First German Pils-Feedback Please

Beer Recipe Design
1

Here is a first draft of a german pils I plan to brew in the next few weeks for deer hunting camp at the end of October. Thoughts?

OG 1.047
IBU 26
Color: 2.5

9lbs German Pils
4 oz Acidulated

1.5 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker (60)
1 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker (15)
0.5 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker (5)

WLP 830 German Lager

2

looks good to me. :cheers:

3

Agreed.

What is your mashing schedule?

4

Do you know that your water will play nicely with that recipe? If so, I think it looks yummy.

5

I was thinking 150F for my single infusion temp. As for my water, it’s quite soft:

Calcium-11
Bicarbonate-28
Sulfate-8
Chloride-3
Sodium-6
Magnesium-2
alkalinity: 23
pH: 7.5

I was thinking about adding some CaCl for additional calcium but probably not much else. Thoughts?

6

I like the simplicity.

Me personally, I would drop mash temp to 147F so it’s nice and crisp.

Also if you are looking for a softer southern german pils, leave your ibus where they are and just add enough CaCl to get your Ca to 50 ppm and call it a day.

But if you are looking for a snappier German pils similar to what you find in central to northern Germany, I would increase your ibus to the 33-40 range and increase your Sulfate level up to the 80-90 range with gypsum and Cloride levels to 50-60ppm with CaCl, which will subsequently bring your calcium levels into the proper range.

Either way, rock out and have fun.

7

I was thinking about bumping the IBU’s to 30 or so except that’s all the Hersbrucker I have. Maybe bitter with German Magnum and use the Hersbrucker for flavor/aroma (1 oz each 20,10,0)? I like the idea of a lower/longer mash.

8

I liked your original restraint on late hopping. You might go that route of bittering with Magnum, but still having your last addition at 5 minutes.

German brewers like hops boiled.

Actually I like to FWH, so I would move the magnum back to this to lend smooth bitterness and slight aroma.

9

[quote=“airlocksniffer”]I was thinking 150F for my single infusion temp. As for my water, it’s quite soft:

Calcium-11
Bicarbonate-28
Sulfate-8
Chloride-3
Sodium-6
Magnesium-2
alkalinity: 23
pH: 7.5

I was thinking about adding some CaCl for additional calcium but probably not much else. Thoughts?[/quote]

Get some sulfate in there. C heck out the “yellow bitter” profile in Bru’nwater. German pils should be on the hoppy, bitter side and you need sulfate for that.

10

Well this is somewhat off topic but I did a CAP this weekend and I may have screwed up hopping wise. Last time I made the stuff, I got a score sheet back saying that it would be better if it were more bitter so I went for it. By my calculation, I should be in the 50 IBU ballpark, of course the O.G. on the beer was 1.057 (I overshot a bit). Since I’m using about 20% grits the stuff should be fairly thirst quenching, I just hope I didn’t get carried away and ruined the beer. :shock:

11

[quote=“airlocksniffer”]I was thinking 150F for my single infusion temp. As for my water, it’s quite soft:

Calcium-11
Bicarbonate-28
Sulfate-8
Chloride-3
Sodium-6
Magnesium-2
alkalinity: 23
pH: 7.5

I was thinking about adding some CaCl for additional calcium but probably not much else. Thoughts?[/quote]

That’s the route I’d go. Add enough CaCl2 to get the Ca+ up to 60-75ppm. You can add gypsum as has been suggested but I’d go easy with that and save the sulphates for UK and US pale ales or particular German beers such as Dortmunder.

12

I would ditch the late addition hops altogether, or reduce flavor to a very small amount, maybe 0.25 oz at 15 minutes, and no aroma addition.

I would also add a combo of gypsum and CaCl2.