📝 About This Recipe
Originating in 19th-century Plzeň, this classic Bohemian Pilsner is the quintessence of brewing elegance, characterized by its brilliant gold hue and a dense, creamy white head. It balances a rich, complex breadiness from premium floor-malted barley with the spicy, floral punch of noble Saaz hops. Crisp, refreshing, and impeccably clean, this lager is a masterclass in patience and precision that rewards the home brewer with a professional-grade pint.
🥗 Ingredients
The Grain Bill
- 10 lbs German or Czech Pilsner Malt (Premium floor-malted variety preferred)
- 8 oz Carapils Malt (For head retention and body)
- 4 oz Acidulated Malt (To adjust mash pH naturally)
The Hop Schedule
- 2 oz Saaz Hops (Pellets) (60 minute addition (Bittering))
- 1 oz Saaz Hops (Pellets) (20 minute addition (Flavor))
- 1 oz Saaz Hops (Pellets) (5 minute addition (Aroma))
Water & Yeast
- 7 gallons Distilled or Reverse Osmosis Water (Soft water is critical for this style)
- 2 packets Czech Lager Yeast (WLP800 or WY2278) (Or a 2-liter yeast starter)
- 1 piece Irish Moss or Whirlfloc Tablet (Added during the last 15 mins of boil)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by treating your brewing water. If using distilled water, add a small amount of Calcium Chloride to reach roughly 50ppm Calcium; avoid Sulfates to keep the hop bitterness smooth rather than sharp.
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2
Milling the grain: Crush your malts finely, ensuring the husks are broken but not pulverized into flour.
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3
The Mash: Heat 3.5 gallons of water to 163°F. Mix with the grains in your mash tun to achieve a stable temperature of 152°F. Hold this temperature for 60 minutes to convert starches to fermentable sugars.
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4
Vorlauf and Sparging: Gently recirculate the wort until it runs clear, then begin sparging with 170°F water until you have collected approximately 6.5 gallons of liquid in your brew kettle.
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5
The Boil: Bring the wort to a vigorous rolling boil. Once boiling, add the first 2 oz of Saaz hops. Be careful of boil-overs during the first 10 minutes.
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6
Maintain the boil for a total of 90 minutes. This longer boil time helps drive off DMS (Dimethyl Sulfide), which can cause cooked-corn off-flavors common in pilsner malts.
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7
With 20 minutes remaining in the boil, add the second hop addition and your kettle finings (Irish Moss or Whirlfloc).
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8
With 5 minutes remaining, add the final aromatic hop addition.
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9
Chilling: Rapidly cool the wort using an immersion or plate chiller until it reaches 50°F. This is lower than ale temperatures and vital for clean lager fermentation.
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10
Aeration and Pitching: Transfer the cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter, oxygenate thoroughly for 60 seconds, and pitch your yeast starter or two packs of liquid yeast.
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11
Primary Fermentation: Ferment at a steady 50°F-52°F for approximately 10-14 days until the gravity has dropped significantly.
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12
Diacetyl Rest: When fermentation is nearly complete, raise the temperature to 60°F for 48 hours. This allows the yeast to reabsorb buttery off-flavors.
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13
Lagering: Gradually lower the temperature by 2-3 degrees per day until you reach 34°F. Store (lager) the beer at this temperature for 4-6 weeks to clarify and mellow.
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14
Packaging: Bottle or keg the beer, aiming for a carbonation level of 2.5 volumes of CO2 for that signature lively effervescence.
💡 Chef's Tips
Cleanliness is everything; sanitize every piece of equipment that touches the wort after the boil. Use the softest water possible; if your tap water is hard, use 100% RO water with minimal additions. Don't under-pitch your yeast; lagers require twice the yeast cells of an equivalent strength ale. Be patient with the lagering phase; the flavors truly integrate and the 'crispness' develops during the cold storage. Avoid oxygen exposure after fermentation starts to prevent the beer from tasting like wet cardboard.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve in a tall, narrow Pilsner glass to showcase the carbonation and hold the head. Pair with spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes; the crispness cuts through heat beautifully. Classic pairing: Grilled bratwurst with spicy stone-ground mustard and sauerkraut. Excellent with fried seafood like calamari or fish and chips. Try it with a sharp white cheddar or nutty Gruyère cheese board.