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Recipe: Nevermore Bohemian-Style Pilsner
While the recipe is big for a Czech pale lager—it’s really 14°P rather than the typical 12°—it drinks well below its strength and makes a bright showcase for that floor malt and ample Saaz hops.
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ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.057
FG: 1.014
IBUs: 49
ABV: 5.8%
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ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.057
FG: 1.014
IBUs: 49
ABV: 5.8%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
10.4 lb (4.7 kg) Czech floor-malted pilsner
8 oz (227 g) acidulated malt
HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
2 oz (57 g) Saaz at 60 minutes [26 IBUs]
2 oz (57 g) Saaz at 30 minutes [20 IBUs]
1 tsp (5 ml) Irish moss at 10 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Saaz at 5 minutes [3 IBUs]
1 oz (28 g) Saaz at flameout/whirlpool
YEAST
Wyeast 2001-PC Pilsner Urquell or Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 152°F (67°C) for 90 minutes. Recirculate until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6.5 gallons (25 liters) of wort, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops and finings according to the schedule. After the boil, do a whirlpool step: Stir or recirculate to create a vortex, add the whirlpool hops, and allow 15 minutes to steep. Then chill to about 50°F (10°C), aerate thoroughly, and pitch plenty of healthy yeast. Ferment at 52°F (11°C) for 7 days, then allow the temperature to rise to 67°F (19°C) and rest for 7 days. When fermentation is complete and gravity has stabilized, crash to 35°F (2°C) and lager for at least 2 weeks. Package and carbonate to about 2.5 volumes of CO2.
BREWER’S NOTES
For probably a dozen versions of this beer, I struggled to get as much Saaz aroma and flavor as I wanted out of it. Finally, I found that replacing some of the Saaz with Styrian Goldings really helped to turn up the volume on the herbal flavors we associate with Saaz. For this recipe I stick with the all-Saaz, but feel free to experiment with other Noble hops in those late additions.
