Pilsner V3

empty mason

December 2018 Batch size: 15 gallons

Water
9 gallons mash
13 gallons sparge

Fermentables
26 lbs Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt
8.4 oz Weyerman Aciduated Malt
8 oz Weyermann CaraBohemian Malt 75°L

Hops
Simcoe 13.7% AA
Spalter Select

The Boil – 80 min 
50 minutes:
Simcoe 0.66 oz
Spalter Select 3.0 oz

10 minutes:
Simcoe 0.44 oz
Spalter Select 2.25 oz

2 minutes:
Simcoe 0.22 oz
Spalter Select 1.5 oz

After flameout:
Simcoe 0.7 oz
Spalter Select 1.5 oz

Yeast
Saflager W-34/70 Lager Dry Yeast (fermented at 50 degrees)
lallemand Belle Saison yeast (fermented in the high 70’s)

Outcome and thoughts
We ended up with 18 gallons of wort in the boil kettle which includes hop material and a chiller. When transferred to kegs we were just shy of our target 15 gallons. Next time mash should have 10 gallons and sparge should have 12.

Strike water should be heated to 165 to settle at 148. During our brew day an initial mash temp of 160 brought us to 144 once doughed in. We unintentionally heated too much and rose the mash temp to 170 after approximately 20 minutes. We hope the initial 20 minutes was sufficient to achieve a fermentable wort.

Original gravity was 1.05

Five gallons was fermented with saison yeast  on pressed grape skins for four days before kegging early to naturally carbonate. Gravity was 1.016 at kegging.

10 gallons of lager was kegged at 1.02 gravity at 5 days. 1.016 gravity at 15 days.

An improvement for next time would be a false bottom for the boil kettle.