Mini BIAB Pilsner guidance

[Anth M]

Hey brewers,

I'm doing my first mini-BIAB Pilsner on Saturday and wanted to run my plan by some experts. Recipe is from a book.

INGREDIENTS (scaled to get 12L in the FV)
3.3 kg Bohemian Pilsner
40 g Saaz

MASH
1 Hr @ 65C

BOIL
75 mins

HOPS
30 g start of boil, 10 g at turn off

YEAST
Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager

FERMENTATION
2 weeks at 12C then condition for 4 weeks at 3C

I plan to do a full volume mash so how much water would I need? I'm thinking ~19L (lose 2 to grain abs, 5 to boil) so should get ~12L in FV.

The guys at my HBS was talking about yeast starters buy my skills aint there yet so I ended up getting 2 of the smack packs.

Any tips appreciated.

Cheers

 

[GFHomebrew]

Hey brewers,

I'm doing my first mini-BIAB Pilsner on Saturday and wanted to run my plan by some experts. Recipe is from a book.

INGREDIENTS (scaled to get 12L in the FV)
3.3 kg Bohemian Pilsner
40 g Saaz

MASH
1 Hr @ 65C

BOIL
75 mins

HOPS
30 g start of boil, 10 g at turn off

YEAST
Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager

FERMENTATION
2 weeks at 12C then condition for 4 weeks at 3C

I plan to do a full volume mash so how much water would I need? I'm thinking ~19L (lose 2 to grain abs, 5 to boil) so should get ~12L in FV.

The guys at my HBS was talking about yeast starters buy my skills aint there yet so I ended up getting 2 of the smack packs.

Any tips appreciated.

Cheers

Sounds like a goer to me mate! Recipe it's simple trick sazz hops tick I usually shoot for around 30ibu a good sharp bitterness with a dry well attenuated finish from yeast . On yeast I'd start them there at 12c but after Around 5-7 days depending how fermentation is going I'd let that temperature free rise up to 18c to encourage attenuation then leave it here until no change in hydrometer readings then drop it down to 3c for your conditioning phase (this is when I keg and let condition whilst I drink it).

Have you plugged it all into recipe calculator? I usually get around 7lt of losses all up for 21lt batch into fermentor dumping trub and all maybe 300ml left in kettle. But my losses will not be your losses.

I've used bohemian floor malted pilsner before with awesome results left a nice honey malt flavour. I'm sure you'll get a delicious beer at the end of it!

 

[Beer_Pirate]

There's a site called "priceless BIAB calculator" that I usually use to get info for my strike temps and total water needed. It accounts for kettle shape and everything. I use the yeast calculator on Brewer's Friend and have never had an issue. Hope this helps.

 

[Nosybear]

Pilsner is much more reliant on boil and fermentation than mashing (as long as you do it reasonably right). The Bohemian malt is under-modified but you still should be okay without a decoction. Recipe looks about right. I don't BIAB but I make pilsners - you'll succeed or fail in the kettle and the fermentor.

 

[Medarius]

The guys at my HBS was talking about yeast starters buy my skills aint there yet so I ended up getting 2 of the smack packs.

Any tips appreciated.

Cheers

Don't see the need for 2 smack packs, when one will work for up to 19l (5gal).

Good luck with your brew

 

[Nosybear]

Don't see the need for 2 smack packs, when one will work for up to 19l (5gal).

Good luck with your brew

For Pilsners, to get a good result, you actually need over 3 smack-packs or a very large starter (I do 2.5 liter starters for lagers). One will work, but don't expect as clean a fermentation.

 

[Medarius]

For Pilsners, to get a good result, you actually need over 3 smack-packs or a very large starter (I do 2.5 liter starters for lagers). One will work, but don't expect as clean a fermentation.

My bad i guess, i was going by it only being a half batch 12l (3 gal.)

 

[Nosybear]

My bad i guess, i was going by it only being a half batch 12l (3 gal.)

Then one is a bit too small. Make a 1-1.5 liter starter and you should be fine. You can also use the pitch rate calculator to be sure!

 

[Nosybear]

Without engaging more than my aging brain, the number 360 billion cells is kicking around up for a 6-gallon (my default) batch. Half that would be about 180 billion. That's just shy of two very fresh smack packs or a smack pack and a 1.5 liter starter. And pitch rate is critical for Pilsners. You could pitch one pack and then raise the temperature at the end (diacetyl rest). Better solution is a larger pitch.

 

[Anth M]

Don't see the need for 2 smack packs, when one will work for up to 19l (5gal).

Good luck with your brew

Hi Medarius,

Like Nosybear mentions, I think it's all about having the right yeast cell count. That's what the guy at my HBS was saying but he lost me a bit talking about yeast starters (still new to this) so I went the easy option of 2 smack packs to get the right cell count.

Cheers

 

[Anth M]

Sounds like a goer to me mate! Recipe it's simple trick sazz hops tick I usually shoot for around 30ibu a good sharp bitterness with a dry well attenuated finish from yeast . On yeast I'd start them there at 12c but after Around 5-7 days depending how fermentation is going I'd let that temperature free rise up to 18c to encourage attenuation then leave it here until no change in hydrometer readings then drop it down to 3c for your conditioning phase (this is when I keg and let condition whilst I drink it).

Have you plugged it all into recipe calculator? I usually get around 7lt of losses all up for 21lt batch into fermentor dumping trub and all maybe 300ml left in kettle. But my losses will not be your losses.

I've used bohemian floor malted pilsner before with awesome results left a nice honey malt flavour. I'm sure you'll get a delicious beer at the end of it!

Thanks Trialben,

Good tip mate with the attenuation - I'll give that a crack.

 

[Anth M]

There's a site called "priceless BIAB calculator" that I usually use to get info for my strike temps and total water needed. It accounts for kettle shape and everything. I use the yeast calculator on Brewer's Friend and have never had an issue. Hope this helps.

Thanks mate,

I'm still a bit raw with some of the calculators but I'm getting there. I piece it all together and somehow get a decent brew coming out the other end

All part of the fun!!

 

[Anth M]

Without engaging more than my aging brain, the number 360 billion cells is kicking around up for a 6-gallon (my default) batch. Half that would be about 180 billion. That's just shy of two very fresh smack packs or a smack pack and a 1.5 liter starter. And pitch rate is critical for Pilsners. You could pitch one pack and then raise the temperature at the end (diacetyl rest). Better solution is a larger pitch.

Thanks for all your tips mate,

I'm gonna read up on the yeast starters coz those bloody smack packs aint cheap. Am I right in saying you can make one from left over trub?

 

[Hawkbox]

Don't kill yourself trying to get everything right right away. You can make a yeast starter out of damned near anything so don't be scared to give it a try, one thing I read when I first started was using a growler container with a foil on top and just swirling it when you walk by to make a starter. I keep extra wort from previous batches in the freezer and thaw whatever I feel I will need for the next batch a couple days in advance.

I am wicked cheap about yeast and it hasn't burned me yet, I've probably saved $400 on yeast in the last year.

 

[Anth M]

Don't kill yourself trying to get everything right right away. You can make a yeast starter out of damned near anything so don't be scared to give it a try, one thing I read when I first started was using a growler container with a foil on top and just swirling it when you walk by to make a starter. I keep extra wort from previous batches in the freezer and thaw whatever I feel I will need for the next batch a couple days in advance.

I am wicked cheap about yeast and it hasn't burned me yet, I've probably saved $400 on yeast in the last year.

Yeah definitely gonna check these out. Thanks mate!!

 

[GFHomebrew]

Second this that's a great idea on the growler! You dont need a stir plate to propagate yest. Heck your going to have plenty young healthy yeast just sitting at the bottom of the pilsner fermentation once done you could pitch onto this yeast cake for another pilsner or similar lager or save some trub in a cleaned boiled sanitized jar and repitch this way.
Disclaimer (as long as that batch turned out clean) done want to propagate nasties...

As you'll soon find in brewing there is more than one way to achieve the same desired objective and there is many more ways to save a few $'s along the way.
Cheers!

 

[Hawkbox]

Oh yeah, all sorts of things you will find you can do to streamline what you're doing and save some money so you can afford more kegs.

 

[Craigerrr]

When I did my first starter I used an air lock, fit in the top of the growler like it grew there. For 2 days everyone who walked by it gave it a swirl. Worked like a charm

 

[Anth M]

Thanks for the replies ya'll, they helped a lot. Brew day post-mortem below if you're interested.

I did a full volume mash (no sparge) so had 18L in kettle and ended up with exactly 12L FW which is what we planned for. My OG was 1058 (target was 1051) does that mean I should have diluted with some water? Will it just be a boozy beer or is it stuffed? I chilled using an ice bath in a sink but couldn't get it lower than 16C (pitching temp was 12C) I added yeast anyway then chucked it in my fridge and maxed it out and it came down to pitching temp after 1 hour. I used 2 smack packs and discovered my smacks are too hard coz one of them burst open onto my t-shirt . Despite the minimal yeast loss she was bubbling away the following day.

Other than my t-shirt being re-purposed as a spare rag, all went pretty well

 

[Hawkbox]

It might be a bit strong, but I wouldn't stress about it.

Nice work on the t-shirt too.