Abundant Pilsner Malt.

I like to make a classic Keewenaw summer ale that consists of pilsner base, Vienna and wheat, lightly hopped w Mt Hood. However, it takes a particular palette to enjoy the skunky bitterness of a pilsner base ale. Nonetheless, I've got a 55lb bag of German Pilsner to deal with (no method for lagering). Any thoughts on cutting a recipe w two row malts etc? I generally make my ales quite malty and often sweet with Munich, victory etc.






they seem

Sours!

Brew whatever you want. I've pretty much switched over to using mostly pilsner malt for lagers and ales alike. It is not the malts that provides the skunk, it is the yeast and some hops, or of course sun exposure. None of my beers are skunky.

pjj2ba said:

Brew whatever you want. I've pretty much switched over to using mostly pilsner malt for lagers and ales alike. It is not the malts that provides the skunk, it is the yeast and some hops, or of course sun exposure. None of my beers are skunky.

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This. You should never get skunkiness from the malt. It simply can't happen.

I'm a home-brewer, so brewing whatever i want is the idea. Skunk being a subjective term and not the corn mash flavor of dimethyl (or whatever it's called) that pilsner malt can produce from short boils or inadequate chilling, but a very distinct bitter maltiness of course; which is why most pilsner recipes call for low hop acid additions. It is inspiring to hear that folks use pilsner as base malt for ales as well as lagers (I dream to but right now electricity demands I do not lager).

The first reply was iterated exclusively by a professional (Belgian farmhouse) brewer friend today and that is brew Saison or something sour.

My question has been the idea of cutting around the pils malt with two rows and adjuncts and guess I'll just go for it. The ongoing challenge prevails to continue experimenting when easy, drinkable ales are so simple to produce.

homebrewdad said:

This. You should never get skunkiness from the malt. It simply can't happen.

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In that I think the next logical experiment will be to substitute the pils into a standard recipe (with Chico type yeast) and taste the difference. Thanks.

I've used pilsner malt in IPAs, pale ale, saison, tripel, dubbel, quad, hefeweizen. Really only notice it when the flavors are light or subtle. Didn't notice it any different in flavor vs two row in an IPA.

highgravitybacon said:

I've used pilsner malt in IPAs, pale ale, saison, tripel, dubbel, quad, hefeweizen. Really only notice it when the flavors are light or subtle. Didn't notice it any different in flavor vs two row in an IPA.

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Thanks.

DFH 90 min has a pilsen for the base malt.

highgravitybacon said:

I've used pilsner malt in IPAs, pale ale, saison, tripel, dubbel, quad, hefeweizen. Really only notice it when the flavors are light or subtle. Didn't notice it any different in flavor vs two row in an IPA.

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Agree. I'm drinking (well not right this minute, it's 7AM) a pale ale hopped with Cascade, fermented with US05, and with pilsen as the base. I can't tell a difference between it and one brewed with 2 row other than I had to boil longer to drive off the DMS precursors.

hogwash said:

Agree. I'm drinking (well not right this minute, it's 7AM) a pale ale hopped with Cascade, fermented with US05, and with pilsen as the base. I can't tell a difference between it and one brewed with 2 row other than I had to boil longer to drive off the DMS precursors.

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Awesome, thanks!