# I Think We Made Pilsner Urquell



## mikem108 (18/1/08)

Oldbugman and I spent a 9 hour brew day last year triple decocting a pilsner and using vast ammount of Czech Saaz plugs, I've fermented it and lagered it for a month. After kegging and gassing I was initially slightly underwhelmed, it was a good beer but was it worth all that effort, after a week in the keg I've got to say- HELL YEAH! Its so tatsy and close to a fresh bottle of Pilsner Urquell that I think we may have to brace ourselves for another 9 hour session!


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## geoffi (18/1/08)

mikem108 said:


> Oldbugman and I spent a 9 hour brew day last year triple decocting a pilsner and using vast ammount of Czech Saaz plugs, I've fermented it and lagered it for a month. After kegging and gassing I was initially slightly underwhelmed, it was a good beer but was it worth all that effort, after a week in the keg I've got to say- HELL YEAH! Its so tatsy and close to a fresh bottle of Pilsner Urquell that I think we may have to brace ourselves for another 9 hour session!




Great!

Recipe??


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## SJW (18/1/08)

Nice one Mike. Was the recipce 100% pils or was there some Caraspils too?

Steve


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## kevnlis (18/1/08)

I am doing one of these triple decoctions tomorrow. I am planning 5 kilos of Bo Pils and copious amounts of Nelson Sauvin :wub: 

Still would be very interested in your brew sheet, especialy rest temps and times etc.


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## tangent (18/1/08)

leave it in the keg for another week! then go mental


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## Ross (18/1/08)

Would be keen to see the recipe as I've got my first attempt bubbling away as we speak.

Cheers Ross


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## SJW (18/1/08)

Time to fess up Mike!


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## mikem108 (18/1/08)

err, Luke where's that recipe?



100% Weyerman Boho Pils
Lots and lots of Saaz plugs, IBU's about 47
Mashed in about 45C ? 
Removed 1/3 of thick mash and boiled for ? minutes- did this again twice with I think 20 min to 1/2 hour rests mash ended up around 68C? by the end of it, lots of burns from boiling hot grain spitting out of the pot  ended up with 23 litres each of 14 Brix wort and I diluted it with very soft water to get it closer to PU gravity and fermented it with WLP802 at 9C. Lukes done his with Wyeast 2001 so I'm keen to see how that one turned out

I'll get Luke to post up the details as he has the Promash File


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## oldbugman (18/1/08)

Oh man... Mike I gotta save me some of this.. I got my one finally bubbling away using the wyeast 2001

Mike and Lukes big Bohemian Adventure

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

02-B Pilsner, Bohemian Pilsner

Min OG: 1.044 Max OG: 1.056
Min IBU: 35 Max IBU: 45
Min Clr: 3 Max Clr: 6 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 46.50 Wort Size (L): 46.50
Total Grain (kg): 10.00
Anticipated OG: 1.056 Plato: 13.79
Anticipated SRM: 3.3
Anticipated IBU: 43.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 82 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 16.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 61.18 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.043 SG 10.60 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
100.0 10.00 kg. Weyermann Pilsner Germany 1.038 2

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
140.00 g. Czech Saaz Plug 3.00 26.7 60 min.
140.00 g. Czech Saaz Plug 3.00 13.6 30 min.
80.00 g. Czech Saaz Plug 3.00 3.1 10 min.
85.00 g. Czech Saaz Plug 3.00 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP802 Czech Budejovice Lager



Mash Schedule
-------------

from my memory we were aiming to dough in at 52, however we got impatient and hit at 53.

we then drew off a decotion and went for 65 

then a decoct to mashout.


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## oldbugman (18/1/08)

though I have the oddest feeling that me may have upped the hops somewhere to get to 450grams. most likely at the end.


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## tangent (18/1/08)

i just did a pils and found that the best results seemed to have a bittering addition and possibly a flameout with very little or no flavour additions.
Of course you can do what you wish with HB but if you're really trying to replicate a commercial beer, it may be worth considering.


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## oldbugman (18/1/08)

Mike, it's obvious that it is the superior water out this way that is the secret.
:beer:


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## drsmurto (18/1/08)

Been reading this article recently.

Mentions no hopping after 25 mins.

2 hour boil, FWH then another addition at 80 mins then the 25 min flavour addition. And very soft water.

Triple decoction sounds like one hell of a fun brew day - any pics?


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## oldbugman (18/1/08)

With no chilling you tend to wipe away the final additions so information like you found doesnt work the same.


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## Lukes (18/1/08)

Nice work.
Can we see the Triple decoction scars.


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## oldbugman (18/1/08)

DrSmurto said:


> Triple decoction sounds like one hell of a fun brew day - any pics?


Sorry about the poor quality phots struggled finding a camera and had to settle for the camera phone

Mike stirring the mash




The boil was green



450grams of plugs at the bottom of the 70L pot


it was a full coopers(snapomatic) spoon head deep


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## mikem108 (18/1/08)

We weren't trying to replicate anything in particular just do the decoction thing, but it was when I drew off a schooner last night that the PU simularities struck me, hence the title of this thread


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## tangent (18/1/08)

> coopers(snapomatic) spoon


 :lol: too right!


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## Adamt (18/1/08)

My coopers spoon has lasted me through 18 months of mashing! Maybe I'm not stirring hard enough.

Though, it's bent enough that I could tie a string between the ends and use it as a bow.

I love the smell of decoction, but 9 hours is a touch too long for a brewday for me.


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## warrenlw63 (18/1/08)

Call me peverse but pics of hop flowers or plugs on the bottom of a drained boiler to me are sheer beer porn.

450g? You blokes win the hop horn award. Well done! B) 

Edit: You've just given me an idea.

Here

Warren -


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## tangent (18/1/08)

> Maybe I'm not stirring hard enough.



maybe that Mr.Muscles instructional video was a waste of money Adam?


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## oldbugman (18/1/08)

I thought my coopers spoon would last for ever. But alas.. it gave up the ghost.

I upgraded to the patented piece of metal shelving... just needs some electrical tap for a handle and it's perfect.


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## sah (18/1/08)

Every time I see imported Urquell for < $40 a box I wonder how it can be so?

Do they still do small batch open ferments and lagering in barrels?

Scott


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## neonmeate (18/1/08)

SAH said:


> Every time I see imported Urquell for < $40 a box I wonder how it can be so?
> 
> Do they still do small batch open ferments and lagering in barrels?
> 
> Scott



low wages in czrep


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## warrenlw63 (18/1/08)

SAH said:


> Do they still do small batch open ferments and lagering in barrels?
> 
> Scott



No and ummmm no.

Warren -


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## Jazzafish (19/1/08)

When did they change?

Pretty cool beer hunter episode showing the open barrel fermenters... from last decade


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