Brew #109: Czech Pilsner #2

Batch #106 was modeled after a recipe that I made over ten years ago. It used Galena hops for bittering weighing in at 13% Alpha Acid. I may actually get better hop utilization these days because I do late additions for lighter colored brews like this one. Only after I tasted that one from the keg did I get the way too bitter flavor and went to my Beer Tools Pro program to work out the recipe. A Bohemian Pilsner should run in the 35-45 IBUs and mine hit 54. This batch is intentionally under-bittered to be able to blend that batch into something drinkable. I am targetting 22-24 IBUs. When I blend, I can make one batch a touch more bitter and the other will be a touch more sweet.

I made a quick starter of a Kolsch Ale yeast (because I don't lager and that yeast is rather clean finishing) - that is, the starter was made just before I started to get the water going for the brew. This starter only gets 4-5 hours to get going before it will be dumped into the wort.

I'm also toying with water chemistry a touch. 15 ltrs R/O water mixed with 9 ltrs filtered Austin water treated with 1/4 campden tablet to remove chloramines. Take 12 ltrs to steep and add 1/2 tsp Calcium Chloride and 1/2 tsp Phosphoric Acid to this steeping water only.

Recipe:

4.5 lb Bohemian Pilsner Malt
0.25 lb Cara-Pils Malt
0.25 lb Caramunich Malt
5.0 lb Extra Pale Extract

1.1 oz Saaz @ 60 mins
0.5 oz Saaz @ 15 mins
0.8 oz Saaz @ 5 mins

White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch yeast


The packet of hops were US Saaz reporting 5.8% AA.

I've blended the two batches at 60/40 and 40/60 and have trouble deciding which I like better. The more bitter one has more of the "bite" that I like from Pilsner Urquell. The other is a bit more malty and seems clearer too.

Brewed: 06-08-2009
Racked: 06-15-2009
Kegged: 07-16-2009

OG=1.054@70F
FG=1.014@72F

ABV=5.24%