Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

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Stanny

Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by Stanny » Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:03 pm

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?

EoinMag

Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by EoinMag » Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:38 pm

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.

Stanny

Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by Stanny » Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:43 pm

EoinMag 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.
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 that

EoinMag

Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by EoinMag » Thu Sep 01, 2011 9:47 pm

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?

Post by Befuddler » Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:18 pm

Stanny wrote:can anybody recommend a good Pilsner to try that is readily available in the UK?
Pilsner Urquell is available at most big supermarkets these days.
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"

verno

Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by verno » Fri Sep 02, 2011 8:36 am

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).

staplefordbill

Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by staplefordbill » Fri Sep 02, 2011 3:05 pm

Co-op sell a really good own-brand pilsner. Can't remember what it's called though.

Invalid Stout

Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by Invalid Stout » Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:13 pm

staplefordbill wrote:Co-op sell a really good own-brand pilsner. Can't remember what it's called though.
"Co-op Pilsner" ?

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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by testtube » Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:18 pm

Why use pilsner malt? It's crap..

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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by Befuddler » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:21 pm

testtube wrote:Why use pilsner malt? It's crap..
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.
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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by testtube » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:25 pm

Befuddler wrote:
testtube wrote:Why use pilsner malt? It's crap..
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.
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?

Post by Befuddler » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:02 pm

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..
Our pale malts have a very different character. It's not a matter of one being better than the other, they do different jobs.
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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by testtube » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:20 pm

Befuddler wrote:
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..
Our pale malts have a very different character. It's not a matter of one being better than the other, they do different jobs.
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.

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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by Befuddler » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:34 pm

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.
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"

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Re: Do I need to mash lager/pilsner malts?

Post by testtube » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:43 pm

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.
It is necessary, how is the flavour different.. Modified.. It's down to the crop in the first place...

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