Sand In Your Shorts Pilsner

Classification: pilsner, lager, partial-mash

Source: Alan Harney (harney@mail.labmed.washington.edu), HBD Issue #1798, August 3, 1995

This recipe is based on Charlie Papazian's "Is-it-the-truth-or-is-it-a-lie Pilsener". Best when enjoyed cold, by the gallon, under a beach umbrella. Clothing is optional.

Ingredients: (for 5 gallons)

3 lbs. pale 2-row malt (I use Klages)
3 lbs. extra light DME
6 AAU Saaz leaf (bittering)
3 AAU Saaz leaf (aroma)
Wyeast #2112 ("California") - 2 packs
Irish moss, gypsum

Procedure:

Toast 1/4 lb. 2-row at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes, but don't burn it.

Bring 2.5 qts. water to 110 degrees, add gypsum to bring pH to neutral. Steep the toasted malt for 30 minutes in a grain bag.

Discard the toasted malt. Add heat to 130 degrees and add the remainder of the malt. Should equilibrate at 119-121 degrees. Add heat to 122 degrees and hold for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Add heat to 130 degrees, add 1.5 qts boiling water, and equilibrate at 150 degrees. Hold for 20 minutes. Add heat to 158 degrees, hold for 20 minutes. Mash out at 165 degrees for 5 minutes.

Sparge into your boiler with one gallon of water at 170 degrees. Add DME and bittering hops, boil for 55 minutes. Add aroma hops and Irish moss and boil for 5 minutes. Force cool to below 60 degrees and strain into primary fermenter. Pitch a vigorous yeast starter and bring volume to 5 gallons. After 8-12 hours, rack off the trub and fit an airlock. Ferment out at 45-49 degrees.

Rack to a glass carboy and store at 29-32 degrees for four weeks. Rack into a bottling bucket and pitch a second smack pack of yeast, along with priming sugar. Bottle and return to the refrig for storage at 29-32 degrees for another 1-2 weeks. If carbonation isn't to your taste, store the bottles for a week at room temperature, then cold storage for another week or two.

Specifics:

OG: 1040
FG: 1009