Seems like here in the USA, the only Czech beers you can find are PU, Staropramen, and Czechvar (Budvar), which is cool because I do really believe Czech lagers are some of the best beers in the world.
But travelling to Germany so many times, you can tell a WORLD of difference between a fresh Czech lager and imported one. A fresh Czech lager will make you understand why they are perennial #1 beer drinkers in the world.
I also LOVE to drink pint after pint and still function and seeing that there are more than 1,300 breweries in Germany (could you imagine that many breweries in a state the size of New Mexico!!), many town/community breweries do brew those 3.8% - 4.5% beers for their small local following.
I combined my 2 loves and came up with this SPECTULAR brew below. Tons of flavor, great body due to the higher mash, and so damn enjoyable as young as 4 weeks!!!
Golden Czech Lager
OG: 1.035
IBU: 25
Pilsner 2lb
CaraRed 1lb
Munich 4lb
Spalt pellet 28g FWH 3.9% 22 ibu
Cz Saaz pellet 28g 10 min 3.0% 3 ibu
Wyeast Hella Bock yeast cake
Mash Schedule
1.25 qts per pound
156F ~ 90 min
Soft Water
Sweet. I make low-ABV beers but usually not that low. Look at the head on that sucker! Nicely done. I will typically do something similar… pilsner malt making up the majority of the grain bill, some amount of Weyermann Munich 10L or Vienna and then some Carafoam/Carapils, etc. All Noble hops w/Saaz towards the end of the boil and then either 2000, 2001, 2124, 2278 or maybe 800 or 802. Do you have soft water over there? Did you do anything special with the water at all? Cheers.
Yeah learning the German double pour is essential to getting that kind of picture perfect head.
The water down here is actually pretty hard, so it’s cut with half RO water.
It’s the pour that gets you that picture perfect pint in german glassware (little harder in the american pint glass).
First you pour from your tap or bottle into the glass purposely agitating the pour so it foams up 1/4 to 1/2 up the glass. You can agitate by either pouring directly down the center sooner than usual or by not fully opening the tap as you usually would. Then walk away and let the foam settle. Then before all the foam is gone, gently pour more beer so the old foam cap rest above the rim of the glass.
This is way it takes so much longer to get a beer in european bars than you do here, where you strive to get that 1 inch foam cap below the rim of the glass on american tumblers on the first pour.
I’m pretty you already have, but google any german beer brand and you will see that awesome foam cap billowing over, but not running down the sides, that I’m talking about.
It’s the pour that gets you that picture perfect pint in german glassware (little harder in the american pint glass).
First you pour from your tap or bottle into the glass purposely agitating the pour so it foams up 1/4 to 1/2 up the glass. You can agitate by either pouring directly down the center sooner than usual or by not fully opening the tap as you usually would. Then walk away and let the foam settle. Then before all the foam is gone, gently pour more beer so the old foam cap rest above the rim of the glass.
This is way it takes so much longer to get a beer in european bars than you do here, where you strive to get that 1 inch foam cap below the rim of the glass on american tumblers on the first pour.
I’m pretty you already have, but google any german beer brand and you will see that awesome foam cap billowing over, but not running down the sides, that I’m talking about.[/quote]
Sweetness! I’m going to try it on a Munich Lager RIGHT NOW! Cheers.
It’s the pour that gets you that picture perfect pint in german glassware (little harder in the american pint glass).
First you pour from your tap or bottle into the glass purposely agitating the pour so it foams up 1/4 to 1/2 up the glass. You can agitate by either pouring directly down the center sooner than usual or by not fully opening the tap as you usually would. Then walk away and let the foam settle. Then before all the foam is gone, gently pour more beer so the old foam cap rest above the rim of the glass.
This is way it takes so much longer to get a beer in european bars than you do here, where you strive to get that 1 inch foam cap below the rim of the glass on american tumblers on the first pour.
I’m pretty you already have, but google any german beer brand and you will see that awesome foam cap billowing over, but not running down the sides, that I’m talking about.[/quote]
Sweetness! I’m going to try it on a Munich Lager RIGHT NOW! Cheers.[/quote]
I just got back from Prague and Vienna and had MANY beers like this. So much better fresh and so delicious! I guess i now just need to invest in that all grain setup i have been thinking about…and the lagering setup…and the kegging setup…
looks like it will be awhile before I can afford to go back!
