E.s.b. Czech Pilsener

[SJW]

I have had enough of draught & ale style beers for the minute. Batz put me on to a couple of commercial pilseners and i want to brew a Pilsener next. I wondering if anyone has tryed the 3kg pack Czech Pilsener from E.S.B. If so is there anything special i should do with it. I see they iclude a top quality DCL yeast, So that a good start. Should i add extra SAAZ hops?

 

[PostModern]

Does it come with SafLager or SafAle? SafLager makes OK beers at room temp, but superb beers (for a dry lager yeast... from what I've heard, etc etc) if fermented down @ 10-12C

I'd dry hop with Saaz. It's hard for kits to have much in the way of aroma hops.

 

[SJW]

When is the best time to dry hop? And after fermentation would it help to rack to secondary and stick in fridge for a couple of weeks?

 

[Green Iguana]

The ESb czech pilsner is a great brew....a few suggestions....

Don't use the saflager provided...the s-23 is not a great strain..many have found that it produces off flavours even at low temps..i hate the stuff :angry: ...get some saflager w 34/70..this is the best dry lager yeast i have come across...worth using...

No canned brew kit can have authentic hop aroma/flavour..the bitterness will be there...so throw 20g Saaz into a boil for 10 mins and put in another 20 g at shut off before cooling...strain into fermenter...

Adding 150g of wheat malt extract will heap head retention heaps....

Brew at 10 C for 2 weeks...then leave the fermenter at room temp for 2 days for diacetyl rest...and lager at 2 C for 2-4 weeks....however patient u are...longer the better...

The ESB fresh wort pilsner and lager are also worth considering...again using liquid or 34/70 yeasts to ensure a top class brew. :chug: :chug: :chug: .....

cheers

 

[Green Iguana]

The brew must be racked after the diacetyl rest and then placed back into the fridge for lagering.....

Dry hop after racking the brew...either place hops directly into the jerry/fermenter when lagering or steep them in boiling water for 5 mins before adding during lagering....be careful of dry hopping by putting pellets directly into the fermenter..this can lead to strong or grassy flavours which take a long time to condition out....soaking in hot water before adding will lessen this...although Saaz is mild enough that u probably shouldn't worry if dry hopping with less than 1 oz...


cheers

 

[GMK]

SJW

Here is my award wining Munich Heles Kit Recipee...
Extremely easy and very tasty But especially CHEAP.
Came 1st in 2001 Act State Championships in its category.

Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsner Can
1 kg of dextrose
S189 Yeast or a good liquid larger yeast.

Make upto 20ltrs.
Pitch yeast using a starter.
Ferment at larger temps for 2 weeks. Raise to room temp for last 3 days.
Rack to secondary with 25 gms of Saaz pellets. Place in fridge to cold condition for 2 - 6 weeks.
Taste every 2 weeks and add more hops if needed.

Bottle for 3- 5 weeks and drink by 6 months.

 

[Rod]

What does dry hopping do to the flavour profile if put in at racking
does it give flavour or aroma or both
do you need much
like a bit of hops , particulary cascade , at the moment

Rod

 

[Green Iguana]

Dry hopping gives flavour and heaps of aroma....

Its up to u on how much...i started with 1/2 oz per 22 ltrs...some varieties i'll use more some less...just don't dry hop with high alpha strains....keep them for bittering....

cheers

 

[RobW]

I made an ESB pilsner last year & did more or less what Green Iggy described & lagered for about a month. It came out pretty good. Plus dead easy.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Just adding my vote with Iggy re Saflager S23

Horrible stuff DONT USE IT

So disappointing to put all the effort into temp control, diacetyl rests, lagering, dry hopping and then a couple of months later find it is not clean like a lager should be, and has a slightly fruity taste reminiscent of apricots. I did this several times and was about to give up on lagers when Goliath Dave diagnosed the problem for me.

 

[Hoops]

I'm surpeised at the negative experiences with Saflager s23, I have used it several times with fantastic results. Ended up with a very clean tasting beer. Maybe I just got lucky? I have been considering using Wyeasts and Whitelabs yeasts - making 10 or so starters to make it financially viable of course

 

[Green Iguana]

I have only heard negative feedback about the s-23.....agree with the guest lurker....all that work wasted on crappy yeast....i brewed heaps with the stuff...always dissapointed...it's a shame most HBS around here have no idea about W 34/70 or liquid yeasts...took the initiative myself and switched to white labs and wyeast.....couldn't believe the difference...liquid yeasts are worth the effort....

cheers

 

[Linz]

I made the ESB Bavarian lager with the coresponding liquid yeast and I reckon its a belter.

 

[GMK]

Used to use S23 but much prefer S189 as my dry larger yeast...

 

[Gough]

I've used both s-23 and w34/70 and am a devout 34/70 follower. Was never happy with the s-23 and have made some excellent lagers (including the esb Czech Pilsner kit coincidently) with the 34/70. SJW if you are buying the kit from the Mayfield home brew shop he has the w34/70 behind the counter and will gladly swap it for you if needs be. This is by far the best kit I've ever made. Was about 12 months ago, but still lives in the memory. Filled it up to 19 litres only, dry hopped directly into the secondary fermenter after racking with 25g Czech Saaz (3%aa) and fermented it at 12ish degrees. Beautiful and oh so easy...

Shawn.

 

[Trev]

Whilst we're on the subject - I started to use liquid yeasts some little time ago. prior to that was using SafAle and SafLager and could notice the improvement. Yes, there are difference of opinion about S23 Vs 34/70 although I've only used the 34/70 once (it was good) and S23 the rest of the time.

I'm now using liquid yeasts. It costs more to start but once you make up a few starters it works out about the same and I really think you end up with a better brew.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. Foe instance, I'm using the 1056 APA for most of my ales and they are much cleaner in taste (if not in haze )

Trev

 

[sluggerdog]

I bought this kit today and the yeast that came with it was the W34/70 and not the S23 so maybe they have changed this now?

 

[sluggerdog]

For those who have done this kit I was wondering what your original gravity and final gravity were?

I only got 1.035 for OG and I found this to be rather low so I am guessin that it is wrong.

It now seems to have levelled out at 1.012 which seems ok, I just want to check with others before I more onto CC.

Thanx

(BTW: It has been in the fridge for 2 weeks at about 10C using saflager yeast)