Brew Day, Batch 357: Pils

Mmmm... Pils... I looove Pils.  When my yeasty buddies get done fermenting today's batch, I'ma give them another batch of Pils wort straight away. 'Cause if you Google the phrase "too much Pils," you won't get a lot of relevant hits. (Of course you will get some hits; you'll get hits on "butt nugget tuba.")(OK, the only hits you'll get for that will be for this post, but still....)

The recipe is simplicity itself:

(for 10 gallons)

15 lb. Weyermann Pils malt
1.9 oz. Perle 8.2%  for 60 min.
1.5 oz. Saaz 5.1%  for 20 min.
1.5 oz. Saaz 5.1%  for ~2 min.

I do a simplified decoction mash for this- dough in at around 125F, rest about 20 min, and pull about 40-45% thick mash, heat to around 155F, rest 10, boil 10, and return for a sacch rest around 148F. After conversion, I pull a similar amount of thin mash, heat to a boil for about 5 min, and return for mashout. There's no point to being too specific about amounts and temps, as what it takes will vary from one brewing setup to another.

I'm using my favorite lager strain, Wyeast 2308. The experts would probably pick something else, something that produces a crisper, drier beer, but I am brewing the beer for me and Mrs C. The beer will exhibit possibly too much pils malt character, little to no DMS, and the upper limits of hop aroma, bitterness, and flavor according to the all-important BJCP style guidelines, but will probably be just right according to the United Beer Drinkers of Harrison Street....

Ps. If you want a fresh, domestic commercial Pils that kicks ass, try Prima Pils from Victory, or Noble Pils from Boston Beer.

If you miss your plane.....

....., get shafted by the airline, have to wait 24 hours until the next flight causing untold distress to your family Downunder who are waiting your arrival.....

......it helps to stay in a hotel with this tap line-up in the bar!

Intemperate Michigander Screed

On the plus side, this'll be short. I was putting together a backgrounder for Annette's TV appearance, just a collection of stats on the brewing industry here in the Great Beer State. One statistic in particular shifted a burr that's been under my saddle for a long time: Craft beer sales in Michigan account for 1.8% of all beer sales, less than half of the national average. (All figures from 2008.) Since ALL of the beer produced in Michigan is craft beer, that means that 98+% of the beer purchased by Michiganders comes from out of state. All you guys with the "Out of a job yet?" bumper stickers? Buy Michigan beer!

What makes all this doubly confounding is that there is no sacrifice involved in supporting the home team- Michigan produces some of the world's finest beer!

Ps- I also recommend buying a Chevy!