Für maximale Köstlichkeit, müssen Sie krausen die Pilsner.

For maximum deliciousness, you must krausen the Pilsner.

Please forgive the significant delay in updating. I temporarily donated my life to a two-month employment situation.

One of the best known archetypal styles of beer is the Pilsner. A Pilsner is a type of pale lager named after and originating from the town of Pilsen (Plzeň) in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic. In this area, beers were traditionally dark and cloudy, produced with the top-fermenting ale method. With the importation in the 19th century of German lagering techniques, it was now possible to make a clearer beer in Bohemia. This, combined with generous use of the local hop variety now called Saaz, resulted in the genesis of the Pilsner. Saaz hops are not terribly useful for bittering, but provide a distinct spicy, earthy aroma and flavor. Unfortunately, certain American macro-breweries have co-opted the term "Pilsner" to refer to any clear, pale beer, whether or not that beer has the flavor or aromatic qualities of a genuine Pilsner.



I used an unusually large grain load for this batch, especially considering that Pilsners are generally a lighter style of beer.

• 1.6 lb American Two-Row Pale Malt
• 2 lb German Pilsner Malt
• .5 lb CaraVienne Malt
• .25 lb American Six-Row Pale Malt

Except for the Pilsner malt, all of these have been discussed previously. Pilsner malt is light in color and flavor. It also might lack ample enzymes, thus the six-row. The CaraVienne adds a little richness to the beer.



The Saaz hops I used were the higher-acid (bitterness) American variety, so I didn't need a separate bittering hop. I used one ounce, added 1/3 at a time for 60, 30, and 5 minutes of boiling.



This is what the beer looked like after secondary fermentation. It was flat. Boooooo. This is probably because I procrastinated on bottling the beer due to a lack of bottles. Thus, I had no option but to Krausen. I'm sure you've heard that Old Style is "Fully Krausened", but you probably had no idea what this means. To Krausen (sounds like poison) is to take a beer that has finished fermenting and carbonate it by adding fresh, actively fermenting beer. I used a starter culture for a later batch and put a few drops in each bottle, then resealed them. I probably should have used more culture liquid in each bottle, but it definitely made a difference.

I should also add that this isn't really a Pilsner at all. It's too heavy, yeasty, and boozy.

OG - 1.065
FG - 1.012
ABV - 7.2%
216 calories per 12 fluid ounces
28 IBU

Appearance: On the golden side of pale straw. Slightly cloudy. A bit effervescent, though not fully carbonated.

Smell: A hint of yeastiness, dominated by the peppery, spicy aromas that make Saaz hops distinct.

Taste: It's a bit lacking, for sure, but it's not horrible. Definitely better than the average macrobrew. The combination of the yeastiness, herbal/spicy hop flavors, and high-abv punch makes this a pretty intense drink. Despite the amazing flavor derived from the Saaz hops, the flavors from the malt and yeast are subpar.

Mouthfeel: Fairly rich but not creamy or prohibitively heavy. Bubbles gently on the tongue.

Drinkability: I'd rate this as moderately drinkable. It doesn't go down as easily as the ESB or Red Rye IPA, but it isn't as harsh as the Gumby or as dense as the Porter. It'll definitely knock you back, though, so watch out.

Prost!