Salt Mines Bohemian Lager [MASTER]

Recipe for a classic Bohemian Pilsener
Updated JAN2026 for new larger s/s decoction pot. I based this on SALT08, but I've made a few adjustments too.

This is a 38L batch. Two 5-gallon fermenters, not the FastFermenter. It's too much work to only yield 26L.

It's a decoction mash too. I have a second burner and a s/s pot that will hold up to 19L. I organize it so that the 2nd burner is close to the mash tun. I carry a lot of hot steaming mash back and forth!

Idea: BUY A 3.5 Kw Induction Heater instead of using the gas burner. Safer, easier, and probably faster.

YEAST

My preference is ESCARPMENT LABS CZECH LAGER LIQUID YEAST but any true lager yeast could be used.

Set up a starter two days before the brew. It should follow the "Pro Brewer 1.75 lager" setting on the BF Yeast Calculator. Normally a two-step starter is required.

GRIST
Just lager malt and acid malt.

400g acid malt has typically been good enough to get a pH of 5.2. For a couple of brews, I set the amount to 700g but that was too much! Dialing it back henceforward...

DECOCTION MASH

Use mash cheat sheet at google drive in my beer and brewing folder.

Dough in (protein rest) and first decoction
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• FIll HLT w/ 40L water (80% RO & 20% Spring)
  
• Bring HLT to 134F and dough in 27L.
  
• • Strike temp =/ 122 °F (50 °C). Hold for 10 minutes (maintain until return of first decoction)
    
    Pull a thick decoction: one-third to one-half the mash; s/s pot is ~70% full and contains ~ 11 Kg of mash (tare of kettle is 3.2 Kg)
    Heat the decoction to 150°F; hold for 10 minutes // as soon as you are anywhere near 150F, kill the heat!
    Heat the decoction to 162°F; hold for 10 minutes
    Heat the decoction to a boil; boil for 20 minutes. ('boil' means visible boil plus 208F thoughout, with lots of stirring.)
    
    Beta Amylase rest and second decoction
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• Return the decoction to the mash, strike temp = 144–147°F ; hold 15 minutes (Maintain with HERMS, if necessary, until return of second decoction.)
  
• Pull a second thick decoction one-quarter of the mash; s/s pot is ~70% full and has 13 Kg of mash (pot tare is 3.2)
  
• Heat the decoction to 162°F; hold for 10 minutes.
  
• Heat the decoction to a boil; boil for 10 minutes.
  
  Alpha Amylase rest and mashout
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• Return the second decoction to the mash, strike temp = 158°F; hold for 30 minutes.
  
• Use HERMS to raise temp to mashout 170F
  
• get a sample before you sparge. (For SaltMines5, the gravity was 1.096 at this point!)
  
• Sparge and lauter as usual
  
  HOPS
  
  Use 450 alpha points (my system - g * AA%) or 16 AAU (BF system - ounces times AA%) or 30 IBU (BF-reported) of a noble hop. Normally Saaz or Hallertau. Ideally, all of those values should line up with the same values.
  
  Do the first wort hopping thing (https://byo.com/article/first-wort-hopping-techniques):
  Take a quarter of your bittering hops and toss them in the kettle as soon as there is wort heating in it. Don't wait for it to reach a boil. Throw the rest in when it reaches a boil, and boil for the usual 60 minutes.
  
  FERMENTATION
  This recipe has occasionally had problems with sluggish fermentations. And DMS issues. Consider krausening in the future as a remedy for such problems. https://byo.com/mr-wizard/krausening-for-homebrewers/