For any of the Pilsner Urquell fans still around I thought i’d update this thread. I brewed a couple batches of Bohemian Pils bittered with tradition and late additions of hersbrucker. They were really good spring early summer beers. Very malty and helles like to me but good sharp flavor from the hersbrucker.
Right now I’m drinking a czech pils that I brewed 4/6/16. It’s probably my best czech pils to date. Very happy with it. Not so happy that I accidentally dry hopped the second keg with 2 oz of centennial though…the DH bag was only in the fermenter for 20-30 seconds before I realized my error and pulled it but therre was definitely a little green cloud in the beer when I pulled the bag. Should be interesting.
Anyway, this one is very good. Clean pilsner malt and light spice aroma. Very light caramel aroma as it warms in the glass. Great merengue like head on the pour, dissipates quicker than I’d like but keeps a light head and great lacing. Cutting back the carapils definitely affected the head. Crystal clear, maybe a bit more carb than it needs but the bubbles look cool. Good substantial but easy drinking mouthfeel finishes just dry enough to make you want to keep drinking it. Good balance between bready pils malt flavor and spicy hops.
I pushed the IBU almost to the guideline limit and it’s still not quite as sharp as I’d like it to be. At first I was thinking it wasn’t dry enough but it finished at 1.011. I don’t want to sacrifice mouthfeel by mashing lower. I used 100% distilled water this time and lactic acid to get the mash pH to 5.5. per brunwater. Pilsen water profile. I had considered increasing the sulfates to see if that added dryness and sharpness I wanted but I didn’t try it. Kettle pH was 5.3.
Pretty simple grist bill. I still haven’t done a decoction or step mash for this one. I could probably eliminate the carafa special if I did a decoction but I don’t honestly see that improving the beer for me. It might bring out more malt but I feel good about where the malt flavor is. I want it “sharper” for lack of a better word.
Recipe, process and notes from BS2:
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Czech Pilsner II
Brewer: Danny
Style: Czech Premium Pale Lager
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Recipe Specifications
Boil Size: 12.65 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.65 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 5.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 44.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 81.5 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Measured OG: 1.050
Measured FG: 1.011
Ingredients:
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
18 lbs Avangard Best Malz Pilsner Malt (1.9 SRM Grain 1 98.1 %
4.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 2 1.4 %
1.5 oz Carafa Special II (Weyermann) (415.0 SRM Grain 3 0.5 %
1.25 oz German Magnum [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 29.9 IBUs
5.20 Items Lactic Acid - KpH 5.2 (Boil 60.0 mins) Water Agent 5 -
3.00 oz CZ Saaz [2.60 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 6 11.0 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 -
2.14 oz CZ Saaz [2.60 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 3.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg Urquell Lager (Wyeast Labs #2001) [124.2 Yeast 9 -
Mash Schedule: BIAB - Danny’s
Total Grain Weight: 18 lbs 5.5 oz
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
BIABMash in Kettle Add 40 qt of water at 159.3 F 152.0 F 60 min
Sparge Sparge to boil volume with water at 190 F 168.0 F 10 min
Notes:
4L starter stepped to 2-3L starters urquell yeast
FR 1.058 5.4pH.kettle 5.3pH
ran short on Saaz hops shorted the 10 min addition, intended 2.5oz
Good fast brew day. Under 4 hours for 11 gals in fermenters
5/21 Kegged 5 gals 1.011