ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.049
FG: 1.007
IBUs: 37
ABV: 5.5%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
9 lb (4.1 kg) Czech pilsner
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.4 oz (11 g) Perle at 60 minutes [11 IBUs]
1 oz (28 g) Tettnang at 30 minutes [12 IBUs]
1 oz (28 g) Hallertauer Mittelfrüh at 5 minutes [3 IBUs]
1.5 oz (43 g) Loral at whirlpool [11 IBUs]
YEAST
Lallemand Belle Saison
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and do a step mash: mash in at 120°F (49°C), rest 15 minutes; raise to 140°F (60°C), rest 15 minutes; raise to 149°F (65°C), rest 25 minutes; and raise to 170°F (77°C), rest 5 minutes, and mash out. (If you’re not so geeky about traditional step mashes, try a single-infusion mash at 149°F/65°C for 60 minutes; any differences will be subtle.) Vorlauf until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6.5 gallons (25 liters) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 90 minutes, adding boil hops according to the schedule. After the boil, stir for 10 minutes to conduct a whirlpool, add whirlpool hops, then allow 10 minutes for it to settle. Chill the wort to about 72°F (22°C), aerate, and pitch yeast. Cover the fermentor loosely with sanitized foil and allow to ferment at ambient temperatures—this yeast is very forgiving—allowing the temperature to free rise if it wants. Once the initial fermentation activity has subsided, after a few days, you can replace the foil with a lid and airlock. After about 2 more weeks, once the gravity has stabilized, crash, package, and carbonate to about 3 volumes.
BREWER’S NOTES
I like to drink these beers when the hop character is fresh. Sometimes I’ll dry hop them—either during primary fermentation, after it’s chilled, or both. They are also good candidates for bottle-conditioning with Brett—just be sure that the gravity is sufficiently low and stable before packaging. Use sturdy bottles, preferably champagne bottles.
First brewed 9/6/22. Did decoction mash using foindary and increasing temps per schedule. Pre boil gravity 1039. Boiled 90 mins and then cooled to 185 for whirlpool. Used swirly are for first time and not very effective. Cooler to 73 and pitched into plastic bucket fermenter as anvil bucket was leaking in ball socket. Lost at least 4 pints to swirly arm pumping out wort when I removed the pipe from bottom tap. Ended up with 4.25 gallons inc. Lot of trub.
SH was 1048, which was higher than expected so increased efficiency to 75%! Also added 4oz cane sugar as thought SG was too low.
After 24 hours gravity was 1031 and temp rose to 78. After 48 hours it was 1012 and temp was 79.
After 72 hours gravity was 1005, and 1 day later it was 1004 and temp down to 73.
Put into keg after 7 days and gravity was 1001. First tasted after 1 week and it was good but not complex. After 3 weeks in keg flavor definitely developed and had more complexity with slight note of Brett.
