Balter Pilsner Clone help

[Bob_Loblaw]

Hi All

I'm keen to try my hand at a pilsner now that I have my system completely sorted. I recently tried the new Balter Pilsner and I'm a massive fan of it. The best description I can give is really dry, but very refreshing also. I'd like to get as close as possible to this beer.

Any tips from anyone who has tried it and has experience with pilsners?

From the recipe below it would appear that water chemistry will be critical, but from what I've read that is the case for all Lagers/Pilsners.

http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2017/01/water-foremost-in-balter-pilsner/


4.2% ABV and 32 IBU

I'm assuming Saaz would be the hop used.

 

[stewy]

Agree that it's a cracking pilsner!
I'd say the grain bill is simply just pilsner malt with a touch of carapils
It tasted like saaz to me but the article lists spalt, centennial & Hercules. To my palette I get nothing but noble, spicy hops. Can't find any centennial in there.

I'd just go maybe 95% pilsner, 5% carapils & use all spalt. A 60 addition to maybe 25 ibu then one more addition at 10 to get to 32
I'd even be tempted to do 100% pils malt as the the Balter is very crisp & dry so wouldn't be shocked if it was 100% pils

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Agree that it's a cracking pilsner!
I'd say the grain bill is simply just pilsner malt with a touch of carapils
It tasted like saaz to me but the article lists spalt, centennial & Hercules. To my palette I get nothing but noble, spicy hops. Can't find any centennial in there.

I'd just go maybe 95% pilsner, 5% carapils & use all spalt. A 60 addition to maybe 25 ibu then one more addition at 10 to get to 32
I'd even be tempted to do 100% pils malt as the the Balter is very crisp & dry so wouldn't be shocked if it was 100% pils

Haha - I can't believe I missed the hops at the start of the article!

In terms of the crispness/dryness - is there any additional technique to achieve this? I assume if I mash lower I'll have more fermentable sugars and it will ferment out lower which will lead to dryness - ie 1.001 or lower.

 

[stewy]

Yeah I'd probably consider mashing at 64 to dry it out. Also pitch enough yeast/Do starter if using liquid & oxygenate if you're able

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I'll be no-chilling so I can collect enough for a fresh wort starter and when I dump the wort into the fermenter from the cube it certainly gets oxygenated.

Will have to see if my local has spalt...

 

[stewy]

If you can't find Spalt just use Saaz. That's what I thought it was!! The Balter tasted like Saaz to me so I'm guessing Spalt must be very similar

 

[Rattlehead989]

Use liquid yeast and make a massive starter, make sure you boil for 90 mins

 

[goatchop41]

Haha - I can't believe I missed the hops at the start of the article!

In terms of the crispness/dryness - is there any additional technique to achieve this? I assume if I mash lower I'll have more fermentable sugars and it will ferment out lower which will lead to dryness - ie 1.001 or lower.

Jesus.....you don't need to get it that low for it to taste dry/crisp! (nor would you expect to get it that low without using a saison yeast or dry enzyme....). That's where the water chemistry and some of the hop character comes in.

I would disagree with the above regarding the carapils, but that's just because I've had many a good pilsner that was just 100% pils malt

 

[goatchop41]

Use liquid yeast and make a massive starter, make sure you boil for 90 mins

Only need to boil for 90 mins if you're using undermodified from one or two of the Euro maltsters. Most decent pils malts these days are well modified, which negates the need for the extended boil

 

[stewy]

Jesus.....you don't need to get it that low for it to taste dry/crisp! (nor would you expect to get it that low without using a saison yeast or dry enzyme....). That's where the water chemistry and some of the hop character comes in.

I would disagree with the above regarding the carapils, but that's just because I've had many a good pilsner that was just 100% pils malt

. Umm, thought I was pretty clear where I clarified that I would do 100% pils malt as that is how the Balter's tastes...