Subscriber Exclusive
Recipe: Green Bench Postcard Pils
Thanks to head brewer Khris Johnson for this homebrew-scale recipe. “Postcard Pils is an American-style pilsner,” Johnson says, “defined by a refreshing and complex blend of clean lager fermentation, sweet grainy flavor, and a solid American hop profile.”
All Access Subscribers can download the Beersmith and BeerXML version of this recipe.
Subscribe today.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.044
FG: 1.008
IBUs: 35
ABV: 4.7%
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.044
FG: 1.008
IBUs: 35
ABV: 4.7%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
7.3 lb (3.3 kg) Weyermann Barke Pilsner
8 oz (227 g) six-row
8 oz (227 g) flaked corn
HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
0.65 oz (18 g) Mt. Hood at 60 minutes [14 IBUs]
1.1 oz (31 g) Mt. Hood at 15 minutes [12 IBUs]
1 tsp (5 ml) yeast nutrient at 15 minutes
0.65 oz (18 g) Mt. Hood at whirlpool [9 IBUs]
YEAST
Augustiner strain, such as Imperial L17 Harvest
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 146°F (63°C) for 60 minutes. Recirculate until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6 gallons (23 liters) of wort, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops and yeast nutrient according to the schedule. After the boil, conduct a whirlpool step: Add whirlpool hops at 210°F (99°C), stir for 5 minutes to create a vortex, then allow 20 minutes to steep. Then chill wort to about 52°F (11°C), aerate thoroughly, and pitch plenty of healthy yeast. Ferment at 55°F (13°C) until the gravity reaches 1.016, then raise to 60°F (16°C) for diacetyl rest—total fermentation time should be about 2 weeks. Rack to secondary, crash to 35°F (2°C), and lager for 3 weeks. Package and carbonate to about 2.7 volumes of CO2.
BREWER’S NOTES
We started decocting Postcard about two years ago. The single-infusion method makes excellent beer, but we find that these steps offer a more complex malt profile and a more lasting impression.
Decoction Option: Mill the grains and mash at 131°F (55°C) for 20 minutes, then raise to 146°F (63°C) for 30 minutes, then to 158°F (70°C) for 10 minutes. Move up to one-third the mash volume to another kettle, bring it to a boil, and then mix it with the main mash. Mash out should be around 168°F (76°C). Then follow other directions as above.
Fermentation: This is another area where you can experiment. For example, we love the clean profile that 47°F (8°C) gives you, and there’s no need to adjust for a diacetyl rest that cold. We ferment most of our lagers that way, but for Postcard, we prefer the subtle fruity notes that the warmer fermentation gives us in conjunction with the hops.
Water profile: We prefer extremely soft water with minimal mineral content. This way the malt and hops shine in harmonious balance and aren’t fighting against any hardness on the palate.
Grist: If you can’t get Barke, use their base pilsner or experiment with your favorite imported variety. Another fun substitution could be malted corn, or try a cereal mash instead of using flaked. Enjoy!
