Pilsner

Sub-style of lager originating in the Czech Republic city of Pilsen. Bohemian Pilseners are slightly more medium bodied, and they can be as dark as a light amber color. This style balances moderate bitterness and Noble-type hop aroma and flavor with a malty, slightly sweet, medium body. Diacetyl may be perceived in extremely low amounts. A toasted, biscuit-like malt character may be evident at low levels. There should be no chill haze. Its head should be dense and rich. The very first pilsner ever brewed commercially was Pilsner Urquell in 1842 - still the quintessential example of the style. All subsequent pilsners are basically a knock-off of Pilsner Urquell. In fact, the American "macrobrew" Budweiser is a poor mockery of this style of beer.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces German light crystal malt

• 2 ounces German Munich malt

• 6 pounds extra-light DME

• 6-1/2 ounces Saaz hops

• 1 teaspoon Irish moss

• Wyeast 2278 Czech pilsner yeast

• 1-1/4 cup extra-light DME

Instructions:

1. Place the crushed specialty grains in a nylon hop bag and steep them in 1 gallon of preheated 150º water for 30 minutes.

2. Drain and discard the spent grains.

3. Bring at least 3 gallons of liquor to a boil, remove the brew kettle from the heat source then stir in the extract and 4 ounces of the hops.

4. Return the brew kettle to the heat source and boil for 45 minutes, then add 1 ounce of the hops and the Irish moss.

5. Boil for an additional 12 minutes, then add 1 more ounce of the hops.

6. Boil for an additional 3 minutes, then remove the brew kettle from the heat source, cover it and drop the temperature of the wort as quickly as possible to 77º F.

7. Once the wort has cooled to below 77º F, take an original gravity reading, pour the wort into a primary fermenter through a funnel with a strainer and add enough cool water to create 5 gallons.

8. Once the wort has been transferred to the primary fermenter, pitch the yeast, stir the wort vigorously, seal the fermenter with an airlock and ferment at approximately 42-52º F for 1 week.

9. Rack the beer to a secondary fermenter, dry-hop the remaining hops and allow the beer to finish fermentation.

10. Once fermentation is complete, rack the beer to a bottling bucket, prime with the extra-light DME and bottle and condition as usual.