Brew day approaches

CRUNK

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did all my calculations, and I got my starter of wlp830 going. I did everything preparing my starter, just as I would brew, low oxygen as possible, RO water boiled 5 minutes, GENTLY after adding the DME. Then pitched yeast at 45°f, aerated the starter for 1 minute, it is sitting for the next 2 days at 48°f, until pitching time.

I'm going to take the same approach when I brew this saturday. Sanitation is impeccable, low oxygen adjustments to the system will be completed, and tested tomorrow evening.

9.45 lbs wiermanns german pilsner 82.5%
1.75 lbs wiermanns german munich L20 15.3%
.25 lb wiermanns german acidulated 2.2%

.4 Oz magnum @ 60min
.2 Oz hersbrucker @ 40min
.2 Oz hersbrucker @ 15min
IBU 17.72

OG target 1.048
Fg target 1.011

SRM 3.91

Alittle light on the abv, 4.79, but flavor is most important to me at this time.

I'll keep you all updated on the progress and outcome.

Thank you all for the advice, and direction you have offered
 
Much similar recipe to my bohimian pilsner atm no Munich malt though.
 
Go for it Crunk! Is this the Crunkinator?
 
I'm contemplating this recipe I think I'm going to rebuild a recipe today and try that I'm not sure yet I'm still undecided
 
I am on the Quest for that all elusive flavor of a good German Pilsner and as I've said already I will go to the ends of the Earth or the end of my budget whichever comes first to try and accomplish that
 
I am on the Quest for that all elusive flavor of a good German Pilsner and as I've said already I will go to the ends of the Earth or the end of my budget whichever comes first to try and accomplish that
Go over to Kai's site, he's done a lot of the research. Key to Pilsner is step mashing (decoction is not quite necessary, add a touch of melanoidin if you, like me, are too lazy to do a real decoction) and noble hops. And very good water chemistry control. And yeast. Sorry for the bad news but it's the hardest style on the planet to get exactly right, there's literally no place for a flaw to hide. There are simpler decoction schemes I haven't explored that might improve the beer a touch but it's a very difficult style.
 
I've been to Kais site I am basically deciphering some of the information that I've read and making a scientific choice on my water makeup and my recipe I may not get it right this time or the next or the next or the next but I will get it right
 
I've brewed a couple of Pilsners now crunk some of them far from true to style but if you get anywhere near the perfect product it's a keg that won't last long amongst your friends and family. I'll take a stab and say it's gotta be one of the most popular beer styles in the world!

Will have to do a comparison in a few weeks time or so my pils is getting to the back end of primary fermentation at the moment. I'm not doing a traditional lager fermentation as such but a bens back yard Pilsner fermentation scheduled ferment at 10c till 50% attenuated and slowly overly 24 hrs let the temperature free rise 2c/day until 18c diacetyl rest. I'm at 16c at the moment and 1.010. Looking at some good attenuation from my yeasties this way.
 
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Brew day started and completed is 5.5 hours, what a difference logo makes on so many different levels. Right now I'm running out for the evening, I will post an extremely informative report that I believe will be of huge interest to many or all of you.
 
I took the rest of the weekend off to decipher my information I will get that report out and posted this week on my findings
 
Okay, this past weekend I brewed a lager, but before I did that a made a couple temporary adaptions to my system to test a low oxygen Ingress topic.

I simply used high temperature industrial plastic wrap that i sometimes use to wrap meat when I'm bar b Quing. I then ran a band of electrical tape around that to create a flexible rubber band like ring to keep the plastic wrap in place on top of my boil kettle and mash tun. The rest of my system is all run by pumps and quick disconnect hoses, including a hose to pump the wort into my fast fermentor through the sample port at the bottom.

I only had to pull back the plastic wrap to add hops during the boil. I placed my grains in the mash tun and sealed it off, I filled it through the bottom valve slowly using my pump, this worked great. I premeasured my strike water and calculated for temperature Loss. That covers limiting oxygen Ingress.

I had considerably, and noticeably less propane consumption, I didn't have measurements to compare to, but I could tell less propane was needed.

I boiled my water the night before to get dissolved oxygen out as much as possible, along with an addition of sodium Metabisulfate, and a small addition to build the water to the profile. Then sealed the boil kettle and let it naturally cool over night.

During the brew day my shed is permeated with the awesome aroma in normal conditions, this time, I couldn't smell any aroma until I pulled back the plastic wrap for the hops additions. When I added the hops, and that aroma hit my nose, it actually smelled fresher than any other brew session, it also smelled cleaner IE: the notes of bread and hops stood out separately but together, like never before.

The wort looked noticeably clearer than ever before as I transfered it to the fermentor I ran it through my cartridge filter housing without a filter like usual so I can make observational notes.

Now for the dirty work clean up, it was considerably easier to clean the kettles, they were still sealed till they hit the sink. I am attributing this to moisture, no solids had time to dry stiff on the sides.

I ran a low rolling boil, as apposed to a vigorous boil as normal, it was so low it was like a rolling simmer, to avoid causing bubblesome.

Boil off and steam loss was considerably less, I now have to recalculate my water.

PH readings, where spot on the whole way through the process, I made no acid additions what so ever to control pH. This was the only measureable proof I can provide with the acception of water loss.

I don't have my dissolved o2 meter yet, but it is on the way, and I am doing some more permanent alterations to my system immediately by having plexiglass lids made to take the place of the plastic wrap, and putting clamps on the side of my kettles to secure them with a seal in between the kettle and the plexiglass, and I'm putting 5lb. Miniature pressure relief valves on the lids.

I am also adding the blichmann premium wort oxygenator kit in line to the fermentor, and right behind that I'm fabricating and erlenmier flask with a bung and a tube so I can push the yeast starter out of the flask with pure o2 into a tee in the fermentor line. everything is completely sealed from oxygen Ingress.

I can then purge the sealed system with nitrogen, basically making this a low pressure brewery. No oxygen Ingress.

When I say there was noticeable differences from prior brew sessions, I am saying they where all visual, and aromatic, I had no measurements to compare to, but I can tell you, the difference was seriously amazing, I did take my sample from the sample port after aerating the wort, and before adding yeast, for my OG reading. Afterwards I tasted the sample, as I always do for shits and giggles, and I was shocked at how much fresher it tasted, I could easily decipher the bready notes, the hops, caramel, the clarity visually, it blew my mind.

I can honestly say, I wouldn't have believed it if I had not tried it for myself, it is my opinion that low oxygen Ingress made a huge positive difference on all aspects of my brewing session, without taking any of the fun of feeling like I'm still brewing beer out of the process. If you have the ability to do some temporary alterations to your system to try it for yourselves, I HIGHLY recommend you try it, and see the results for yourselves. I am convinced it makes a huge difference for the better of the beer.

One last note, I am new to brewing, I have a lot to learn, but I am always particularly observant on brew day, just as I am when I am reloading ammunition, and my observations have convinced me to make permanent alterations to my system.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have, I will answer them the best that I can. I apologize for the length of this report, and for not having measurements to compare all the differences.
 
The sample before pitching.
 

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That is one clean test sample there Crunk. Look forward to hearing more about the Finnished product mate:). I've herd a lot of banter online about low oxygen brewing and am yet to try it out for myself. Www.braukaiser.com has a few articles their on low oxygen brewing a reports check it out crunk if you haven't already;). Cheers happy brewing.
 
Here is the recipe I brewed

9lb pilsner
1.75lb Vienna
.25 lb acidulated
1 lb Carahell

2.2 Oz hallertau mitfrule total
.6 oz before laughter ingredients
70 minute boil with additions at
1.6 Oz at 60 minutes, right after the hot break.

Wlp830 yeast 1.6 litre starter, 48 hours before pitching.

Cold fermenting at 42°f

After 6 hours I was getting airlock activity, all but slow activity just the same.

The pH started at 5.48 in the mash then slowly dropped on its own, by the end of the mash it was 5.38 by the end of the boil it was 5.14.

This was an infusion step mash
Dough in at 122°f, immediately Ramp to 148°f held for 30 minutes, ramp to 162°f held for 30 minutes, ramp to 169°f held for 10 minutes, flame out.
 
I'm getting my hands on some 34/70 to use next time, I will be banking that in mason jars and growing it as much as possible
 
I'm getting my hands on some 34/70 to use next time, I will be banking that in mason jars and growing it as much as possible
That became my go to cheap lager yeast. Except I buy a new pack for every batch and pitch it dry. I do like it.
 
Yep I think I'm on my fourth generation with my current batch of 34/70 still getting 80% attenuation so I'm cheering.
 

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