Pilsner Brewed As An Ale?

[Hashie]

Hi all, I'm interested in doing a Pilsner style for drinking in the warm weather. But seeing as I don't have a fermenting fridge and can't be assed mucking about with ice blocks etc. I was wondering if I could brew one as an ale?

What I'm thinking is;

For 25 litre batch

4.5 kg Pilsner malt mashed for 90 minutes @ 64 degrees.

Mt Hood 50g @ 3.5% a/a 60 mins
Mt Hood 25g @ 3.5% a/a 20 mins
Mt Hood 25g @3.5% a/a 2 mins

Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast

According to Beersmith, Nottingham can be fermented cool to produce a Lager style. I can ferment at around 15-16 degrees.

Will this work or will it just be a Frankenale?

 

[Muggus]

Shouldn't be anything wrong with doing this. It'll just be a very pale pale ale. I've brewed a couple of pale ales with nothing but Pilsner and they turn out very clean and light, and really let the hops shine. And if the yeast is quite a clean fermenter, it'll turn out almost like a Pils anyway.
Essentially you are brewing a SMASH beer.

 

[Hashie]

Thanks Muggus, yes the intention was on a smash, but in a Pils style. Nottingham is a clean and neutral yeast so it should work.
I guess I'll just have to do it and see how it goes.
At the end of the day it'll still be beer!!

 

[The King of Spain]

Hi all, I'm interested in doing a Pilsner style for drinking in the warm weather. But seeing as I don't have a fermenting fridge and can't be assed mucking about with ice blocks etc. I was wondering if I could brew one as an ale?

What I'm thinking is;

For 25 litre batch

4.5 kg Pilsner malt mashed for 90 minutes @ 64 degrees.

Mt Hood 50g @ 3.5% a/a 60 mins
Mt Hood 25g @ 3.5% a/a 20 mins
Mt Hood 25g @3.5% a/a 2 mins

Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast

According to Beersmith, Nottingham can be fermented cool to produce a Lager style. I can ferment at around 15-16 degrees.



Will this work or will it just be a Frankenale?

I tested this theory a few years ago. The end result was the last excuse I needed to buy another fridge to do proper lagers. I think you will be dissapointed. You could always do a nice summer ale. I have an ale finished with Nelson Sauvin and its the perfect drink for a summers day.

Cheers
KOS

 

[Muggus]

One thing that does come to mind is the bitterness.
An ale yeast probably won't attenuate as well, and you may need some extra IBU's to balance it out.

 

[Bribie G]

Nottingham will produce a lager style beer but needs to be kept at around 15 degrees. I regularly make fake lagers using US-05, but again I keep it at around 17 degrees. Does a good job but in your case if you ferment an ale yeast 'hot' you are not really going to get a lager style beer.
One yeast to consider is Morgans Lager Yeast (Mauribrew) if you genuinely can't get below 20. It's a lager yeast supplied for kits and made by Mauribrew in Toowoomba. I've had success with it but it doesn't ferment out as clean as a 'cold' lager yeast and you would need to put some extra IBU's in there to sharpen up the taste, for sure.

Edit: oops just read the 16 degrees bit in your OP - yes go the Notto but I still am a fan of US-05. Another yeast to seriously consider is S-189 dried Swiss Lager yeast. I have used this at 16 degrees and it turns out ok, lots of sulphur and a lot longer to condition than an ale. I have heard of guys using it up to 20 degrees and getting good results.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Hi all, I'm interested in doing a Pilsner style for drinking in the warm weather. But seeing as I don't have a fermenting fridge and can't be assed mucking about with ice blocks etc. I was wondering if I could brew one as an ale?

What I'm thinking is;

For 25 litre batch

4.5 kg Pilsner malt mashed for 90 minutes @ 64 degrees.

Mt Hood 50g @ 3.5% a/a 60 mins
Mt Hood 25g @ 3.5% a/a 20 mins
Mt Hood 25g @3.5% a/a 2 mins

Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast

According to Beersmith, Nottingham can be fermented cool to produce a Lager style. I can ferment at around 15-16 degrees.

Will this work or will it just be a Frankenale?

I have got a couple of things to say,

1. Use Whitelabs San Francisco Lager yeast. It has the unique ability to give real clean lager characteristics even when used at ambient temps.
2. I would not mash at 64C. I think 65C would be the lower end of the scale. A mash @ 64 will be too dry IMHO.

 

[Hashie]

Some good info there.

Bribie, I had thought of US-05 but prefer the Nottingham for it's finish. I've also used the Swiss lager yeast before, could have been the beer I made, but didn't enjoy the end result. That was with a case study of "1"!

Lindsay, I'll have to have a look at the SF Yeast, I hadn't heard of it before and having a lager yeast to work at ambient temps would be a good option.
I mash most of my ales at 64 (BIAB) and don't find them too dry. I find they still have good body with some residual sweetness. Could be that my thermometer is up the creek as well!