All Grain Pilsner

[BrooklynTech]

Well not exactly all grain at the house. After reading about using LME here I decided to give it a try.
Couple of years ago I did a 100% pilsner all grain and it came out really nice. The problem is the grain here costs $2.50/lb.

This time I use 10 lbs of Pilsner LME. Cost was $30 + tax.

Added it ti 6 gallons of boiling water and had an SG of 1.065 pre boil

Took it down to approx 4.5 gallons (can't tell for sure as it's still HOT and will take up less space when cold. SG is 1.082 and I'm a happy camper so far.
Will let it cool over night add a pack of US 05 yeast and place it in my freezer/fermenter at about 65*F.

[MitchyBourbon]

So are you planning to make beer or are you going to distill this? I noticed you said the sg was 1.082. A little high for a beer but for distilling...

I brewed a few extract beers. I do mostly all grain now. Occasionally when my son wants to brew a beer I'll pick up an extract kit so the two of us can brew it together. He doesn't have the patience for an all grain. He's 24 now so if he wants to hang out I don't rock that boat.

[BrooklynTech]

So are you planning to make beer or are you going to distill this? I noticed you said the sg was 1.082. A little high for a beer but for distilling...

I brewed a few extract beers. I do mostly all grain now. Occasionally when my son wants to brew a beer I'll pick up an extract kit so the two of us can brew it together. He doesn't have the patience for an all grain. He's 24 now so if he wants to hang out I don't rock that boat.

I'm going to distill it.

I do beer's also. All Grain BIAB. I do small 2 gallon batches which now that I have it worked out gives me 3 six packs and a lot of different beers to choose from when I have my daily brew in the afternoon. Sometimes a good cigar go along w/it.

I'm now pushing 72 and retired so I have lots of time. What is your favoite beer style? I like dark ales. Due to German background I try to convert American and British styles to "German" brews by using German malts, hops and yeast.

[MitchyBourbon]

When I'm brewing for my own tastes it's a nice dark ale. I hang out a lot with my light beer drinking brother who can't finish more than half a dark beer in an evening. So lately I've been experimenting with corn as an adjunct to make something a little lighter (that's code for less flavor) tasting.

I envy you BrooklynTech, I'm 51, I would love to retire tomorrow. I like the work I do, but I got better things to do than work. I live in Minnesota land of 10,000 lakes. I would spend my time on the lake having my favorite beer or bourbon. My wife is from India so we'd travel there in winter.

[still_stirrin]

Interesthing thread, BT.

I love to brew AG beers and my specialty is the Belgian and German styles. Right now I have a Helles Bock in the fermenter (secondary fermenter). Next up is a Bavarian lager (think Paulaner Munich Helles or Hofbrau lager). I've won national awards with my German rauchbier too, a Schlenkerla clone (a smoked amber lager). I even smoked my own malts for it as well.

But the heavily peated island ale I made a really nice single malt (Scottish-style) whiskey. It was VERY popular with friends too. Too bad its consumed already, so I've got to get this one back on the list.
ss

[BrooklynTech]

I let it cool overnight and had 4.75 gal at SG of 1.073.
BeerSmith says if It ferments down to 1.010 I should have 8.3 % ABV which should be a good run.
I put 4.25 gal in a 5 gal fermenter and 1.5 gal in a 2 gal fermenter. I thought 4.75 might leave to little dead space above the wort.
It's all in my freezer/fermenter which is set to temp of 65*F.
Now I just have to wait. Oh yea I used US 05 dry yeast.

[humbledore]

BT if you are able to do all grain but the price of the grain is stopping you, you might check out some brewing forums and see if you can get in on a group buy. Many group buys go on out there where grain can be had for $30 a 50lb bag, or even less. I paid about $28 on my last one for basic 2-row or pils. I bet the LME is a good and easy alternative however.

[BrooklynTech]

Checked the fermenter today and yup, both bubbling like crazy at 65*F Woo Hoo!

[skow69]

This time I use 10 lbs of Pilsner LME. Cost was $30 + tax.

Added it ti 6 gallons of boiling water and had an SG of 1.065 pre boil

Took it down to approx 4.5 gallons (can't tell for sure as it's still HOT and will take up less space when cold. SG is 1.082 and I'm a happy camper so far..

If you're going to 'still it, why boil it down? [Prolly a silly question, but I'm the one fool left on the forum who still drinks store-bought beer.]

[BrooklynTech]

This time I use 10 lbs of Pilsner LME. Cost was $30 + tax.

Added it ti 6 gallons of boiling water and had an SG of 1.065 pre boil

Took it down to approx 4.5 gallons (can't tell for sure as it's still HOT and will take up less space when cold. SG is 1.082 and I'm a happy camper so far..

If you're going to 'still it, why boil it down? [Prolly a silly question, but I'm the one fool left on the forum who still drinks store-bought beer.]

Boiled it down to raise the SG and I only have a 5 gallon still so I want to only put in about 4.5 gal. Guess I could have started w/less water and saved a lot of money on gas. LOL

[cb_j]

I'm interested to see how this turns out.
I've started buying grain by the bag for the dual purpose of beer and whiskey.
I like Pilsner beers more than traditional and pale beers, so if the Pilsner tastes good, I'm in!

[BrooklynTech]

Went into the frementing freezer at about 63*F for about 10 days, then began upping it a few degrees every day or so. It's up to 74 and still bubbling every 30 sec or so. Hope this comes out ok.

[BrooklynTech]

Checked today after 26 days in the fermenter. Beersmith said FG should be about 1.019 and I hit 20. So I guess it's done. ABV should be a bit over 7% which is ok. Question si I tasted the sample and it seems like it had a cider taste. Any ideas? Would run it today be the weather is to nasty to be on the back deck for a few hours.

[cb_j]

its not the same as 10 pounds of crushed malt. It's been through a process. I'd just put it down to that.

[BrooklynTech]

its not the same as 10 pounds of crushed malt. It's been through a process. I'd just put it down to that.

Thanks cb....Bought a new SS boil pot from COSTCO today. It's 6 gallons and is the same diameter as my 5 gallon pot so gasket and column will fit just fine.

Cleaned the new pot and racked about 4.5 gallons to it. Will run it in the morning.

[Fastill]

Interesting making a whisky with pilsner extract. The preboil should help prevent boilover in the still. I get Avangard German Pilsner malt for 48 bucks a 55 lb. sack. The cider taste might be normal and covered up by the hops when used in a beer.
If you want it to finish at a lower SG. you could secondary it with some powdered amylase enzyme for a week and it will drop it close to 1.00 sg.

[BrooklynTech]

Interesting making a whisky with pilsner extract. The preboil should help prevent boilover in the still. I get Avangard German Pilsner malt for 48 bucks a 55 lb. sack. The cider taste might be normal and covered up by the hops when used in a beer.
If you want it to finish at a lower SG. you could secondary it with some powdered amylase enzyme for a week and it will drop it close to 1.00 sg.

Shoots, your idea came to late as it's already in the boil pot.....and I do have powdered amylase....Next time although 7+% is not a bad ABV to distil.