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Recipe: East Brother Bo Pils
For our magazine subscribers, here is a homebrew-scale recipe for the award-winning pilsner from East Brother Beer in Richmond, California.
Photo: Clara Rice Photgraphy
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ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 70%
OG: 1.048
FG: 1.013
IBUs: 48
ABV: 5%
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ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 70%
OG: 1.048
FG: 1.013
IBUs: 48
ABV: 5%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
10 lb (4.5 kg) Franco-Belges Pilsen
12 oz (340 g) Briess Carapils
HOP SCHEDULE
0.9 oz (26 g) Styrian Aurora at 30 minutes [20 IBUs]
0.8 oz (23 g) Styrian Aurora at 15 minutes [12 IBUs]
0.8 oz (23 g) Tettnanger at 15 minutes [6 IBUs]
0.7 oz (20 g) Styrian Aurora at whirlpool [8 IBUs]
0.4 oz (11 g) Tettnanger at whirlpool [2 IBUs]
YEAST
White Labs WLP830 German Lager
DIRECTIONS
For your water, aim for a very soft, Pilsen-like profile. Mill grains and mash at 154.5°F (68°C) for 60 minutes, then run off into the kettle. Lauter and sparge as needed to get about 6.5 gallons of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 75 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. At flameout, conduct a whirlpool step: stir the wort to create a vortex, then add whirlpool hops and steep 30 minutes. Chill wort to 48°F (9°C), aerate well, and pitch plenty of healthy yeast. Ferment at 50°F (10°C) until gravity drops to about 1.022, then allow slow rise to 60°F (16°C) for diacetyl rest. Once fermentation is complete, cool by 2°F (about 1°C) per day until it reaches 32°F (0°C), then lager for at least 3 weeks at 32°F (0°C). Package and carbonate to about 2.6 volumes.
