Hop Combination for Pilsner

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

Good evening

I am planning on brewing a pilsener this winter, my first pilsener. At the moment I have got Amarillo and Apollo in mind. Any suggestions?

Rgrds
Brennen

[SimonB Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close SimonB]

Saaz...saaz...saaz

Or tettnager

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

I like the saaz character in Pilsner Urquell and Hansa Pilsener. But I want to try new characters in my brew. If saaz is the answer to that, then I will have to acquire some saaz.

[FaanP Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FaanP]

Hallertauer ...... that could be different and still to style

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

Hallertauer it is then. I am trying to incorporate my own style into Pilsner. Being my first own brewed Pils, keeping in mind I have tasted other Pilsner offerings, I want to know how it would be without the use of the noble hop.

[FaanP Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FaanP]

Hallertauer it is then. I am trying to incorporate my own style into Pilsner. Being my first own brewed Pils, keeping in mind I have tasted other Pilsner offerings, I want to know how it would be without the use of the noble hop.

Hallertauer is a noble hob.

I'm not sure what you are looking for .... are you looking for some fruity notes?

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

What I meant by the noble hop, with reference to Pilsner, was the Saaz hop. I am looking for a good hop character, but not Saaz. The Saaz is very popular. If I can get my hands on Marynka, I would use that. Instead, I was looking at a combination of Amarillo and Apollo. But Hallertauer will also impart a good hop character to my beer. Come to think of it, the Hallertauer will work perfect. Spicy and mild hop character.
The Apollo might impart too much of a citrus character.
The combination of Amarillo and Apollo would be too much citrus, with the Amarillo imparting grapefruit.
Maybe I should pair Amarillo with Hallertauer...
Decisions decisions
More questions than answers now.
I will have to just go with Hallertauer then. But knowing me, I will probably change the hop at the boil.

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

Ok. So I have come to a decision. I am going to brew a local Pilsner. I will be using a local hop for the aroma and a local 2 row pale malt.
Southern Dawn hop and Pilsner Malt-Pale Malt (local 2 row).
Southern Dawn will impart the floral spicy aroma.
Probably going to add some flaked maize as well.
So in essence, it will be a copy of the American Pilsner, which was brewed by German immigrants, which is a local version of the original Pils.
This will be a local flavour Pilsner, a copy of a copy of a copy of the original, adapted to local ingredients.
Going to aim for a very light colour, yellow to light straw. IBU will be in the range of 45 - 60, a bit higher than the original.
ABV will be in the range of 4.5 - 5.5 %, hopefully.
Will keep you updated.
If it fails, then I will just go and buy a Hansa Pilsener. A very good local Pilsner IMO.

[FaanP Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FaanP]

The IBU's of an Amrican Pilsner is 25-40 and for a German Pils 25-45. You are not going a bit higher you are going of the charts.

Before you do it - Answer this one quickly - have ever tasted a 60 IBU beer? Go and try CBC's IPA - that is rated at 60 IBU's - it like eating a aloe leaf. If you are not hop head - don't go there ....

[SimonB Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close SimonB]

Agree with Faan, at that high bitterness your Pilsner will be well nigh undrinkable (unless you are able to offset it with a LOT of maltiness). Drop the bitterness and use more late addition hops (even dry hopping)

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

I am fond of my English bitter and IPA beer. But in all honesty, not knowing what their IBU's are it is quite difficult for me to gauge how bitter a 60 would be. I will drop the IBU that will bring it more in-line with the German Pilsner. So by my calculation, for a 5.5gal US, I need about 1.7 oz of Southern Dawn. That will yield 45 IBU right?
That is for a 30min hop boil time.

[SimonB Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close SimonB]

My calcs will get you about 56 IBU for a final output of 5.5 gal with 1.7oz.

Are you using any software to design your recipes?

The other thing is bitterness is also about perception and balance. A low IBU beer can also taste pretty bitter.

[Brennen Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brennen]

I don't use software. I just go on what I think will work. I searched the web for IBU calculations. But seems it might be wrong. That is the thing. I want some bitterness, but I want more of a complex flavour and aroma that develops in the mouth.

[cavok Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close cavok]

Before you do it - Answer this one quickly - have ever tasted a 60 IBU beer? Go and try CBC's IPA - that is rated at 60 IBU's - it like eating a aloe leaf. If you are not hop head - don't go there ....

Cape Brewing Company doesn't have an IPA, are you thinking of someone else or what else does CBC stand for?

Bad Dog Brewery has an IPA that tastes like an entire farm of Cascade was dropped into the kettle. My mouth literally stings after that!

[FaanP Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FaanP]

Had one in there in their tasting room - or was it an APA?