Getting 'pilsner' Into Pilsner

[Nick JD]

It's pH.

Drinking this atm - and it's got that Pils taste. Bucket loads.

House Pils 3 (German Pilsner (Pils))

Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 (°P): 11.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (°P): 3.1
Alcohol (ABV): 4.52 %
Colour (SRM): 5.0 (EBC): 9.8
Bitterness (IBU): 28.3 (Average)

96.42% Weyermann Pilsner
1.93% Acidulated Malt
1.65% Carabohemian

0.5 g/L Hallertau Aroma (7.6% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.5 g/L T45 Saaz (8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L Hallertau Aroma (7.6% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L T45 Saaz (8% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

0.2 g/L Whirlfloc Tablet @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.2 g/L Yeast Nutrient @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

55C:10, 62C:30, 67C:30. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 12°C with Wyeast 2000 - Budvar Lager


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

 

[Bada Bing Brewery]

Nick - what were your Ph readings ??? and how did you get them....
Cheers
BBB

 

[dent]

It's pH.

So... all your other pilseners have had incorrect pH prior to this?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

So... all your other pilseners have had incorrect pH prior to this?

All other Pilsner except mine
Nev

 

[Nick JD]

What's the correct pH for a pilsner mash?

 

[dent]

So far you're the only one who knows, it seems.

 

[manticle]

What did you do before that didn't get 'that' taste?
What did you do this time differently?
Is it repeatable so someone else (possibly the OP) could have a crack and get a similar result?

Can you elaborate on 'it's pH'?

 

[Nick JD]

Basically I've used acidulated malt (and super soft GC water) to bring my mash pH down by 0.2

 

[dent]

Please forgive me if I get the impression it was not measured. It is nice you have brewed a beer you are happy with, but I don't think it is going to provide the key to this thread.

 

[manticle]

What was you pH before/ How did you measure it this time/last time?
What was the mineral content of the water?

Not trying to be smart or even doubt that you may be getting that taste but this thread is about someone seeking it and a lot of other people are interested too.

How can they get that taste in their beer following on from your experience? Is it just acidulated in the right proportion? Could they achieve it with acid or salts?

What other info to get everyone close to the point you are? pH has been noted to play a likely factor (both mash and wort) so what more about 'it's pH' can you elaborate on to help everyone make better Deutsch pils with 'that taste'?

 

[Nick JD]

Please look on ebay for the price of a digital pH meter.

 

[Nick JD]

What was you pH before/ How did you measure it this time/last time?
What was the mineral content of the water?

Not trying to be smart or even doubt that you may be getting that taste but this thread is about someone seeking it and a lot of other people are interested too.

How can they get that taste in their beer following on from your experience? Is it just acidulated in the right proportion? Could they achieve it with acid or salts?

What other info to get everyone close to the point you are? pH has been noted to play a likely factor (both mash and wort) so what more about 'it's pH' can you elaborate on to help everyone make better Deutsch pils with 'that taste'?

I'll do a thread.

 

[Florian]

Have used 2% as well in my last few pilsners, combined with RO water. They're good, but i wouldn't say I've nailed 'that taste' yet. Not sure if acidulated is the way to go either, as I had some (I'd say better ones) before I started to use acidulated. I'll go back through my old recipes and processes and see if something stands out.

 

[dent]

???

They're quite cheap.

 

[manticle]

I'll do a thread.

Why not just answer the fairly reasonable questions in this one?

 

[Bizier]

You get it in with a funnel.

 

[labels]

I do pH adjustments with phosphoric acid, in fact it's standard practice for me. I also meaure the mash pH which usually sits at 5.4. That doesn't give me the character I'm looking for.

However, Nick used acidulated malt and that might have a bearing on the flavour profile where phosphoric acid does not so I'm not convinced it's pH alone.

Then again, some other factor might have got him the character that has not been mentioned or overlooked. It does seem as though it is a technique issue rather than ingredients. The step mash for example, I just use a single step infusion at 65°C, Nick used three steps.

It would be interesting if Nick can reproduce this beer and nail it down to one specific thing.

-=Steve=-

 

[Damien13]

If it was a step mash surely a Braumeister owner would have chimed in by now???? I happen to be one, but haven't fermented any of the Pils I have cubed just yet...

 

[Nick JD]

It would be interesting if Nick can reproduce this beer and nail it down to one specific thing.

I've brewed basically the same recipe lots and this is the first time it's showed up. It's also the first time I've used acidulated malt to bring the mash pH down 0.2

 

[labels]

I've brewed basically the same recipe lots and this is the first time it's showed up. It's also the first time I've used acidulated malt to bring the mash pH down 0.2

Interesting. I've already got 100L on the ferment ATM so I'm stuffed for five weeks but after that I reckon I will be duplicating your recipe exactly in my 3V brewery. I might ask for some more details first, particularly relating fermentation times/temps, diacetyl resting, lagering etc.

-=Steve=-