ALL-GRAIN
Batch Size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 73%
OG: 1.038
FG: 1.009
IBUs: 36
ABV: 3.8%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
6 lb (2.7 kg) Floor-malted Pilsner malt
12 oz (340 g) Biscuit malt
4 oz (113 g) acidulated malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
1.9 oz (54 g) Saaz [4% AA] at 60 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Saaz [4% AA] at 15 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Saaz [4% AA] at flameout
YEAST
Wyeast 2278 (Czech Pils) Yeast
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mix with 2.2 gallons (8.3 l) of 163°F (73°C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 5 gallons (19 l) of water and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.
After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 50°F (10°C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 52°F (11°C) for 3–7 days (depending on your refrigeration availability). Then let the temperature rise to 60°F (16°C) and hold for about two weeks. Cold crash the beer to 35°F (2°C), then bottle or keg and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
You have lots of hopping options in this style, and this can be a great time to clear out your leftover hops or try out a new variety that you haven’t used before! The simple but rich grainy background of the grist and the cleanliness of the yeast/fermentation allows for a lot of hops expression. Have fun with it, and know that if you don’t nail the flavor you wanted, a 3.8 percent session lager won’t take long to move through your taps.