Better Brew Czech Pilsner

[rpt]

I fancy having a go at this kit (or the BB Export Lager). As I have a brewing fridge I can ferment at any temperature I want so would like to do it as cool as possible for the cleanest lager taste - as it doesn't come with a genuine lager yeast what temperature would be best? 15C?

What's the difference between the Pilsner and the Export? I'm not a lager drinker so don't know the difference. This will be for SWMBO but I'm hoping I might enjoy some real lager in summer too.

 

[otterbreath]

Brewed this kit in September - was awful after a few weeks. Left it in a corny for 6 months or so until last week in a desperate hope it would improve. No chance. Considered giving the 35 pints remaining to local street booze hounds but was worried even they might refuse it. Poured it down the drain instead.

Very disapointing as I was keen after the earlier reviews and so took enormous care with this brew.

So bad and hoebrew liek in flavour that it killed off my enthusiam and confidence for brewing. I havent done anything in six months. Going to get back into it with a cheap and easy ginger beer.

 

[mereside]

well guys this is my first attempt at this and its quitely sat in my room awaiting to start the fermentation i am itching to peep inside but won't as i dont want to ruin it . I am hoping it turns out ok ,will let you know how i get on, atb wayne

 

[aamcle]

I started this off today.

Og. 1.42

Temp (stc-1000). 20±0.5 Deg C

Water Tesco Value Still Water 22l. Not 23.

1000g. Brewing sugar.

I'll update later

Update time.

The fermentation finished in 10 days at Fg of 1.009 which I'm happy with. I't fizzed into the test cylinder' I had to spoon the head off it then let it go flat before I took the gravity.

Taste - well it was lagger'ish and I have good hope that in a few weeks it will be a good'n.


Aamcle
Update. Its been in bottles for some time now, I bulk primed with brewing sugar and added finings, it carbonated well and I've left it cold.

But there are still visible bits floating in it and it tastes yeasty so its wait and see

08Apr. Another couple of weeks have gone by, it's clear and looks like lager but it doesn't taste like lager, yes its sort of lagerish but its definitely not the real deal or particularly nice.

I'll give it another few weeks to see if it improves, if it doesn't I'll have a bottle washing job to do............

Aamcle

 

[mereside]

Mine has settled down now and is begining to smell really nice i cant wait to have a crack on this but will leave till sat to do a reading and go from there, atb wayne

 

[mereside]

I managed to get my pilsner batch primed on sat and into the bottles with the little bottler and was impressed how easy it made things i had a cheeky taste and was impressed by the flavour although it hadnt properly cleared . I did mine with 500g of light spray malt and 500g dextrose ,i batch primed at 160g sugar and it came out at 4.5% so for my first attemt at beer i am well chuffed. Now i know it needs to clear but
last night i couldnt resist the urge to try one with a curry and opened a bottle i wasnt expecting much as it has only had a short time in boxes but got a cracking head and it clung to the glass all the way down .

even the wife had a cheeky grin and liked the taste as she thaught this would all end up down the sink. I will definately do this again when my fermenting vessel is free as i have two others started as i have been bitten by the brewing bug thanks to this success, atb wayne

 

[Bob-nut]

Hi all - I've had this pilsner fermenting for 14 days now at 18C. It looks lovely and clear and stable at 1014. However compared to my previous 3 brews (ipa, wheat and cider) it is incredibly fizzy when measuring gravity. Is this something to worry about? Looking to bottle tomorrow but don't want any explosions!

Cheers :

Ps I'm using the coopers brewing bin (loose lid) with a towel covering it to exclude light.

 

[Antrog65]

This is the fizziest brew I've ever done - I've done 2 and when racking into secondary masses of CO2 are released, even though fermentation has finished.
I would say there's nothing to worry about - i left mine another week (3 weeks in total) but 1014 is high - if you've followed the kit it should be lower, both mine finished at 1010.
Might be best leaving it another week, this cold weather has meant everything is taking just that bit longer.

 

[Bob-nut]

Thanks - I had a 1kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 kicking around so used this. It gave it a slightly higher OG of 1042 which may account for the higher FG. Will leave it for another week anyway just to make sure

 

[hong]

Right then chaps, i`ve been after doing a pilsner for a while so this will be my next brew. ( Mereside, love your pics! ) So, what would everyone recommend brewing this with? I`ve never used hops before, but was gonna probably use LME or dextrose. Recommendations please!

 

[mereside]

Hong i am totally new to all this but i used 500g of lme and 500g of dextrose i had a peek last night in the boxes and they have cleared a treat , labels are done and will be going on tonight so i will do more pics . I couldnt be more pleased how my first ever kit has gone and after another cheeky bottle there seems to be a nice honey taste to start with a nice bitter hop taste at the end making the mouth water and want more also the tiny bubbles on the tongue is a nice touch also and i think by pure luck hit the right amount of co2 as its not too fizzy I think I might have to put them in my spare gun cabinet and give the key to the wife so that they will mature because i can just see me drinking them all : :party: :grin: , atb wayne

 

[mereside]

Here you go with labels to keep in line with my deer stalking , bucks fever for the pilsner although i made a mistake with the percentage i put 4 by mistake it actually came out at 4.5 .

clearing nicely now, atb wayne

 

[warnie]

Put this on yesterday with 500g of LME and 700g of brewing sugar, came out at 1044og. I put it on at about 2.30 just before the GP, checked on 5-6 hours later and already it had a large yeast cake on the bottom of my FV. I could also see lots of yeast attached to the side of my FV within the beer. I've never had anything like this before, I just hope it's ok, It smells fine, but I did use a camden tablet in my water for the 1st time so I hope it's not that?

 

[aamcle]

Started on 11Feb13 and it is still not clear, taste getting there as is mouth feel but it seems it will be some weeks yet before it is at it's best.

I doubt that it will be more than an acceptable lager OK but not great, the sooner my wife has time to sew my BIAB bag the better.

I feel much the same about the Festival Landlords Bitter kit I did in Jan it's OK drinkable ........ Fantastic compared with the kits I used to brew in the late 70's but it is No Doom Barr.


Atb. Aamcle

 

[gingerhammer]

Have just got this kit and wondering weather to dry hop some saaz,or just leave alone if its hoppy enough?Never dry hopped before so a bit unsure about process.Would love some advice.

 

[warnie]

6 weeks in the bottle and still not fully clear and still far too sweet for my liking, although this is improving week by week. Anyone remember castlemain XXXX, well to me it tastes a bit like it.

Not undrinkable by any means but its gonna need a good few weeks before I offer this one around

 

[Rilers]

Had just bottled the Better Brew IPA and decided to get this one going. Brewed with 1kg Extra Light Spraymalt and threw in 195g Dextrose left in the bag after priming the IPA. OG 1.050 when topped up to 20 litres. Looking forward to this one! Will update when ready for sampling.

Checked the hydrometer reading n this last night - still 1.012 after 11 days, which is a bit high - should I pitch a bit of yeast in or leave it as it is?

 

[namesjash]

OK, so my batch wont be ready for 2 weeks yet, but I tested a botle of this with my Polish neighbour and I couldn't believe how good it was - He even asked me where i bought it!

Its got a great flavour, nice head retention and I think as i used Brew enhancer, its developed a nice rounded mouthfeel.

This can surely only bode well for the end of the month!

 

[Diggerg]

Well this is my first home brew beer. Started this morning with 500g extra light spray malt and 700g dextroseleft over from my recent cider. O.G is 1.050. Looking forward to seeing how this works out.

 

[Diggerg]

Forgot to add. I used 23 ltrs of bottled spring water as I live in an incredibly hard water area. Also just read that u should have sprinkled the dried yeast in top but I mixed mine in. Will this be a problem?
Ps the water was 24p for 2 ltrs from tesco. A penny more than their own brand water which appears to just be filtered if you read the bottles