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Ok cool. Sounds like you're definitely on the right track. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about doing the double swap thing when you rack to make sure you've a temp probe in the beer. Once the fermentation is complete, the temp isn't soooo critical. Cold is cold. If you set your fridge to...

Hey MashMasterMike, ^Impressive planning process and graphs you've got going there! How's the fermentation going now? I saw your post a bit late and haven't had time to reply until now. I would say in general your fermentation schedule seems very good. Being a Czech Pils, it should have a...

Hey Meddo, by "sulfur" I'm assuming you're referring to sulfur-related fermentation biproducts...? Most prominently Sulfurdioxide (SO2).. This is a very good question. The lower fermentation temps play a big role here. And aeration levels, and malt properties (Sulfat level in the malt) However...

Suggestion: next time add a tiny bit of zinc at the end of the boil. Could help with your fermentation difficulties. You don't need much, like a pinch of salt really. But it's very important for the yeast. Your aeration could also be a bit on the low side...? (sure, at this stage of the...

Oh yeah, decoction + BIAB could be tricky :) (Although, maybe you could reach into the bag from above during the mash, take a few scoops out and boil a portion of mash in a pot on the side....?) But I must say, your trick with a bit of melanoidin malt is also not a bad idea! Will definitely...

Yeah @Lionman has pretty much hit the nail on the head here. Firstly, the easiest way to do it would just be to start with a slightly thicker mash, than cool it with a bit of water. The reason I'd recommend this "reverse" mash direction is due to how the different enzymes physically breakdown...

Hmm...this is a very good question. I ran a trial in the brewery about a year ago where we brewed the exact same Helles, but infusion istead of our standard decoction program. When we first filled it, I thought I liked it. HOwever after taking a case home after work, and trying to drink a full...

For me it also begs the question, why use a yeast which seems to make life harder. BUT if it's what you want to do, do it. Worst case scenario: you're beer won't be quite as good as you hoped, but you'll learn something firsthand that will only make you a better brewer. :) Suggestion, hold the...

Oh, I keep forgetting to mention one extremely important factor. All these professionally produced lager beers that we're comparing to are filtered. That has a MASSIVE effect on the flavour. Exaclty the same with all these beers I've been talking about from our brewery. When they're well...

Well said Rocker. By definition, "Pilsners" are all lagers. However within Pilsners (aka "Pils") there are several substyles. A bohemian pils (e.g. Pilsner Urquell, stemming from the city Pilsn in Czech - 1.5 hours from the brewery I've been at the last few years) is different to a bavarian...

Hey @Meddo, 1 - Hold this fermentation temperature until fermentation is complete. 2 - once your fementation is finished, cool it down, get it off the yeast, transition to lagering. Getting the beer off the majority of the yeast as soon as fermentation is complete is very important. (Otherwise...

Oh and just quickly regarding Pilsner Urquell. it's actually got a pretty high diacetyl content (typical of Bohemian Pilsners). So if you're after that kind of taste, you could happily bump up the above^^ fermentation temps a few degrees. Or shorten the lager times

Hi mrre, I like your question :) I can maybe lend some assistance. This is currently exactly my area. As a german trained (Ausbildung) brewer who has been working full-time a bavarian brewery for years and currently studying the Braumeister in Munich, I have some handy inside info on this...

Regarding mash tips: My first thoughts on looking at the "Fridge program" above.... Being a Vienna lager, it's pretty important to get a bit of body and slight residual sweetness from the malt in there. Thus, it'd be worth putting in a rest to target the alpha-amylase (72*C). Mashing-in at 67*C...

Hey ABG, my pleasure. The passion for beer and knowledge about beer is something is as worth sharing as good beer itself! ;) Yeah, without breaching on intellectual property from the brewery where I was for years, I can gladly give tips. But in general, most breweries here have very similar...

2 more quick thoughts on your "efficiency". 1. You could consider implementing a decoction mash to help physically break down more of the starch clumps/connections, making it easier for the enzymes to get at them. 2. might be worth looking into how much of your effeciency loss is in the lauter...

^ some great input from Mark. Just a thought or two about the "conditioning"... As already touched on by Mike, the traditional reasons for malt "conditioning" is to soften the barley husks, so that you can mill finer -> increasing the effective surface-area of starches -> increasing the ease...

P.s. just noticed your hop additions. Do you have an aroma hop-addition at the end of your boil? Or just the Tettnanger at the start? btw, tettnanger is a nice choice for this kind of beer :)

Servus! Not a problem ;) Awesome note-taking on your fridge by the way :D Yeah, the yeast isn't thaaaat sensitive to temperature. Feel free to think of yeast a little bit like another living organism, similar to us. We have a temperature where we are quite comfortable and happy to work. Start...

Hi Nick, mashing longer *usually* won't cause any problems.....depending on temperature! As with pretty much all things in the Mash, temperature is single largest factor, followed by pH. Basically, the enzymes just have more time to work. However, you will reach a point, where they've finished...