Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Planning on making a lager or pilsner next but i do not have a mash tun, will i need to mash crushed lager malt/pils malt?
many thanks
Ps, can anybody recommend a good Pilsner to try that is readily available in the UK?
many thanks
Ps, can anybody recommend a good Pilsner to try that is readily available in the UK?
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Yes, you need to mash lager malts, you also need specialist yeast, you also need a temperature controlled fridge or room that you can keep at about 13c and somewhere you can drop the temperature to about 2c to lager. The lack of a mash tun is no issue if you do brew in a bag, but to be honest, lager is not a beginners proposition. Read a bit more, do some more ales, get good at ales then take on lagers. My opinion, your mileage may vary.
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
see i havea silver can lager kit left over and wanted to add grain + hops to make it worthwile. so its not AG, but none the less i may just brew a 'fake' lager as it were and add some bits and pieces to thatEoinMag wrote:Yes, you need to mash lager malts, you also need specialist yeast, you also need a temperature controlled fridge or room that you can keep at about 13c and somewhere you can drop the temperature to about 2c to lager. The lack of a mash tun is no issue if you do brew in a bag, but to be honest, lager is not a beginners proposition. Read a bit more, do some more ales, get good at ales then take on lagers. My opinion, your mileage may vary.
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Do a mini mash using a pot on your stove and a hop bag and add it to the extract
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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Pilsner Urquell is available at most big supermarkets these days.Stanny wrote:can anybody recommend a good Pilsner to try that is readily available in the UK?
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
I recently did a pilsner AG using weyermans pilsner from themaltmiller. I am currently conditioning it and trying to get it to carbonate (i think I dropped the temp down to early in the conditioning process or I am just impatient). As Eoin says, if you want to do it properly you need some gear. I basically use an ebay fridge and play with the temperature guage. The range is about 4 - 11 degrees so its good enough for me.
A few years ago I did a mini mash lager and though I made lots of mistakes, it was pretty good. Basically you use a stock pot and stick water and grains in and put it in the oven to temp control it. You then use the stockpot on the hot to boil etc. Do a google search and you will find some good tips. I think I made about 5 litres this way, but you could add this to your kit to get some extra taste (using hops in the boil obviously).
A few years ago I did a mini mash lager and though I made lots of mistakes, it was pretty good. Basically you use a stock pot and stick water and grains in and put it in the oven to temp control it. You then use the stockpot on the hot to boil etc. Do a google search and you will find some good tips. I think I made about 5 litres this way, but you could add this to your kit to get some extra taste (using hops in the boil obviously).
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Co-op sell a really good own-brand pilsner. Can't remember what it's called though.
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
"Co-op Pilsner" ?staplefordbill wrote:Co-op sell a really good own-brand pilsner. Can't remember what it's called though.
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Why use pilsner malt? It's crap..
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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
That's a bold and far reaching statement.. Almost everything from Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic is based on Pilsner malt. It might be crap if you try to brew an English bitter with it, but it's fantastic for all sorts of different styles.testtube wrote:Why use pilsner malt? It's crap..
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Why, It's crap, what's wrong with our malt's for doing the job? Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic would give their right hand for our malt's..Befuddler wrote:That's a bold and far reaching statement.. Almost everything from Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic is based on Pilsner malt. It might be crap if you try to brew an English bitter with it, but it's fantastic for all sorts of different styles.testtube wrote:Why use pilsner malt? It's crap..
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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Our pale malts have a very different character. It's not a matter of one being better than the other, they do different jobs.testtube wrote:Why, It's crap, what's wrong with our malt's for doing the job? Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic would give their right hand for our malt's..
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
How, we even make lager malt, what job, because of the high nitrogen in their malt's they do all sort's of step mashes an stuff, do you treat them like that? Cain's make a superb lager with maris otter, better than many lager's.Befuddler wrote:Our pale malts have a very different character. It's not a matter of one being better than the other, they do different jobs.testtube wrote:Why, It's crap, what's wrong with our malt's for doing the job? Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic would give their right hand for our malt's..
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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
Pilsner malt has a different flavour, that's it's job. Most modern Pilsner malt is well modified, unless you specifically look for one that isn't because you want to do a step mash. Therefore, decoction and step mashes are not necessary. This argument is not necessary.
I'm not saying you can't use other malts in it's place, but it does have it's place.
I'm not saying you can't use other malts in it's place, but it does have it's place.
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?
It is necessary, how is the flavour different.. Modified.. It's down to the crop in the first place...Befuddler wrote:Pilsner malt has a different flavour, that's it's job. Most modern Pilsner malt is well modified, unless you specifically look for one that isn't because you want to do a step mash. Therefore, decoction and step mashes are not necessary. This argument is not necessary.
I'm not saying you can't use other malts in it's place, but it does have it's place.