She’ll Be Right NZ Pilsner

Last minute thrown together recipe, hence the name.

20 Feb 2022 – Brew day
Mashed higher than planned due to low battery in thermometer causing it to stick on 74° when measuring strike water temp, but was a few degrees higher. Ended up mashing at around 71° – too high???? Gravity after mash 1.052 – pretty spot on, so conversion seems ok.

Added some of the post-boil hops after flameout and then dropped temp to 90° and added remainder and let stand for 20mins.

Chilled to 21.5° then transferred to fermenter and left in fridge overnight to reach 11° before pitching rehydrated yeast.

Day 1 (21 Feb) – Pitched yeast
Messed up and left fridge plugged in directly instead of into STC and ended up at 1°! Already had started rehydration when realised so had to scramble to warm it up. Ended up pitching at around 8.5°. Set temp control at 12°.

Day 2 (22 Feb)
Early signs of fermentation. No pressure in fermentor so tightened lid and posts. Temp: 12°.

Day 3-5 (23-25 Feb)
Pressure built up over 10psi, I dropped it back to around 5. Temp 12°.

Day 6 (26 Feb)
Temp 13°.

Day 7-11 (27 Feb – 3 Mar)
Let temp free rise towards 20° for D-rest & finishing. Up to 16° by morning of 28th, 19° on 1 Mar, 20° on 2 Mar. Lost pressure.

Day 12 (4 Mar)
Add dry hops and drop temp to 17°. Pressure starting to rebuild.

Day 13,14 (5,6 Mar)
Gradually drop temp to 14°. Pressure up to 6psi. Drop to 12° overnight.

Day 15 (7 Mar)
Cold crash to 2° and left to lager

Kegged on 13 March (Day 21) and continued lagering in keg.

Style Information

Name: New Zealand Pilsner (Pils)
Recipe Type: All Grain

Grains & Extracts

Name Amount Notes
Pilsner 5 kg
Wheat Malt 0.3 kg
Gladfield Sour Grapes 0.2 kg

Hops

Name Amount Alpha Acid % AAU Time Notes
Willamette 0.02 kg 7.9% 0.158 30
Southern Cross 0.02 kg 12.2% 0.244 15
Southern Cross 0.02 kg 14.8% 0.296 5
Willamette 0.02 kg 7.9% 0.158 5
Southern Cross 0.035 kg 14.8% 0.518 0
Willamette 0.035 kg 7.9% 0.2765 0
Southern Cross 0.025 kg 14.8% 0.37 0
Willamette 0.025 kg 7.9% 0.1975 0

Adjuncts

Name Type Use Amount Time Notes
Calcium Chloride Water Agent Mash 0.004 kg 0
Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) Water Agent Mash 0.008 kg 0
Koppafloc Fining Boil 0.002 kg 15

Yeasts

Name Amount Notes
Saflager W-34/70

Mash Steps

Name Step Type Step Time Temperature
Saccharification Rest Infusion 60 71 C

Boil

Amount: 25.2 liters
Water Description:
Time: 30 minutes
Target Batch Size: 24 liters

Profile

Estimated OG: 1.053
Estimated FG: 1.013
Estimated ABV: 5.24%
 
Actual OG: 1.060
Actual FG: 1.020
Actual ABV: 5.26%
 

Tasting notes

22 March - First pour from keg. A little bit of a haze. Tastes really nice. Slight sweet/fruity note that gives it a bit of a pale ale vibe more-so than a crisp pilsner vibe but tastes great anyway. Moderately hoppy, moderate bitterness - a nice easy drinking beer. I'm pretty happy with it.

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