Bandits Pilsner Decoction

Beersmith Cloud Recipe - beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/2881361

Recipe: Bandits Pilsner Decoction TYPE: All Grain
Style: Czech Premium Pale Lager
---RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS

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COLOR: 7.6 EBC COLOR RANGE: 6.9-11.8 EBC
IBU: 38.9 IBUs Tinseth IBU RANGE: 30.0-45.0 IBUs
OG: 1.046 SG OG RANGE: 1.044-1.060 SG
FG: 1.007 SG FG RANGE: 1.013-1.017 SG
BU:GU: 0.849 Calories: 464.0 kcal/l Est ABV: 5.1 %
EE%: 76.00 % Batch: 24.00 L Boil: 30.00 L BT: 60 Mins

---WATER CHEMISTRY ADDITIONS

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Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
35.00 L Distilled Water Water 1 - -
2.00 ml Lactic Acid (Mash) Water Agent 2 - -
0.36 g Baking Soda (Mash) Water Agent 3 - -
0.23 g Calcium Chloride (Mash) Water Agent 4 - -
0.19 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash) Water Agent 5 - -

Total Grain Weight: 4.60 kg Total Hops: 100.00 g
---MASH/STEEP PROCESS

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MASH PH:5.20

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>>>>>>>>>>-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
3.50 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (3.3 EBC) Grain 6 76.1 % 2.28 L
0.80 kg Munich I (Weyermann) (14.0 EBC) Grain 7 17.4 % 0.52 L
0.30 kg BEST Acidulated (BESTMALZ) (6.0 EBC) Grain 8 6.5 % 0.20 L


Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 19.00 L of water at 64.8 C 61.0 C 30 min
Mash Step Decoct 3.82 L of mash and boil it 67.8 C 30 min
Mash Out Heat to 76.0 C over 10 min 76.0 C 10 min

---SPARGE PROCESS---
>>>>>>>>>>-RECYCLE FIRST RUNNINGS & VERIFY GRAIN/MLT TEMPS: 20.0 C/71.0 C
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD BOIL CHEMICALS BEFORE FWH
Fly sparge with 15.33 L water at 75.6 C

---BOIL PROCESS

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Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.040 SG Est OG: 1.046 SG
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
70.00 g Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [3.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 29.4 IBUs -
0.29 g Baking Soda (Boil) Water Agent 10 - -
0.18 g Calcium Chloride (Boil) Water Agent 11 - -
0.15 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Boil) Water Agent 12 - -
30.00 g Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [3.80 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 13 9.5 IBUs -
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 14 - -
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 15 - -


---FERM PROCESS

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Primary Start: 06 Feb 2020 - 5.00 Days at 13 C
Bump up 15c, 17c etc over a couple of days
Style Carb Range: 2.30-2.70 Vols



I think I did three packs of yeast, I would not pitch any less than 2, but would even go to 4 at times if the yeast was older. Its very important for lagers to ferment well to do a huge pitch.
A starter is a good thing up to 4L you can start that with one pack of yeast, you'd ferment it out for a few days, can be at 18c or something so its quick, then fridge it, on brewday pull it out the fridge, let it come to room temp, well, let it warm up a bit, pour off 3 or more litres, just to keep the yeast and some liquid to be able to swirl it up and pitch that into your beer. This sort of starter all up probably takes a week, maybe 4 days fermenting and then couple of days in the fridge.
Or just pitch a few packs of yeast.
If you dont the ferment could take 3 weeks more sometimes, and always ramp up the temp at the end to finish off. You just get a much cleaner lager/pilsner with a big pitch theres no real way around it.
Personally I usually pitch about 15 or 16c, wait a few hours till you see the yeast is alive, maybe 6 hours ish, then drop it to ferment temp, I tend to go to the higher end of the recommended temperature, say if it says 9-15c, then I'd probably go 13 or 14c. Leave it there till it drops below 1.020 or when you see the krausen dropping, with a big yeast pitch this can be within a week, then raise it up a few degrees, couple of days, then raise it up a few more degrees, theres your finishing off and diacetyl rest. Before you package just check for sulphur aromas, there will probably always be a little there, but if its really strong, let it go a few more days and it should be good. Cheers!

I just stocked up on some grain and yeast just in case! I was low, needed to buy some anyway. Thanks very much mate, things are getting crazy. Cheers!