Brewing Recipe: Classic American Pilsner

I think the part of this style that appeals to me most is it’s history. From the BJCP style guidelines.

A version of Pilsner brewed in the USA by immigrant German brewers who brought the process and yeast with them when they settled in America. They worked with the ingredients that were native to America to create a unique version of the original Pilsner. This style died out after Prohibition but was resurrected as a home-brewed style by advocates of the hobby.

How cool is that? Today you can reach back through time and make something that hasn’t been widely available in nearly 80 years. I wish more commercial breweries were still making this style. Perhaps I’ll have to open my own and start!

Here is the All-Grain recipe I’ve brewed and the conversions for Partial Mash and Extract below. The color should be a light straw yellow. The recipes should include the color, but they made the page go funky so I removed them temporarily. I like the Saaz flavoring hops, but you could substitute another noble hop, or an American hop if you like. The extract version probably won’t have as much corny-ness or grainy-ness so it probably won’t be exactly to style, but I have used corn syrup in other recipes successfully. If you brew the extract version, come back and let us know how it went.

Classic American Pilsner All-Grain Brew Type: All Grain Date: 9/4/2007 Style: Classic American Pilsner Brewer: Jimmy Batch Size: 5.50 gal Assistant Brewer: Boil Volume: 7.33 gal Boil Time: 60 min Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 % Equipment: Brew Pot (10 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal) Actual Efficiency: 66.63 % Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0 Amount Item Type % or IBU 9.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 75.00 % 3.00 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 25.00 % 1.00 oz Cluster [7.20 %] (60 min) Hops 29.3 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (20 min) Hops 4.1 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (10 min) Hops 2.4 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.0 IBU 1 Pkgs North American Lager (Wyeast Labs #2272) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Lager   Estimated Original Gravity: 1.057 SG (1.044-1.060 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.054 SG Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG (1.010-1.015 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Estimated Color: 3.8 SRM (3.0-6.0 SRM) Color [Color] Bitterness: 37.9 IBU (25.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 10.2 AAU Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.48 % (4.50-6.00 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 5.48 % Actual Calories: 240 cal/pint Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Mash Tun Weight: 9.00 lb Mash Grain Weight: 12.00 lb Mash PH: 5.4 PH Grain Temperature: 72.0 F Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Sparge Water: 2.87 gal Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Name Description Step Temp Step Time Mash In Add 15.00 qt of water at 162.9 F 148.0 F 60 min Mash Out Add 9.60 qt of water at 206.2 F 168.0 F 10 min Mash Notes Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time). Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Carbonation Volumes: 2.6 (2.5-2.7 vols) Estimated Pressure: 10.2 PSI Kegging Temperature: 34.0 F Pressure Used: - Age for: 4.0 Weeks Storage Temperature: 34.0 F Notes You could also substitute 6-row base malt for the 2-row Pilsner malt. My LHBS was out of 6-row, but I’ll probably try it next time I brew this one.

Classic American Pilsner Partial-Mash Brew Type: Partial Mash Date: 9/4/2007 Style: Classic American Pilsner Brewer: Jimmy Batch Size: 5.50 gal Assistant Brewer: Boil Volume: 7.33 gal Boil Time: 60 min Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 % Equipment: Brew Pot (10 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal) Actual Efficiency: 90.66 % Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0 Amount Item Type % or IBU 2.75 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 33.33 % 4.00 lb Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 48.48 % 1.50 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 18.18 % 1.00 oz Cluster [7.20 %] (60 min) Hops 29.3 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (20 min) Hops 4.1 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (10 min) Hops 2.4 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.0 IBU 1 Pkgs North American Lager (Wyeast Labs #2272) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Lager   Estimated Original Gravity: 1.047 SG (1.044-1.060 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.054 SG Estimated Final Gravity: 1.012 SG (1.010-1.015 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Estimated Color: 3.4 SRM (3.0-6.0 SRM) Color [Color] Bitterness: 37.9 IBU (25.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 10.2 AAU Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 4.49 % (4.50-6.00 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 5.48 % Actual Calories: 240 cal/pint Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Mash Tun Weight: 9.00 lb Mash Grain Weight: 5.50 lb Mash PH: 5.4 PH Grain Temperature: 72.0 F Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Sparge Water: 5.42 gal Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Name Description Step Temp Step Time Mash In Add 6.88 qt of water at 162.9 F 148.0 F 60 min Mash Out Add 4.40 qt of water at 206.2 F 168.0 F 10 min Mash Notes Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time). Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Carbonation Volumes: 2.6 (2.5-2.7 vols) Estimated Pressure: 10.2 PSI Kegging Temperature: 34.0 F Pressure Used: - Age for: 4.0 Weeks Storage Temperature: 34.0 F

Classic American Pilsner Extract Brew Type: Extract Date: 9/4/2007 Style: Classic American Pilsner Brewer: Jimmy Batch Size: 5.50 gal Assistant Brewer: Boil Volume: 7.33 gal Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (10 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal) Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0 Amount Item Type % or IBU 5.50 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 73.33 % 1.00 oz Cluster [7.20 %] (60 min) Hops 29.3 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (20 min) Hops 4.1 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (10 min) Hops 2.4 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.0 IBU 2.00 lb Corn Syrup (1.0 SRM) Sugar 26.67 % 1 Pkgs North American Lager (Wyeast Labs #2272) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Lager   Estimated Original Gravity: 1.057 SG (1.044-1.060 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.054 SG Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG (1.010-1.015 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Estimated Color: 3.4 SRM (3.0-6.0 SRM) Color [Color] Bitterness: 37.9 IBU (25.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 10.2 AAU Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.49 % (4.50-6.00 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 5.48 % Actual Calories: 240 cal/pint Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Carbonation Volumes: 2.6 (2.5-2.7 vols) Estimated Priming Weight: 2.8 oz Temperature at Bottling: 34.0 F Primer Used: - Age for: 4.0 Weeks Storage Temperature: 34.0 F

Tagged as: american, brew, classic, pilsner, recipe