Kristall Pilsner
Today I brewed a repeat of my Bavarian-style pils that I'm calling Kristall Pilsner this time around.
Brew day
Recipe Specifications
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Date: 14 Dec 2019
Batch Size (fermenter): 24.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.044 SG
Estimated Color: 6.9 EBC
Estimated IBU: 28.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 76.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.7 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Water profile: Ca:28, Mg:3, Na:9, SO4:10, Cl:44, HCO3:25
Estimated mash pH: 5.30
Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type %/IBU
29.63 L Tesco Ashbeck Water -
3.30 ml Lactic Acid (Mash) Water Agent -
1.20 g Calcium Chloride (Mash) Water Agent -
4.14 kg IREKS Pilsner Malt (3.5 EBC) Grain 90.0 %
0.23 kg IREKS Crystal Maple (3.5 EBC) Grain 5.0 %
0.23 kg IREKS Munich Malt (20.0 EBC) Grain 5.0 %
0.30 g Calcium Chloride (Sparge) Water Agent -
0.20 ml Lactic Acid (Sparge) Water Agent -
18.00 g Magnum [11.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 22.9 IBUs
12.00 g Tettnang [3.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 2.1 IBUs
17.00 g Tettnang [3.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 2.1 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 7.0 mins) Fining -
25.00 g Tettnang [3.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 1.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg Munich Lager (Wyeast Labs #2308) Yeast -
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 4.59 kg
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 24.63 L of water at 69.3 C 66.0 C 60 min
Sparge: Dunk sparge with 5 L of 75C water
Although the recipe states Ireks pilsner malt it's actually 50/50 Ireks and Weyermann Bohemian because I can't get Ireks any more since it mysteriously disappeared from the Geterbrewed site without warning or explanation. The Weyermann Bo-Pils (not floor malted) has a great reputation so I've got no problem switching over to it.
I got started at about half ten this morning; a bit late for me because I got back from hols at 1am and had to go out to buy the Ashbeck water this morning before I could get started. I measured out the grain while the water was heating.
I crushed it as strike temperature was getting close.
No problems with the mash, boil and wotnot and I managed to chill down to 22C with 60 litres of water before transferring to the fermenter.
OG was 1.043 against a predicted 1.044. If this finishes around 1.006 as everything I ever brew seems to do then it'll be 4.9%
It's now in the brew-fridge to get it down to 12C or lower before I decant and pitch the 2.3 litre Wyeast 2308 starter that I created 2 weeks ago before I went away. It's been sitting in the fridge since then so should not have lost many cells.
The plan is for a few days at 10C until I notice activity starting to slow then I'll bring it up to 16C and leave it there for a total of 3 weeks before kegging.
Kegging
I kegged my Kristall Pilsner lager today after 3 weeks in the fermenter. I did 6 days at 10C before it became obvious that fermentation had passed its peak. I then gently raised the temperature to 16 for the remainder of the 3 weeks for an extended diacetyl rest. I got a full corny and 3 bottles out of this one, the extra volume coming from the litre of starter wort that I pitched.
FG was, as I predicted, an entirely unsurprising 1.006 giving an ABV of 4.9%. The keg was fined with Kwik Clear, purged with CO2, set at 15 psi-ish and I'll now leave it to carbonate and condition for a couple of weeks before trying it.
Tasting notes
My Kristall Pilsner German Pils is now a month in the keg and is tasting just as good as the first time I brewed this. I'm serving this at 6C from my keezer tonight:
Shame the condensation on the glass messes with the picture because this is now perfectly crisp and clear. Pilsner malt + Tettnang hops + Wyeast 2308 is a great combination.