barley produces authentic traditional, Bohemian-style malt flavors and aromas

For the ‘regular’ Pilsner malts:

· Extra Pale Premium Pilsner Malt 2.0 - 2.5 EBC 1.2 - 1.4 Lovibond produces authentic Pilsener-style flavors and aromas, extra pale beer color

· Pilsner Malt 2.5 - 4.0 EB 1.5 - 2.1 Lovibond produces superb: Pilsner, Lagers

Cheers!

Edit: Jeff has the answers above in his post.

 

I have never used the Weyermann Extra Pale Pils, but Best makes the Heidelberg malt that is 1.5L and that tastes very malty/bready. Used it in a 50/50 blend with Avangard Pils and liked the results.

 

Jeff, I have brewed with Weyermann 'regular' Pilsner malt a number of times but to be honest I really don't know whether it is the Extra Pale or not. I simply go to my LHBS and purchase x lbs. of Weyermann Pilsner Malt (which they will grind for me). Next time I am there I will ask which version it is; I would be willing to bet it is the 1.5 - 2.1 L variety.

Cheers!

 

I have found that many HBSs will try and pass off any of the Weyermann versions, depending on what they have in stock. Can't tell you how many times I've had to cancel an order because they were going to (or did) send me the floor-malted, extra pale, or Bohemian instead of the "regular" with the explanation that "it's basically the same thing." So, caveat emptor, OP...

 

My LHBS is good on the labels for the bulk bins, including country and Lovibond. The base malts I usually buy by the sack.

I did get 10 lbs of the Best Heidelberg malt from a bin that was clearly marked, and chewing a few grains vs regular Pils, there was a difference. I used that in a Helles that I am drinking right now, and really like the malt character.

 

If you're not going to do a decoction mash I would add some Munich malt. 5 percent sounds right.

 

I'm very interested in this statement. I’ve seen many sources which suggest doing a protein rest at 120-122 F, but when I check actual award-winning recipes for Bohemian Pilsner, they often do a rest at 131 or even 132 F. I've recently searched everywhere for a reason why such a higher range is chosen, without any success. What is the reason/advantage for using this particular range, and where can I find sources that explain it?

 

130-134F favors proteinase activity instead of peptidase

Peptidase makes medium chain proteins into short chain while proteinase makes long chain into medium chain

Long chain proteins cause haze (dont want this)

While medium chain impacts body and foam retention (you want this)

Towards the low end of that temp range you'll also get some beta-glucanase activity

 

130-134F favors proteinase activity instead of peptidase

Peptidase makes medium chain proteins into short chain while proteinase makes long chain into medium chain

Long chain proteins cause haze (dont want this)

While medium chain impacts body and foam retention (you want this)

Towards the low end of that temp range you'll also get some beta-glucanase activity