Pilsner Urquell Clone

Pilsner Urquell clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.014
IBU = 40 SRM = 7 ABV = 4.4%

Brewed in Plzen, Czechoslovakia, Pilsner Urquell is the original Pilsner beer. For the best results, brew this clone with soft water.

Ingredients
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Laaglander Light dried malt extract
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) Coopers Light liquid malt extract (late addition)
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) Pilsner malt
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) Vienna malt
0.25 lbs. Munich malt (10 °L)
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) CaraPils malt
8.75 AAU Cluster hops (60 mins) (1.3 oz./38 g of 6.5% alpha acids)
3.75 AAU Saaz (Zatek) hops (15 mins) (0.93 oz./27 g of 4% alpha acids)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Saaz (Zatek) hops (0 mins)
1 tsp Irish moss
Wyeast 2001 (Urquell Lager) or White Labs WLP800 (Pilsner) yeast (3 qt./3 L starter)
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
In a large soup pot, heat 4.5 quarts (4.3 L) of water to 169 °F (76 °C). Add crushed grains to grain bag. Submerge bag and let grains steep around 158 °F (70 °C) for 45 minutes. While grains steep, begin heating 2.1 gallons (7.8 L) of water in your brewpot. When steep is over, remove 1.5 qts. (1.4 L) of water from brewpot and add to the "grain tea" in steeping pot. Place colander over brewpot and place steeping bag in it. Pour grain tea (with water added) through grain bag. This will strain out any solid bits of grain and rinse some sugar from the grains. Heat liquid in brewpot to a boil, then stir in dried malt extract, add first charge of hops and begin the 60 minute boil. Add other hop charges at times indicated. With 15 minutes left in boil, add Irish moss. Then turn off heat and stir in liquid malt extract. Stir well to dissolve extract, then resume heating. (Keep the boil clock running while you stir.) At the end of the boil, cool wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with water. Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 70 °F (21 °C). Rack to secondary and lager for at least five weeks at 40 °F (4.4 °C) or below.