Pils Poll and Recipe Post

[Fast_Eddy]

It's about time for me to start another pils. Two month lager and it'll be starting to warm up around here.

Made me start thinking - what's everyone's favorite style of pils(yes, yes I know most everyone on here prefers ales) and what's your favorite pils recipe?

[Stodbrew]

I'd have to say Czech style is my favorite. The spiciness from saaz hops is absolutely delicious. I like German styles, too, but the hoppiness is a little more subdued, IMO.

I've never made a pilsner, but I've been toying with the idea of brewing one in the pub. I would probably just use 2-row malt for the grist, and nothing but saaz hops start to finish. And use a White Labs WLP802 Czech Lager strain of yeast.

[axis714]

Czech...because SAAZ hop just rocks my world! Im ordering a few rhizomes this year and building trellis to satisfy my future thirst for saaz :cool:

[brewmonkey]

Czech Pils but with Polish Lublin instead of the Saaz. 85% European Pilsner malt and 15% Cara-Pils with a mash conducted at 152F. Hops to come in around 35 IBU's. 20 Ibu's for first wort, 10 for 30 minutes and 5 at 5 minutes. Rack to secondary and dry hop.

[NewBrewMeister]

I too am brewing up, (as I type this), a pilsner beer....my first. I bought a Bittburger Premium Pils kit from Austin Homebrew and it is certainly interesting. The smell is pretty good and the color is much lighter than what I'm used to. I was curious about the cool down process of the primary fermentor....it indicated that you try to cool the ferment (after 24 to 36 hours of fermenting) to 50-55 degrees (at a rate of cooling of one degree per hour). I guess I'm going to put the fermentor into a water bath and slowly add ice....until I get to the temp that I need to get to prior to putting into the refrigerator. I'm excited about this one....it looks like it's going to be an interesting brew.

[NewBrewMeister]

Correct the fermentor....I meant the secondary fermentor cool down process....oops.

[brewmonkey]

They have it right. Pitch at a warm temp and get a healthy fermentation going and then bring it down 1-2 degrees an hour until you hit your target fermentation temp. This will give the yeast a great start and then allow them to do their job in the correct range. Do not worry about the sulfur smell (and it might be strong) as it is from the yeast and will condition out.