My first Pilsner

[bilgerat]

Hello fellow brewers, I am about to put down my first Pilsner it is a Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsner, my question is about any comments about the yeast that comes with these kits, the yeast supplied is a lager yeast I have read about people using yeast specifically for pilsner, I have also read where people have added additional saaz hops to the brew, I intend using 1 kg of Accent 1 brewing sugar which has 500g Light Malt, 250g Dextrose and 250g powdered corn syrup after fermenting at about 15C it will go into a keg.
Any comments most welcome
bilgerat

[RUM57L]

G'day Bilgerat,

I've used a few Morgans kits in the past and found their yeast to be reliable.
You could include some cascade or nelson sauvin along with the saaz.

Good luck with your first one

[bilgerat]

Thanks RUM57
I have bunged the Morgans in the fermenter straight out of the can with the lager yeast, I will see how it goes and play around with my next pilsner with addition of extra hops etc as you suggested, I have two kegs on the go now but I can see that I will need to get another fridge and two more kegs to satisfy my thirst for the noble art of brewing.
bilgerat

[bilgerat]

The pilsner has been in the fermenter since 25 May ie 19 days, it stopped bubbling after a few days when the temp dropped down to about 15C so I bought a heat pad and warmed it up to about 24C and it is bubbling away but has slowed down a bit now, when I first put the brew in the fermenter the SG was 1.072 the SG now is about 1.02 which means the brew will be 7.47% how do I tone this down a bit ???
Hopefully by keeping the temp constant ?

bilgerat

[squirt in the turns]

Your OG reading of 1.072 is almost certainly erroneous. With kits/extract this usually happens because some undisolved goop has collected in the fermenter tap, throwing off the gravity of the first few mls of wort, which you've then drawn off to take your sample. Make sure everything is evenly mixed, and discard the first 100 ml or so that you draw off.

Your recipe should have given you an OG of 1.040 or less.

Is the current reading 1.002 or 1.020? If it's at 1.020 then it probably has a bit further to go.

Keeping the temp stable is one of the best measures you can take to improve your beer. It's also worth noting that, with a few exceptions, no beer should be fermented at 24 degrees - you'll get off flavours. This is especially true if the yeast in that Morgans kit was definitely a genuine lager yeast (not an ale yeast or a blend). The best temp for lagers is about 10 degrees. Don't fret if it doesn't appear to be doing much at that temperature - lager yeast is a slow worker and it might not produce enough pressure to make the airlock bubble (the CO2 is probably just seeping out elsewhere).

[bilgerat]

Thanks for that, I take your point on flushing the tap before taking the OG sample.
I will connect a timer to the heater to keep it at a stable temp at about 10 to 15C
I will give the brew a bit more time as it is currently sitting at 1.02
I have read some where that if the SG is stable for three consecutive days then the brew is ready for kegging but I guess it would also have to be below at least 1.005 or there abouts if the OG is 1.040.
I have just drained the last of my Irish Stout so I want to get the pilsner kegged and a new batch of stout under way, maybe I should invest in a second fermenter and some more kegs

[squirt in the turns]

I am about to put down my first Pilsner it is a Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsner, my question is about any comments about the yeast that comes with these kits, the yeast supplied is a lager yeast I have read about people using yeast specifically for pilsner

Are you certain that it really is a lager yeast? I've done a quick bit of Googling and it seems that the consensus is that the Morgans kit is supplied with an ale yeast - see here. There are also quite a few cases of brewers ditching the kit yeast in favour of Saflager W34-70, such as in this thread, which makes a lot of sense if it's really an ale yeast.

This will make a difference, as an ale yeast will shut down below about 15 or 16 degrees, and could account for your fermentation appearing to cease when the temp dropped. If the SG doesn't drop any further or it really is ale yeast, try to bring the temp up to a stable 18-20 degrees and see what happens. If it still doesn't do anything, there are options you can try to kick it off again: gently swirling the fermenter (don't splash), adding more yeast, or (this one is probably controversial) even adding yeast nutrient.

Have you tasted it yet, and if so, does it seem under-attenuated (too sweet)? If it tastes ok, you could just keg it and drink it. If you were bottling I'd be worried about residual sugars causing bottle bombs.

And yes, you can never have too many kegs or fermenters!

[bilgerat]

The yeast that came with the brew was lager yeast, the SG does seem to have dropped very slightly to about 1.019, it doesnt taste too bad it has a definite pilsner after taste even though it is warm and flat, would I do any harm in putting some more yeast in and if so which one ? Temp now is around 20C

Thanks for your help

[speedie]

hay billgee

in essence what do you think is the difference between both yeasts?
it seems to me you already have a fair concept

[bilgerat]

I dont really have much of an idea what the differnce is between the different yeasts thats why I ask the question, I know there are yeasts for ales, lager, pilsner, stout etc.

[squirt in the turns]

Bilgerat, to very broadly summarise, there are 2 main types of yeast used in brewing: top-fermenting and bottom fermenting, which are used to make ales and lagers respectively. Within those 2 categories there are hundreds (perhaps thousands) of strains that are suited to the various styles of beer.

Many HB kits that purport to be “lager” are actually supplied with top-fermenting yeast. This is why I am sceptical that the yeast you’re using really is lager yeast, and would explain your stalled ferment when the temp dropped. Aim for 18-20 degrees for ales and 9-11 degrees for lagers. Ale yeast will become dormant below about 16 degrees (depending on the strain), while lager yeast will still work at higher temps, but most strains will produce some weird flavours and not give a very lager-like result.

If you're buying Coopers kits, there's a write-up of what yeasts are known to come with what cans here, although the thread is 6 years old now. Your best bet is probably to buy other yeasts. Most home brew shops keep yeast in the fridge, which is better than the conditions the stuff attached to the cans is in. Many homebrewers try Fermentis Safale and Saflager yeasts to start with.

[bilgerat]

Thanks for reply, I have a very good chap at my local HBS who took some time today to explain the different yeasts to me, in future when I buy a tin of HB I will buy the recommended Fermentis yeast for the particular brew I am making.

I put the Pilsner into a keg last night and carbonated it today so I will give it a try tomorrow night and see how it turns out.

I will put a Deliverance Extra Special Stout down tomorrow with a Safale S 04 yeast and a steep pack containing crystal malt, wheat malt and hop pellets.

I appreciate your input.

Thanks

[bilgerat]

Finished carbonating today, 48 hours at 2.5 bar through the beer out post with the occasional shake of the keg, initial taste test was a little bland for a pilsner, it is quite a cloudy golden colour but has with a good head retension but a definite pilsner after taste.

I think next time I do a pilsner I may add a some additional hops and a yeast for pilsner like a Fermentis W34/70.

Does anyone have a preference for rehydrating yeast as opposed to using it dry and sprinkling it over the top of the wort ?

Any comments most welcome.

[emnpaul]

For mine, I either sprinkle and wait half an hour before stirring with a sanitised spoon or make a starter. But that's just me.

Cheers
Paul

[Oliver]

Does anyone have a preference for rehydrating yeast as opposed to using it dry and sprinkling it over the top of the wort ?

Depending on who you listen to, adding the dry yeast is either fine or the worst thing you can do.

One school of thought says that adding dry yeast to wort can actually kill some of the yeast cells because until they are rehydrated they can't regulate what comes through the wall of their cells. So if you rehydrate you get a better start to fermentation because hopefully none of the yeast is killed.

There are various methods, but one of the easiest is to cover a mug of water with cling wrap and boil it in the microwave. Let it cool then add the yeast and stir well. Leave for 10 mins or so then pitch into the wort.

Cheers,

Oliver

[hirns]

I click on the yeast on the craft brewer site and then more info. They list the recommended procedures for most yeasts.

Hirns

[bilgerat]

The keg of pilsner went down the drain today, it was crap, I think a combination of poor temperature control and possibly wrong yeast resulted in a very limp brew,I was going to leave it for a while but I need the keg for other brews with a lot more promise.
A bit disappointing as it was only my second brew using kegs.
I think I will be rehydrating yeast from now on, I guess brewing is like anything else in life you learn as you go.

[emnpaul]

The keg of pilsner went down the drain today, it was crap,

Bilgey, NOOOOOOOOO!

You're supposed to serve it to the in laws at Christmas!

Cheers
Paul

[squirt in the turns]

The keg of pilsner went down the drain today, it was crap,

Bilgey, NOOOOOOOOO!

You'e supposed to serve it to the in laws at Christmas!

Cheers
Paul

Or just choke it down to teach yourself a lesson. And you never know, by Christmas it might have matured into a mighty fine brew.

[DerekMc]

I did a Morgans Saaz as one of my 1st brews. It was very ordinary at the beginning but came good at the 6 month mark although nothing special ( Considering the Mountain Lager is excellent). I'm also trying to get a good Pilsner but with only moderate success. Although it is relatively expensive at $35 the Muntons Continental Pilsner is a good package. Everything is supplied so very easy. The good thing is that it is very drinkable after 2 weeks. This could be a good starting point to use as a reference. Actually all the Muntons kits I've used are great. Just watch out that the kit is in date as the expensive kits can collect a bit of dust before being sold.