‍Czech Pilsner – 4.7% ABV

A crisp, golden classic brewed with 100% floor-malted Bohemian Pilsner malt and an all-Saaz hop schedule. This Czech Premium Pale Lager is soft, bready, and perfectly balanced — lightly floral, delicately bitter, and ultra-refreshing. Fermented cold with traditional Budejovice lager yeast and conditioned long and cold, this one's as close to the Czech motherland as you’ll get without hopping on a plane.

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Specs

• Style: Czech Premium Pale Lager
• Batch Size: 45 L (11.9 gal)
• OG: 1.045
• FG: 1.009
• ABV: 4.7%
• IBU: 31 (Tinseth)
• Colour: 7 EBC (3.5 SRM)
• BU/GU: 0.68
• Carbonation: 2.7 CO₂-vol

Grain Bill (8.8 kg / 19.4 lbs)

• 8.8 kg (19.4 lbs) Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt – 100%

Water & Mash

• Mash Water: 35 L (9.25 gal)
• Sparge Water: 25 L (6.6 gal)
• Total Water: 60 L (15.85 gal)

Water Profile:
Ca 23 | Mg 5 | Na 15 | Cl 31 | SO₄ 32 | HCO₃ 57

• Mash pH: 5.58
• Sparge pH: 5.4

Water Adjustments:

• Mash: 1.5 g Gypsum, 3 ml Phosphoric Acid
• Sparge: 1.5 g Gypsum, 1.73 ml Phosphoric Acid

Mash Schedule (Double Decoction – Czech Lager Profile)

• 64°C (147°F) – 15 min Beta Rest
• Pull Decoction #1 – Boil for 15 min
• Return decoction, hold at 64°C – 15 min
• 70°C (158°F) – 15 min Alpha Rest
• Pull Decoction #2 – Boil for 15 min
• Return decoction, hold at 70°C – 15 min
• 77°C (171°F) – 15 min Mash Out

Hop Schedule (182 g / 6.4 oz total)

• 90 min – 28 g (1 oz) Saaz – 8 IBU
• 30 min – 70 g (2.47 oz) Saaz – 14 IBU
• 15 min – 56 g (1.98 oz) Saaz – 7 IBU
• 5 min – 28 g (1 oz) Saaz – 1 IBU

Other Additions

• 15 min Boil – 1.67 g Whirlfloc

Yeast

• 1 pack White Labs WLP802 Czech Budejovice Lager - made with a yeast starter 1 day before brewing

Fermentation Schedule:

• 10°C (50°F) – 14 days Primary
• 12°C (54°F) – 3 days Secondary
• 1°C (34°F) – 7 days Cold Crash

Brew Day Notes

• Brewed on BrewZilla 65L system
• Boiled at 3000W for 90 minutes
• Brewhouse Efficiency: 80%

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Step-by-Step Brew Day Process

1. Heat Water & Adjust

• Heat 35 L (9.25 gal) of water for the mash.
• Add 1.5 g Gypsum and 3 ml Phosphoric Acid.
• Target mash pH: 5.58

2. Mash In & Decoction #1

• Add 8.8 kg Bohemian Pilsner malt.
• Hold at 64°C (147°F) for 15 minutes (Beta rest).
• Pull thick decoction (~30–40% of mash), bring to 100°C (212°F), boil 15 min.
• Return decoction to main mash, stir, rest at 64°C again for 15 minutes.

3. Decoction #2

• Raise to 70°C (158°F) – hold for 15 minutes (Alpha rest).
• Pull second decoction (~25–30%), boil 15 minutes.
• Return to mash, hold at 70°C for 15 minutes.
• Raise to 77°C (171°F) for 15-minute mash out.

4. Sparge & Collect Wort

• Sparge with 25 L (6.6 gal) water, adjusted with:
  • 1.5 g Gypsum
  • 1.73 ml Phosphoric Acid
• Collect pre-boil volume of ~58.7 L (15.5 gal)

5. Boil – 90 Minutes

• Start a 90-minute vigorous boil.
• Hop Additions:
  • 90 min: 28 g Saaz
  • 30 min: 70 g Saaz
  • 15 min: 56 g Saaz
  • 5 min: 28 g Saaz
  • 15 min: Add 1.67 g Whirlfloc

6. Chill & Transfer

• Chill to 10°C (50°F).
• Transfer to fermenter. Top up to 46.5 L (if needed).
• Aerate well.

7. Pitch Yeast

• Pitch 1 pack of WLP802 Czech Lager yeast
• No starter required if yeast is fresh and healthy

8. Fermentation & Lagering

• 14 days at 10°C (50°F)
• 3 days at 12°C (54°F) for cleanup
• 3 days at 1°C (34°F) cold crash
• Optional: Lager for 4+ weeks at 1–2°C (34–36°F) for clarity and refinement

9. Package

• Target 2.7 vol CO₂
• For bottling: use ~8.2 g/L (1.1 oz/gal) priming sugar
• Condition cold and serve crisp!

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