Belgian Pilsner

[BlackDuck]

This is my recipe for a Belgian Pilsner; this comes with thanks to a conversation with a fine gentleman at Rockmill Brewery in Lancaster, Ohio. I was told that this is a Belgian style Pilsner because of the water. The brewery's water is rather hard. And, according to their website, it's almost identical to Wallonia, Belgium. So I've built my water profile using EZ Water and based it on the Wallonia profile as found on Brewers Friend. I based the recipe statistics on that of a German Pilsner and then married the hard water and ingredients to that. I was given the types of malt and hops used, but was not given any quantities. So this recipe may or may not turn out to be a clone.

EZ water has the chloride/sulfate ratio at .20, which according to them, will enhance the bitterness, anything under .77 will do that. And the conversation at the brewery lends to this also. I was told that their water "really brings out the hops", so I'm a bit unsure of the amounts of hops to use. I hope it doesn't turn out too bitter. I guess the only thing to do is brew it and see what happens.

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Belgian Pilsner
Brewer: Antler Brewing
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Style Pilsner
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.85 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.30 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 4.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 29.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 68.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 74.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.00 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 1 -
5.00 ml Lactic Acid (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
4.00 g Baking Soda (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 3 -
3.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 4 -
1.50 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 5 -
1.50 ml Slaked Lime (Mash 0.0 mins) Water Agent 6 -

7 lbs Pilsner Malt (Avangard) (1.7 SRM) Grain 7 70.0 %
3 lbs Munich (Briess) (5.5 SRM) Grain 8 30.0 %

1.00 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [4.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 14.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 25.0 min Hop 10 9.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Spalter [4.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 11 5.9 IBUs

2.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 12 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 3.00 gal of water at 164.2 F 150.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 6.05 gal water at 170.0 F
Notes:
------
100% Distilled Water
Water Profile
Ca - 56
Mg - 14
Na - 32
Cl - 21
So4 - 106

[BlackDuck]

Brewed this one today. It was a good day. Pretty much hit all my numbers. I think I might have had too much Munich in it though. It’s looking a bit darker than what it should be. No biggie though, I’m sure it will be tasty in the end.


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[BlackDuck]

This one started two points low on the gravity and it's finished 2 points high. Not that big of a deal. The color is still a bit darker than it should be, but it's not bad. Lagering should do this beer a huge favor.

[ScrewyBrewer]

I was curious. How close did your predicted mash pH come to your actual mash pH? My Kolsch recipe uses 95% German Pilsner and 5% Vienna malt. I know a Kolsch water profile is different than a Belgian Pilsner water profile but I wonder why you added slaked lime and lactic acid?

[BlackDuck]

To answer you question directly, I don't know. I didn't measure my actual mash pH. I stopped doing that. The last time I did, the actual and predicted pH were very close. So now I just go on what EZ Water tells me it's going to be.

The reason I used both lime and lactic acid is this.... The lactic acid was used to adjust the pH. The lime was used to adjust only the calcium. I was shooting for the Wallonia water profile that is listed on Brewers Friend. Lime moves the calcium number only, and nothing else. Calcium Choloride moves both calcium and chloride, while gypsum moves both calcium and sulfate. In building the water profile I had everything where it needed to be except the calcium, so adding the lime was the only way to get the calcium number up without changing anything else.

[ScrewyBrewer]

To answer you question directly, I don't know. I didn't measure my actual mash pH. I stopped doing that. The last time I did, the actual and predicted pH were very close. So now I just go on what EZ Water tells me it's going to be.

The reason I used both lime and lactic acid is this.... The lactic acid was used to adjust the pH. The lime was used to adjust only the calcium. I was shooting for the Wallonia water profile that is listed on Brewers Friend. Lime moves the calcium number only, and nothing else. Calcium Choloride moves both calcium and chloride, while gypsum moves both calcium and sulfate. In building the water profile I had everything where it needed to be except the calcium, so adding the lime was the only way to get the calcium number up without changing anything else.

Ok thanks for explaining. That's something I hadn't considered before. Its similar to adding Baking Soda in that Baking Soda increases pH and sodium levels too.

[BlackDuck]

Kegged this one today. It started a couple points low and finished a couple points high, so it's only 4.3% ABV, but that's OK...just means that I can drink a few at a time if I choose. I'll be brewing this one again next year for sure, because I think I used too much Munich malt. So next time, I'll lessen that by almost half probably and I bet it will be more like the original I was trying to clone.