Bohemia Pilsener

DESCRIPTION: My attempt to fashion a Pilsener style beer! Finally it got cold enough to try out some Lager fermenting. Since I had trouble previously extracting enough fermentable sugars from the all grain recipe, I added 1lb of malt extract to the wort. This brought the OG right on target. For the grains I used a mixture of German and Czech style malt. To give it a New World flavor, I used Cascade hops as late addition. That should add a nice spicy and fruity hops note.

BREW DATE: 01/11/2014

BOTTLING DATE: 02/22/2014 (6 weeks)

GRAIN BILL:

- 4lbs Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt

- 5lbs Maillard German Pilsner Malt

- 1lb Briess Pilsen Light Malt Extract

MASHING: 

- Sacch Rest: 60min at 153F

- Fly sparge with 180F water

HOPS SCHEDULE:

- 1oz Czech Saaz 60min

- 1oz Czech Saaz 30min

- 1oz Cascade 5min

YEAST:
- Wyeast 2001 Pilsener Urquell (48-58F). Fermenting took place at the high end of the range, around 58F. The little room outside still didn't get down in temperature enough, even though ambient temperature were as low as low 30s during the nights. Oh well..

OG 1.038 equivalent of 4.8% abv, 21.5l total yield.

1.029 at bottling (incl prime sugar)

TASTING NOTES: 

Already when bottling I could tell this one is a winner. Whew I'm so glad the somewhat higher temperatures didn't mess up he fermentation! Super drinkable after 2 weeks on the bottle. Classic Pilsener color, moderate foam. Floral nose with hints of citrus. Clear and crisp taste, deftly malty undertones with sweet and flowery top notes. The Czech Saaz gives a noble hops flavor just as intended, the Cascade some more serious piney after tones. Somewhere between a Warsteiner and a Staropramen I would say, with some more hops flavor and bitterness added. Overall, this is one of the best beers I've ever brewed!

Grain bill and hops addition

Crisp and clear Bohemia Pilsener!