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German Pilsner

This German Pilsner was brewed for the 2025 Free State Homebrew Guild Holiday Party at Heavy Seas brewery. This beer won runner-up in the best beer category.

General Information

  • Batch Size – 6gal
  • IBU – 35
  • SRM – 2.8L
  • Original Gravity – 1.044sg
  • Final Gravity – 1.006sg
  • ABV – 5%
  • BH Efficiency – 65%

Ingredients

Grain

  • 10lbs – Weyermann – Pilsner

Hops

  • 1.25oz – Perle – 6% AA – 60m
  • 1oz – Tettnang – 2.3% AA – 60m
  • .50oz – Hallertauer Mittelfrueh – 4.0% – 10m
  • .50oz – Tettnang – 2.3% AA – 10m
  • 1oz – Hallertauer Mittelfrueh – 4.0% – 0m

Miscellaneous

  • 1 whirlfloc tablet @ 10m

Water Profile

CaMgNaS04Ci
64 ppm3 ppm13 ppm91 ppm37 ppm

Yeast

  • 2 satchels – Cellar Science – German

Mash

  • 45m @ 148°f
  • 30m @ 158°f
  • 10m @ 168°f

Fermentation

After 60m boil, knocked out to 50°f and transfered into fermentor. Since Dry Yeast was used, no oxygen was added. Temperature controller was set to 50°f and left to ferment for 12 days. On day 12 temperature was slowly brought up to 56°f over a couple of days for a diacetyl rest. After diacetyl rest, temperature was slowly brought down over a number of days to 36°f. Pressure transferred to serving keg which contained 1tbsp of biofine clear.

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Pennsylvania Amber Lager

Pennsylvania Amber Lager (Yuengling Clone) was generously provided by Mike Biggs, and is the winning recipe 2023 September Club Meeting & Competition.

General Information

  • Batch Size – 6gal
  • IBU – 21
  • SRM – 12.4
  • Original Gravity – 1.051sg
  • Final Gravity – 1.007sg
  • ABV – 5.4%

Ingredients

Grain

  • 6lb 8oz – Briess – Pale Ale
  • 3lb – Briess – Borlander Munich
  • 1lb 8oz – Flaked Corn
  • 8oz – Briess – 40L Crystal
  • 4.8oz – Briess – 60L Crystal
  • 1.6oz – Briess – Black Malt

Hops

  • .5oz – Cascade – 8.9% AA – 60m
  • .5oz – Cluster – 7.3% AA – 20m

Water Profile

CaMgNaSO4Ci
543135547
Mineral concentrations

Yeast

  • 2 satchels – SafLager™ W‑34/70

Mash

  • 60m – Single Infusion – 149°f

Fermentation

After 60m boil, knocked out at 60°f and transferred into fermenter. Aerated worth with pure O2 at a rate of 1 cfm for 1.25 minutes. Set fermenter temperature to 62°f and put under 7psi of pressure. Once fermentation was complete, cold crashed, fined with Gelatin and then Biofine Clear the following day.

Brewers Notes

This beer was brewed for the 2023 Pints 4 Paws event. With a tight deadline, I decided to pressure ferment at a slightly elevated temperature. Also finning twice was an attempt to get the beer to clear up on a faster timeline.

Red Rye Lager

Recipe provided by Sean C.

Rye Lager
6 gal – Batch
Est. OG – 1.046
Est. FG: 1.011
Est. ABV: 4.6%

Yeast – SafLagaer W-34/70

Malt

  • 8.8 lbs – Pilsner
  • 1.1 lbs – Rye
  • .66 lbs – Munich
  • .33 lbs – CaraFa (special) Type 3

Hop

  • 1.5oz – Saaz @60 min
  • 1.0oz – Saaz @15min
  • 1.0oz – Saaz @5min

Mash at 149f for 60 minutes
Sparge at 172f
Pitch yeast at 68f for 7 days
Secondary at 68f for 7 days
Transfer to keg and let it sit at 32f for 14 days