Brew Love Blog. On tap in the home bar. Tap 1

Pilsener was created by a Bavarian brewer living in the Czech Bohemian town of Pilzen in the 1800’s, and was considered to be the first pale lager ever brewed.

It used Vienna malt, local alkaline water, noble hops and a bottom fermenting yeast. It was stored in a constant temperature cave and fermented slowly and lagered for an age before being presented and adored.

My one was made in a garage in Winmalee using water sourced from Warragamba dam with some calcium chloride thrown in to mimic the soft waters of the Radbuza river of old Pilzen town. Same grain probably, same hops maybe, though I doubt it, and same yeast, probably not. 

It spent 6 long weeks lagering in a Kelvinator and has produced a sparkling 4.9% easy drinking golden lager with that familiar Saaz hop aroma. Currently sitting on Tap 1 and pouring nicely.

I'm not usually a brewer of Lagers, as hoppy ales are my go to, but I have family and friends who don't appreciate the high hop content and the fruity aromas, so lagers are an occasional

tipple.

This one though was a cracker. My diary note says 10/10. I think in terms of volume, Pilsners are probably the biggest consumed beer in the world ( Think Heineken, and all the spinoffs of that brewery) and most countries and most breweries will have one available.

I've even seen New age Pilsners offered around which blurs the lines a bit as aroma hops creep in.

 Recipe 20L

German Pilsner malt. in my case Gladfield 4.5 Kg

Wheat malt also Gladfield 700g

Magnum hops for bittering at 60 min 18g

Saaz Hops at 10 minutes 10 g

Saaz Hops Whirlpool 20g

Diamond Lager yeast Lallemand 11g

Any lagering procedure would suit, mine was about 12 degrees c. for 2 weeks ramped up to 18 over a week & 6 weeks @ 9 deg in a pressure vessel @ 8-10 psi the whole time. Whirlfloc in the boil and Gelatin in the fermenter early in the lagering produced a beautiful clear crisp Pils. Not my photo but looks just like it.

I can make this recipe up in a kit for anyone who wants it.

Brew Love. Andrew.